How to hide one photo or video
- Open Photos on your iPhone.
- Touch and hold the photo or video you want to hide.
- Tap Hide.
- Confirm that you want to hide the item.
The item moves to the Hidden album. Apple says it no longer appears in the main Library, other albums, or the Photos widget on the Home Screen.
How to hide several items at once
- Open a library view or collection in Photos.
- Tap Select and choose the photos or videos.
- Tap the More button.
- Tap Hide and confirm.
Hiding does not delete the items or free storage. They remain part of the Photos library and can be shown again later.
Is the Hidden album locked?
On current iPhone software, the Hidden and Recently Deleted collections are locked by default. Opening either collection requires Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode. Apple introduced this default lock in iOS 16.
To check the setting, open Settings, choose Apps, then Photos. Keep Use Face ID, Use Touch ID, or Use Passcode turned on. Turning that control off also removes the default authentication requirement from Recently Deleted.
Face ID adds convenience, but the device passcode remains an unlock method. Protect the passcode and do not hand over an unlocked phone when the contents must remain private.
How to remove the Hidden album from view
You can make the collection itself disappear from Photos without unhiding its contents:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps, then Photos.
- Turn off Show Hidden Album.
Turn the setting on again when you need to reach the collection. Removing the album from view does not delete or unhide its contents.
How to find and unhide a photo
- Open Photos and tap Collections.
- Scroll to Utilities and tap Hidden.
- Tap View Album and authenticate.
- Touch and hold the item you want to restore.
- Tap Unhide.
The item returns to the normal Photos library. If Hidden is missing from Utilities, first turn on Show Hidden Album in Settings.
What happens with iCloud Photos?
If iCloud Photos is enabled, hiding an item on one device also hides it on your other devices. This is a synchronized library change, not a device-only copy. The same principle applies when you unhide the item.
What hiding cannot do
The Hidden album protects photos and videos after you select them. It does not search the library for forgotten private media, judge which items are sensitive to you, or erase a device before a repair or sale.
For a larger cleanup, search dates, people, screenshots, downloads, and imported media manually. A local photo scanner can help create a smaller review queue, but detection can miss items or produce false positives. Review every suggestion yourself and use Apple’s full erase workflow before permanently handing over an iPhone.