Pictures have become the center of our lives so that we can save our memories for a lifetime. It is evident from the multiple cameras manufacturers include on their phones, and the storage (internal or iCloud) people choose to opt for.
These pictures are then shared on social media platforms or to relatives on messaging apps like iMessage or WhatsApp.
While in a group with family or friends, we tend to show them the photos we have clicked. But people are notorious. They just don’t see that one picture you show them; they start scrolling left, right, and center without thinking about other people’s privacy.
Our heartbeats take a climb when this happens, and the only option is to put our iPhones back in our pockets.
This shouldn’t be the case as many would consider this rude, especially if we do it with an elderly member. The easiest solution is hiding photos and videos right on your iPhone.
There is a built-in option in Apple’s Photos app where you can hide photos, but it is not a well-thought-out feature; more on that in the following segment.
You may have private pictures/videos on which the world shouldn’t get their hands. Or a secret trip you took that you don’t want anyone to know about.
You’d like to hide your photos and videos for several reasons, but can a third-party app do so? Yes! In fact, there are so many that I had to nitpick.
The apps on this listicle will help you hide your media by protecting them with passwords or biometrics or disguising them behind a calculator.
Before we get those apps, let’s look at the default options that iPhones and iPads already have.
Hide Media in Photos App
Apple’s Photos app has a great option to hide photos and videos within the app.
The hidden media is moved to the ‘Hidden’ album, meaning they won’t appear in other albums, your library, or the Photos widget on your Home Screen. iOS 14 lets users turn off the Hidden album, completely hiding the photos. You can also unhide pictures and videos whenever you want.
Follow the steps to try it yourself:
Step 1: Launch the Photos app on your iPhone and select the photos or videos you want to hide.
Step 2: Click on the Share button.
Step 3: Now tap on ‘Hide.’
Step 4: You’ll have to confirm that you want to hide the photo or video.
To unhide photos:
Step 1: Open Photos and tap the ‘Albums’ tab.
Step 2: Scroll down till you find ‘Hidden’ under ‘Utilities.’ Click on the photos/videos you want to unhide.
Step 3: Now, tap the Share button
Step 4: Click on ‘Unhide.’
How to find the ‘Hidden’ album
The Hidden album is on by default, but you can turn it off if you want. Keep in mind that when you turn off the Hidden album, any media that you have hidden won’t be visible in the Photos app. To view them, do the following:
Step 1: Launch Photos and tap the Albums tab.
Step 2: Scroll down and look for the Hidden album under ‘Utilities.’ iPad users can click on the sidebar icon in the upper-left corner and then scroll down to the Hidden album under Utilities.
Step 3: You can see all the media you have kept hidden.
To turn off the Hidden album:
Step 1: Go to the Settings app.
Step 2: Find Photos and tap on them.
Step 3: Scroll down and turn off Hidden Album.
Hide Photos in Apple Notes
Using Apple Notes to hide your photos is a bit of a stretch, but this is useful if you are hell-bent on not downloading third-party apps.
Unfortunately, notes with video, audio, PDF, etc., cannot be locked.
Remember that before using this feature, you must enable the lock feature.
To turn on password protection for your notes:
Step 1: Open the Settings app.
Step 2: Scroll till you find Notes and click on it.
Step 3: Tap on ‘Password.’
Step 4: Set a password and verify it. You can also use biometrics to unlock your notes,
Note: Do not forget the passcode!! Even if you enable Touch ID/Face ID, the system will randomly ask you to enter the passcode.
To lock photos with a passcode:
Step 1: Launch the Photos app and locate the image you want to lock.
Step 2: Click on Share.
Step 3: Tap on Notes.
Step 4: You can save it to an existing note or create a new note. Now click on Save.
Step 5: Open the Notes app and locate the note with the picture you just shared.
Step 6: Click on the top right ellipsis under a circle.
Step 7: Tap on the ‘Lock’ icon in purple.
Step 8: Punch your password, or if you have enabled Touch ID/Face ID, it will automatically scan it.
Step 9: Now, go back to the Photos app and delete the picture from your Camera Roll.
This last step is essential because even if you share your pictures to a password-protected note, the original photos are still in your photo library.
If you have deleted the photos from your library and want to save them back from the locked note:
Step 1: Launch the Notes app and locate the note where you saved your pictures.
