How to hide your personal pictures on an iPhone

In today’s day and age, our smartphones double up as everything from a music player to a calculator, a clock to a calendar and a computer. Well, they also happen to be our new albums, a place to capture our memories and store them, whether as photos or videos.

While today, we may like to share some pictures with the world via social media, there may be others which we’d want to protect. 

Well, iPhones let you do just that. Here’s how.

How to hide photos on your iPhone

Follow these simple steps to protect your photos on iPhone:

Step 1: Select all the photos you want to hide

a. Open the Photos App on your iPhone.

b. Tap on the ‘Albums’ tab at the bottom of the screen.

c. Scroll through the listing of albums and select the album that consists of the pictures you need to hide.

d. Click on the picture you’d like to hide. In case there are multiple pictures, tap on the “Select” option at the top-right corner of the display screen and pick the pictures you need to hide.

Step 2: Hide the selected photos

a. Scroll down on the page till you locate the “Hide” option. Tap on it.

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b. A pop-up will appear, asking you to confirm whether or not you want to hide the chosen pictures. Tap on “Hide Photos” to proceed.

Step 3: Accessing your hidden photos

a. After you’ve hidden your selected pictures, they will be moved to the ‘Hidden Album.’

b. To access the hidden album, click on the same. Note that this album isn’t password-protected. It’s not openly displayed though, making it much less easier for someone to stumble on it by chance.

Locking hidden photos with a password

While the hidden album offers a good degree of privacy, you can increase protection for your hidden images by locking them with a password or Face ID. Here’s how.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and click on ‘Photos.’

3. Under the “Photos” settings, click “Hidden album.” The hidden album will appear beneath utilities within the albums tab.

4. Go to the ‘Photos’ app and open the hidden album.

5. Select the photographs you’d like to protect with a password.

6. Tap on the share icon at the bottom-left corner of the display screen.

7. Scroll down and find the lock option, and tap on the same.

8. You’ll be asked to set a password or use Face ID to hide the selected pictures. Follow the on-screen prompts to do the same.

Your iPhone serves as both, a gallery of cherished moments and a vault for your personal records. By taking these simple steps, you can make sure that your photographs, should you choose so, continue to be hidden from prying eyes.