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·4 min read

How to Hide Photos on iPhone in 2026: Every Method Compared

A complete guide to hiding photos on iPhone — from the built-in Hidden folder to Notes, Shortcuts, and dedicated vault apps. Pros, cons, and what actually keeps your photos private.

TL;DR

You've got photos you don't want anyone to see when scrolling through your camera roll. Here's every method available on iPhone in 2026, ranked from simplest to most secure.

1. The Hidden folder (built-in)

How: Select photos → tap ••• → Hide. They move to Photos → Albums → Hidden.

Pros
  • ✓Built into iOS, zero setup
  • ✓Requires Face ID or passcode since iOS 16
Cons
  • ✗Uses your device passcode — anyone who knows it sees everything
  • ✗Location is obvious (Albums → Hidden). Millions of TikTok posts explain how to find it.
  • ✗Syncs to iCloud by default — your "hidden" photos sit on Apple's servers
  • ✗No per-file encryption. Files are just filtered from the main view.
  • ✗Metadata leaks into Spotlight and Siri Suggestions
⚠️
Fine for hiding birthday surprises. Not a real privacy solution.

For a deeper breakdown, see iOS Hidden Folder vs a Vault App.

2. Lock photos in Notes

How: Create a note → add photos → lock the note with a separate password.

Pros
  • ✓Separate password from device passcode
  • ✓Built into iOS
Cons
  • ✗Terrible photo experience. No grid, no full-screen viewer, no organization.
  • ✗Notes sync to iCloud too (unless you disable it)
  • ✗Photos get compressed when pasted into a note
  • ✗No bulk import — one photo at a time, or a few via share sheet
⚠️
Okay for hiding 2-3 sensitive documents. Anything more becomes painful.

3. Shortcuts automation

How: Build a Shortcut that moves photos to a specific folder, optionally triggered by NFC tag or automation.

Pros
  • ✓Creative, customizable
  • ✓Can integrate with Files app
Cons
  • ✗No encryption whatsoever — photos sit in Files as plain JPEGs
  • ✗Complex to set up and maintain
  • ✗Breaks easily with iOS updates
  • ✗Anyone with Files access sees everything
❌
A fun experiment. Not a security solution.

4. Third-party cloud vaults (Keepsafe, HiddenVault, etc.)

How: Download the app → import photos → delete originals from camera roll.

Pros
  • ✓Dedicated photo organization with albums/folders
  • ✓PIN or biometric lock
Cons
  • ✗Most store your photos on their servers. Keepsafe's product page literally describes itself as "cloud photo storage."
  • ✗Subscriptions: $10-15/month typically. HiddenVault charges $2.99/week — $155/year.
  • ✗Analytics tracking. Amplitude published a case study about optimizing Keepsafe's pricing with behavioral data.
  • ✗Data loss risk tied to subscription status. Stop paying, photos can disappear.
❌
You're paying rent for your own photos — and they're on someone else's server.

For more on this, see Are Photo Vault Apps Actually Safe?

How: Download → create a space with its own PIN → import photos. Everything encrypted on-device.

Pros
  • ✓Per-file encryption — each photo encrypted individually with its own key
  • ✓Separate PIN per space — phone passcode doesn't open it
  • ✓Zero servers — photos never leave the device
  • ✓Zero analytics, zero tracking SDKs
  • ✓No subscription — one-time purchase
  • ✓No iCloud sync, no metadata leakage
Cons
  • ✗No cloud backup. Lose the phone without a separate backup = photos gone.
  • ✗No PIN recovery. Forget it, lose the space. By design.
  • ✗No cross-device sync.
✅
Actual privacy with real encryption. The trade-off is full local control — no safety net, but no one else has access either.

Quick comparison

MethodEncryptionSeparate passwordStays on deviceCost
Hidden folder❌❌ (device passcode)❌ (iCloud)Free
Notes lockPartial✅❌ (iCloud)Free
Shortcuts❌❌✅Free
Cloud vaultsVaries✅❌ (servers)$40-155/yr
Inner Gallery✅ Per-file✅ Per-space✅Free / €24.99 once

The bottom line

Most "hiding" methods on iPhone are visibility filters. They move photos out of your main view. That's useful, but it's not privacy.

Privacy means the photos are encrypted so that nobody — not Apple, not the app developer, not someone with your passcode — can see them without the specific key.

If that matters to you, the method you choose should reflect it.

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