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Where Are Hidden Photos on iPhone? How to Find and See the Hidden Album

Updated October 30, 2026

Hidden photos on iPhone are in the Hidden album, in the Photos app near the bottom: scroll down to Utilities and tap Hidden. If it isn’t there, it’s switched off. Go to Settings, then Apps, then Photos, and turn on Show Hidden Album. Here’s how to find it, open it, and what to do if it still won’t show up.

Find the Hidden album in Photos

  1. Open Photos.
  2. Scroll down past your library and collections to Utilities.
  3. Tap Hidden.
  4. Unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID or your iPhone passcode.

On older versions of iOS, the same album sits in the Albums tab, under Utilities.

If the Hidden album isn’t there

The album disappears when Show Hidden Album is off. To bring it back:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Apps, then Photos.
  3. Turn on Show Hidden Album.

Go back to Photos and it’s under Utilities again. The photos were never deleted; they were just out of sight.

If it’s on and the album is still empty, check you’re signed in to the same Apple Account on the device where you hid the photos, and that iCloud Photos has finished syncing.

Add photos to the Hidden album

  1. Select one or more photos in Photos.
  2. Tap the More button (the circle with three dots).
  3. Tap Hide, then confirm.

To make a photo visible again, open it in the Hidden album, tap More, then Unhide. There’s a full walkthrough in how to hide photos on iPhone.

Hide the Hidden album itself

Turning off Show Hidden Album in Settings, then Apps, then Photos removes it from the Photos app until you switch it back on. It’s a good extra step, as long as you remember where the switch is.

What the Hidden album can’t do

The Hidden album keeps photos out of your main library. It’s not a locked safe:

  • Your iPhone passcode opens it. Face ID falls back to the passcode, so anyone who knows it can open the album, or turn the lock off.
  • There’s only one. You can’t make a second hidden album or a decoy. Here are other ways to make a private album.
  • It syncs everywhere. With iCloud Photos on, it appears on your iPad and Mac too. To keep it off one device, turn off iCloud Photos there.
  • It isn’t separately encrypted. Once your phone is unlocked, the only barrier is Face ID or the passcode.

If other people know your phone passcode, or the photos are intimate, IDs or recovery phrases, a vault with its own lock is the better place. Easy Vault encrypts every photo on your iPhone with a key only you hold, offers a decoy vault, and deletes the originals from Photos for you.

Frequently asked questions

Where are hidden photos on iPhone?

In the Hidden album. Open Photos, scroll down to Utilities and tap Hidden, then unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

Where is the Hidden album on iPhone?

Open Photos, scroll down to Utilities and tap Hidden. If it isn't there, go to Settings, then Apps, then Photos, and turn on Show Hidden Album.

Why can't I find my Hidden album?

Usually because Show Hidden Album is turned off in Settings, then Apps, then Photos. Turn it on and the album appears under Utilities in the Photos app.

How do I open the Hidden album?

Tap Hidden under Utilities in Photos, then unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID or your iPhone passcode.

Can I make a second Hidden album?

No. iPhone has one Hidden album. For a second private space, you need a separate vault app, ideally one with its own passcode.

Do hidden photos show up on my other devices?

Yes, if iCloud Photos is on. The Hidden album syncs to your iPad and Mac like the rest of your library.