Lock photos on iPhone

Your built-in choices are the locked Hidden album and a Face ID lock on the Photos app. Both accept your passcode, which decides who they stop.

People searching for this usually have one of two situations in mind. Some want to hand over a phone without worrying about a stray swipe. Others are worried about a person who knows the passcode. The built-in tools handle the first situation well and the second one poorly.

Lock photos with the Hidden album

1. Open the photo in Photos.
2. Tap the More button, then tap Hide.

Apple keeps the Hidden and Recently Deleted collections locked by default. To open Hidden, tap Collections, tap Hidden under Utilities, tap View Album and authenticate.

Check that the lock is on. Open Settings, tap Apps, tap Photos and make sure Use Face ID (or Use Touch ID or Use Passcode) is on. On the same screen, turning off Show Hidden Album removes the album from view.

Lock the whole Photos app

1. Go to the Home Screen and touch and hold the Photos icon.
2. Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode).
3. Tap Require Face ID again and authenticate.

Photos now asks for authentication every time it opens, and it locks again after you quit it. You can use this lock with the Photos app, though Apple says built-in apps cannot be hidden. The lock applies only to that iPhone and does not sync through iCloud.

Menu labels can vary by iOS version.

Compare the two

The Hidden album suits a phone you use normally and hand to others often. Everyone can browse your regular pictures, and the private ones stay out of view.

The Photos lock suits a phone you hand over for other reasons, such as a call or a map. Nobody gets into your pictures by accident, but you have to authenticate each time you open your own library.

You can use both.

Know who these locks stop

Both locks fall back on your device passcode. A kid, a friend or a partner who knows the code can open either one.

Stolen Device Protection tightens this in one case. When it is on and the phone is away from familiar places, opening a locked app requires Face ID or Touch ID with no passcode fallback. It applies less at home, unless you set it to Always.

If someone may know your code, change it first and read what to do next. A longer code helps too. Apple rates Custom Alphanumeric Code as one of the most secure options under Passcode Options.

Add a separate secret

For protection from someone who knows your passcode, you need a lock that opens with a different secret. Apple’s Notes app offers a custom password for text notes, which our locked Notes guide covers. For photos, that means a vault app. This explainer describes how those work and what to check before you trust one.