How to hide photos and videos on iPhone
The Photos app can move photos and videos to a Hidden album that unlocks with Face ID, but anyone who knows your iPhone passcode can open it, and it can't hide documents or other files. For anything you truly want private, move it into MaxVault: every vault has its own passcode, separate from your iPhone's, and the passcode you enter decides which vault opens.
Option 1: The Hidden album in Photos
The Photos app can move photos and videos out of your main library view.
- Open Photos and select the photos or videos you want to hide.
- Tap the More button (•••), then tap Hide.
- Confirm by tapping Hide Photo or Hide Videos.
To see them again, open Albums, scroll to Utilities, and tap Hidden. On iOS 16 and later the album is locked with Face ID, Touch ID or your iPhone passcode.
What the Hidden album doesn't do
- It opens with the same passcode that unlocks your iPhone, so anyone you've shared your passcode with can see it.
- Hidden photos and videos still sync to iCloud Photos and appear hidden on your other devices.
- It holds photos and videos only, not documents, audio or other files.
- There's no record of who tried to open it.
Option 2: Move photos and videos into MaxVault
Every vault in MaxVault has its own passcode, separate from your iPhone's. The passcode you type when MaxVault opens decides which vault appears, so you can keep family photos in one vault and private ones in another.
- Download MaxVault and create a 4 to 8 digit passcode for your vault. Turn on Face ID if you like.
- To remove the originals from your library, turn on Settings → Photos → Delete after Import first.
- Open a folder and tap + → Import from Photos. Select your photos and videos and import them.
- Open the imported photos and videos in MaxVault and confirm that they work. Keep a separate backup of anything important. Only then, if you want to remove the Photos copies permanently, delete those specific originals from Recently Deleted in Photos. Do not empty unrelated items.
The imported copies now live inside that vault. Any copies in Photos, iCloud Photos or another app remain outside MaxVault until you remove them. Organize them in folders, lock individual folders with a second password, and view them full screen with a swipe.
Tip: If someone enters the wrong passcode, MaxVault can take their photo and save where it happened. See Break-in Reports.
Watching hidden videos
Tap any video to play it. Swipe left or right to seek, up or down for volume, and double-tap to pause. The Mini Player keeps it going while you browse other folders.
Videos that didn't come from your camera, like downloads or files from a computer, often use formats iPhone can't play. MaxVault plays them as they are: see how to play video and audio files on iPhone. For a long clip with a short moment, trim it in the Video Editor and save it as a new video, all inside the vault.
For documents, audio and other file types, see how to hide files on iPhone.
Which should you use?
| Hidden album | MaxVault | |
|---|---|---|
| Separate passcode from your iPhone | No | Yes, one per vault |
| Photo of wrong-passcode attempts | No | Yes |
| Documents and other files | No | Yes |
| Plays MKV, AVI and FLAC | No | Yes |
| Decoy vault / Panic Action | No | Yes |
| Built in, nothing to install | Yes | No |
Use the Hidden album to tidy up your camera roll. Use MaxVault when photos, videos or files must stay private even from people who know your iPhone passcode.