Apple Hidden Album: Add, Find and Unhide Photos on Mac and iPhone

Steps use macOS 14 and later names. Menu wording can differ slightly between versions.

What the Hidden album does

Apple says hidden photos and videos move to the Hidden album. They no longer appear in the Library or in other albums. They are not deleted. Apple says iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura and later lock the album by default.

Add, find and unhide: steps for Mac and iPhone

1. Add a photo on a Mac

   Open Photos, click Library in the sidebar and select the items. Choose Image > Hide Photo, or Control-click and choose Hide Photo, then confirm.

2. Add a photo on an iPhone

   Open Photos, tap and hold the photo or video, tap Hide and confirm. To hide several, tap Select, choose them, tap the More button and tap Hide.

3. Find the album on a Mac

   Choose View > Show Hidden Photo Album. Click Hidden under Utilities in the sidebar, then click View Album and unlock with Touch ID or your login password. If you do not see Hidden, hover over Utilities and click the arrow.

4. Find the album on an iPhone

   Open Photos, tap Collections, scroll to Utilities and tap Hidden. Tap View Album and unlock with Face ID or Touch ID. On an iPad you may need the sidebar icon first.

5. Unhide on a Mac

   In the Hidden album, Control-click the photo and choose Unhide Photo. The menu item Image > Unhide Photo does the same.

6. Unhide on an iPhone

   In the Hidden album, tap and hold the photo, then tap Unhide.

If the Hidden album is missing

• On a Mac: the album is hidden from view by default. Choose View > Show Hidden Photo Album.
• On an iPhone: open Settings, tap Apps, tap Photos and turn on Show Hidden Album. Apple says hidden items stay out of view while it is off.
• Photos seem to be gone: Apple suggests you check that the Hidden album is turned on, and that you look in Recently Deleted, where items stay for 30 days.
• Another device shows different results: install the latest software updates on each device.

Delete a hidden photo for good

Unhiding a photo puts it back in the Library. Deleting it is a separate step. Apple says deleted photos and videos stay in the Recently Deleted album for 30 days before they are permanently removed. Recently Deleted sits under Utilities next to Hidden and uses the same unlock. On a Mac, select Recently Deleted in the sidebar, unlock it and choose the items. Apple says that with iCloud Photos on, a deletion on one device applies to your other devices.

Change how the album locks

On a Mac, choose Photos > Settings and open the General tab. Under Privacy, Use Touch ID or password sets the Recently Deleted and Hidden albums to require a password or Touch ID. If you turn it off, the album no longer asks. Leave it on if other people use your Mac. Details are in how to lock your photos.

What the Hidden album does not do

• It does not delete or encrypt the photo in a separate store. Apple describes a lock, not a second vault.
• It does not hide the photo from your other devices. With iCloud Photos, Apple says hiding on one device hides on the others.
• It does not stop someone who knows your passcode or Mac login password.
• It handles photos and videos only. Documents and scans need another tool.

To compare it with a separate vault, read Hidden album vs a vault. For a wider view of options, see secret photo albums and the Mac photo vault guide.

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