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How to Hide Photos on iPhone

There are two ways to hide photos on an iPhone: the built-in Hidden album (quick, but everyone knows where to look) and a PIN-protected photo vault that stores photos encrypted, outside your photo library entirely. If you're hiding anything that matters, use the vault.

Quick answer: To hide photos properly on an iPhone, move them into Ultra Cleaner's Secret Space: an AES-encrypted vault behind a PIN independent of your phone passcode, stored outside the photo library and excluded from backups. The built-in Hidden album only hides photos from browsing — anyone holding your unlocked phone can open it.

Last updated: July 14, 2026

Option 1: The built-in Hidden album

  1. In Photos, select the photo(s), tap ⋯ → Hide.
  2. They move to Albums → Utilities → Hidden, which requires Face ID on modern iOS.

Limitations: everyone who's owned an iPhone knows the Hidden album exists, hidden photos still appear in some searches and pickers, and anyone you hand your unlocked phone to (with Face ID glance…) is two taps away. It hides from browsing, not from people.

Option 2: A PIN-protected, encrypted vault

  1. Download Ultra Cleaner and open Secret Space.
  2. Create your PIN — this locks the vault, independent of your phone passcode.
  3. Tap Add New and pick photos or videos to import. Files are stored encrypted (AES) inside the app, invisible to the Photos app.
  4. After importing, remove the originals from your photo library so the only copy lives behind the PIN.
Ultra Cleaner Secret Space — a PIN-protected private photo library
Remember your PIN. The vault has no "forgot PIN" backdoor by design — that's what makes it private. Write the PIN down somewhere safe when you set it up.

Which should you use?

Hidden album: casual privacy — photos you'd rather not scroll past in front of coworkers. Secret Space vault: real privacy — IDs, documents, personal photos and videos that should be encrypted behind a code that isn't your phone passcode.

FAQ

Are vault photos backed up to iCloud?

No — vault files are excluded from backups and live encrypted inside the app, which is exactly why they're private.

Can I get photos back out of the vault?

Yes, you can view, share or export them anytime after unlocking with your PIN.

Does hiding photos free up storage?

Hiding alone doesn't — but Ultra Cleaner also finds duplicates and junk while you're there. See how to free up storage.

Lock my photos — Download Ultra Cleaner

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