Adding photos to Hidden album requires opening Settings, then Photos, then toggling Hidden Album on — but the real work is moving existing photos there, which you do from the Photos app itself, not Settings.
The Hidden album on iPhone is a locked folder inside the Photos app where you can store photos you don't want showing up in your main library, search results, or shared albums. To use it, you first turn it on in Settings so the folder appears in your Photos app. Then you move photos into it directly from the Photos app by selecting them and choosing "Move to Hidden".
This is not the same as deleting photos or moving them to a private folder on your computer. Hidden photos stay on your phone, stay in your iCloud library if you use iCloud Photos, and can be recovered if someone knows to look in the Hidden album. If you want photos that are truly private from someone with access to your phone, this is not the right tool.
Key Takeaways
- You must turn on the Hidden album in Settings > Photos before you can see or use it in the Photos app.
- Once enabled, you move photos to Hidden by opening the Photos app, selecting one or more photos, tapping the three-dot menu, and choosing "Move to Hidden".
- Photos in the Hidden album still appear in search results and shared albums unless you remove them from those places separately.
- The Hidden album is locked only if you have Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode set on your phone — without one, anyone can open it.
Turn on the Hidden Album in Settings
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Photos. Look for the toggle next to Hidden Album and turn it on. The toggle will turn green when it is active.
If you do not see a Hidden Album option, you may be running an older version of iOS. Hidden Album was added in iOS 16.2. Check your iOS version by going to Settings > General > About and looking at the OS version number. If it is lower than 16.2, you will need to update your phone first.
After you turn on Hidden Album, go back to your home screen and open the Photos app. You should now see a new album called Hidden at the bottom of your library, below Favorites and Recents. If you do not see it right away, close the Photos app completely and reopen it.
Move Photos to Hidden from the Photos App
Open the Photos app and navigate to the photo or photos you want to move. You can select from your library, a specific album, or search results. Tap Select in the top right corner, then tap each photo you want to move. A blue checkmark will appear on each selected photo.
Once you have selected all the photos you want to move, tap the three-dot menu icon (or the share icon, depending on your iOS version) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down in the menu that appears and tap Move to Hidden. The photos will disappear from their current view and move to the Hidden album.
If you only want to move one photo, you can also press and hold the photo, then tap Move to Hidden from the menu that appears. This is faster than using Select if you are only moving a single photo.
Understand What Hidden Album Does and Does Not Do
Photos in the Hidden album do not appear in your main library view, your Recents, or your Favorites. They also do not show up when you scroll through your photos by date or month. This makes them less visible in everyday use.
However, Hidden photos still appear in search results if you search for them by date, location, or object (for example, if you search "dog" and a hidden photo contains a dog, it will show up). They also still appear in any shared albums you added them to before moving them to Hidden. If you want to remove them from search or shared albums, you need to do that separately.
The Hidden album is locked only if your iPhone has Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode enabled. If someone unlocks your phone, they can open the Photos app and tap the Hidden album to see everything in it. This is not encryption or true privacy — it is just a folder that is out of the way.
Lock the Hidden Album with Face ID or Touch ID
If you have Face ID or Touch ID set up on your iPhone, the Hidden album is automatically locked. When you try to open it, you will be asked to authenticate with your face or fingerprint before you can see the photos inside.
To set up or change this, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode, depending on your phone model) and enter your passcode. Scroll down to the Photos section and make sure the toggle next to Hidden Album is turned on. This ensures that every time you open the Hidden album, you will need to authenticate.
If you do not have Face ID or Touch ID enabled, you can still use the Hidden album, but it will not be locked. Anyone who picks up your unlocked phone can open the Photos app and view everything in the Hidden album without any additional authentication.
Move Photos Back Out of Hidden
To move a photo out of the Hidden album back to your main library, open the Photos app and tap the Albums tab at the bottom. Scroll down and tap Hidden. Select the photo or photos you want to move out, then tap the three-dot menu and choose Unhide. The photos will return to your library and appear in search results again.
When you unhide a photo, it goes back to your main library but does not automatically return to any shared albums it was in before. If you want it to appear in a shared album again, you will need to add it manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I password-protect the Hidden album without Face ID or Touch ID?
No. The Hidden album can only be locked with Face ID, Touch ID, or your phone's passcode. If your phone is unlocked, anyone can open the Photos app and view the Hidden album. If you need stronger privacy, consider using a third-party app designed for encrypted photo storage.
Do hidden photos take up less storage space?
No. Moving a photo to Hidden does not change its file size or how much storage it uses. It only changes where the photo appears in the Photos app. If you want to free up storage, you need to delete photos, not hide them.
Will hidden photos sync to my other Apple devices?
Yes, if you use iCloud Photos. Hidden photos sync across all your devices signed in with the same Apple ID. The Hidden album will appear on your iPad, Mac, or other iPhone, and the same photos will be hidden there too.
What happens to hidden photos if I back up my iPhone?
Hidden photos are included in iCloud backups and iTunes backups. If you restore your iPhone from a backup, the Hidden album and all photos in it will be restored as well. They will remain in the Hidden album after the restore is complete.
Can I hide photos that are already in a shared album?
Yes, you can move a photo to Hidden even if it is in a shared album. However, the photo will remain visible in that shared album to anyone you shared it with. Hiding a photo only removes it from your own library view — it does not remove it from albums you have already shared with others.