How to hide photos and videos on iPhone

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Use a separate vault for a separate lock

Private Photo Vault^® is designed for storing private photos and videos, with AES encryption and its own PIN, password or pattern. A different vault code gives you a boundary between access to your phone and access to your private collection.

Start by importing a small selection. Open the imported photos and play the videos in the vault before moving the rest. Set up albums so you can find the files you want without bringing them back into your public library.

1. Choose a vault code that is different from your device passcode.
2. Import the photos or videos you want to keep private.
3. Check that the imported files open and that videos play.
4. Review the originals and any other copies before deciding what to remove.

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Manage original photos and other copies

Importing a photo does not remove copies from messages, shared albums, other apps or separate backups. Make a deliberate decision about those copies rather than assuming the import handled them.

If you remove originals from Apple Photos, they normally remain in Recently Deleted for 30 days. With iCloud Photos enabled, deletion also applies to other devices using that library. Verify the copy you intend to keep before permanently deleting anything.

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Choose how to back up your private collection

Private Photo Vault^® works offline without an account. For an encrypted backup and sync between devices, enable optional premium Cloud Vault and let your files finish uploading.

Store your Cloud Vault password safely. It is separate from your app passcode and cannot be recovered by our team. Check that your backup is complete before relying on it or replacing your phone.

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Alternative: Apple’s Hidden album

If you only want to remove items from the main Photos view and do not need an independent vault code, Apple’s Hidden album is a built-in alternative. It is locked by default on current iOS versions, but uses device authentication rather than a separately chosen album password. This provides less separation from someone who can already authenticate on your phone.

The Hidden album keeps hidden photos and videos in one collection. It does not support separate albums or sub-albums within that collection, and it does not offer a decoy password to open an alternate collection.

1. Open Photos and find a photo or video you want to hide.
2. Touch and hold the item, choose Hide, and confirm.
3. To find it later, open the Hidden album or collection and authenticate. Its location and labels depend on your iOS version.

Common questions