Where Mac stores hidden photos and how to see them
Photos you hide on a Mac don't disappear — they move to a separate folder within the Photos app called the Hidden album. To see them, open the Photos app, click View in the menu bar, then select Show Hidden Photo Album. A new album labeled "Hidden" will appear in your sidebar. Click it to see all the photos you've marked as hidden.
This works the same way whether you're using macOS Ventura, Sonoma, or earlier versions. The hidden photos stay in your library; they're just removed from your main view and from any shared albums or slideshows. They still take up storage space on your Mac.
If you don't see the Hidden album even after turning on the view option, make sure you're looking at your main library and not a shared library. Shared libraries don't have a hidden album feature.
Key Takeaways
- Hidden photos on Mac are stored in a separate Hidden album within the Photos app, not deleted from your Mac.
- You reveal the Hidden album by going to View menu and selecting Show Hidden Photo Album.
- Hidden photos still count toward your Mac's storage and can be unhidden at any time.
- The hidden album only works in your personal library, not in shared libraries you access through Family Sharing.
- Hiding a photo removes it from search results, shared albums, and the main library view.
How to hide a photo in the first place
To hide a photo you don't want to see in your main library, right-click or Control-click the photo in the Photos app and select Hide Photo from the menu. The photo disappears from your library view when ready and moves to the Hidden album.
You can hide multiple photos at once by selecting them all (click one, then hold Shift and click another to select a range, or hold Command and click individual photos), then right-clicking and choosing Hide Photo. This is faster than hiding them one at a time.
Once hidden, the photo won't show up in your main library, in search results, or in any albums you've created — only in the dedicated Hidden album. This is useful if you want to keep photos on your Mac but don't want them visible during everyday browsing.
Unhiding photos when you want them back
To unhide a photo, open the Hidden album, right-click the photo, and select Unhide Photo. The photo returns to your main library and reappears in search results and any albums it belonged to before you hid it.
You can unhide multiple photos the same way you hide them — select several at once, then right-click and choose Unhide Photo. There's no limit to how many you can unhide or how many times you can hide and unhide the same photo.
What hiding does and doesn't do
Hiding a photo is not the same as deleting it. The photo remains on your Mac, takes up the same amount of storage, and can be recovered when ready by unhiding it. It's a visibility tool, not a deletion tool.
Hiding also doesn't protect the photo with a password or encryption. Anyone with access to your Mac and knowledge of the hidden album feature can see your hidden photos. If you need actual security, consider using the Notes app with a locked folder, or a dedicated password manager.
If you delete a photo instead of hiding it, it goes to the Recently Deleted album for 30 days before disappearing permanently. You can recover it during that window by opening Recently Deleted, selecting the photo, and clicking Recover.
Hidden albums in shared libraries and Family Sharing
If you use Family Sharing in Photos, only your personal library has a hidden album. Shared family libraries don't have a hidden album feature, so you can't hide photos from other family members within a shared library.
If a family member shares a library with you, you can't hide their photos from your view. You see what they've chosen to share. The hide feature only works on photos in your own personal library.
Why the hidden album exists and when to use it
The hidden album lets you keep photos on your Mac without them cluttering your main library or appearing in slideshows and shared albums. Common reasons to hide photos include keeping unflattering shots, work-in-progress images, or photos you're not ready to organize yet.
It's also useful if you share your Mac with other people and want certain photos out of the main view without deleting them. Since hiding doesn't require a password, it's a convenience feature rather than a privacy tool.
If you're trying to reduce clutter, hiding is a middle ground between keeping and deleting. You can hide photos temporarily while you decide whether to keep or delete them later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide photos in iCloud Photos or just on my Mac?
The hidden album syncs across all your devices if you use iCloud Photos. When you hide a photo on your Mac, it's hidden on your iPhone, iPad, and other Macs signed into the same Apple ID. The feature works the same way everywhere.
What happens to hidden photos if I back up my Mac?
Hidden photos are included in Time Machine backups and iCloud backups. If you restore your Mac from a backup, your hidden photos remain hidden. They're treated like any other photo in your library.
Can I search for hidden photos?
No. Hidden photos don't appear in search results even if you search for their date, location, or any tags you've added. You can only find them by opening the Hidden album directly.
Is hiding photos the same as archiving them?
No. Archiving removes photos from your main library and albums but keeps them searchable and recoverable. Hiding removes them from view and search. Both keep the photos on your Mac, but they work differently.
What if I can't find the View menu option to show hidden photos?
Make sure you're in the main Photos app library, not a shared library. If you're still not seeing the option, try updating macOS to the latest version. The hidden album feature is available in macOS Monterey and later.