Step 2: Click on View Note.
Step 3: Enter your password or use your biometrics to access the locked note. Here you’ll see all of the pictures you have shared in the note. Click and hold the image.
Step 4: Tap on Share.
Step 5: Now click on Save Image.
Best Apps for iPhone to Hide Photos and Videos
Now that we have looked at the default options, here’s a rundown of apps that will protect your pictures and videos on your iPhone from prying eyes.
1. Private Photo Vault – Pic Safe
Private Photo Vault – Pic Safe is the best app for iPhone to hide photos and videos.
The app covers the basics – it keeps your photos private and disallows unauthorized access with its strong password protection.
Private Photo Vault is not just an app to hide your media – it provides superb photo management in terms of creating albums, iCloud syncing, and even importing or exporting from the Photos app.
Regarding the app’s core feature as a vault – you can choose to hide your photos and videos with either pattern or a pin. Moreover, the app is excellent at giving break-in reports so that you are well informed about who tried to snoop onto your photos. It is achieved with the help of GPS and a camera.
Apart from this, the app also has a slideshow feature that allows you to view all your photos collectively.
There’s an in-built web browser for browsing privately if need be. You can also download pictures directly onto the app.
Private Photo Vault is the best photo vault apps for iOS, and it doesn’t let anyone bump into your private gallery.
Main features
- Import/export photos from the default Photos app
- Syncs with iCloud
- Private web browser
Drawbacks
- Mundane user-interface
Pricing: Free to download; $4.99-$39.99
App rating: 4.7
2. Secret Photo Vault – Keepsafe
Secret Photo Vault – Keepsafe is a feature-packed app that efficiently hides your photos and videos.
Unlike other apps, this app has military-grade encryption so you can trust it with all your media.
The user interface is easy, and anybody can navigate the app.
Keepsafe has a private cloud with a provision to save up to 10,000 items. Moreover, the app automatically compresses photos and saves original articles to the cloud. Also, if you accidentally delete any images, there’s a trash bin recovery option.
When it comes to photo management, the app has excellent features that let you organize your images.
There’s also a super-secure way to send pictures and create shared albums, making sharing photos a cakewalk.
Safeguard your personal memories with Secret Photo Vault.
Main features
- Has secure photo backup
- Recovery of deleted photos
- Full-screen and slideshow viewing
Drawbacks
- Expensive in-app purchases
Pricing: Free to download; $4.99-$35.99
App rating: 4.6
3. Secret Photo Album – SA
Developed by BPMobile, Secret Photo Album – SA is a rich photo vault app, evident from its flexible unlock options. You can choose your iPhone’s default biometric option or use a PIN to lock/unlock your media.
Another great feature is a decoy PIN to hide your media smartly.
A built-in media player supports full screen, so you can enjoy watching videos in the app itself.
With Secret Photo Album’s in-built camera, you can click photos and shoot videos so that you don’t have to go through the trouble of clicking pictures outside the app and exporting them.
The app ups the game of the UI with cool color themes and custom album covers, which let you customize your album.
Returning to the app’s ability to hide media keeps them hidden in multitasking mode. Another great feature is the break-in alerts that warn you of the intruders’ photos, letting you keep a tab on the snooper trying to force their way into your private album.
Secret Photo Albums locks the screen automatically to avoid unauthorized access if there are three failed PIN attempts.
Main features
- Locks photos using PIN and biometrics (Touch ID/Face ID)
- In-built camera
- Invasive break-in alerts
- Secure cloud backup
Drawbacks
- The free version is restricted
Pricing: Free to download; $1.49-$49.99
App rating: 4.6
4. Hide Photos Video – Hide it Pro
If you want an app that hides your photos and videos with more customization, then Hide Photos Video – Hide it Pro is the one for you.
With this app, you can create unlimited photo and video albums, which helps manage them. The name of the album and thumbnails can be changed per your needs.
Hide it Pro is feature-rich, and its ability to export files via USB is handy when you want to move your album to a computer without any hurdles.
The best functionality of the app is the option to disguise the screen, which will prevent intruders from getting access to your private albums. Moreover, the app adapts to secure cloud storage, ensuring your media is safe and accessible on any device.
What’s more, automatic locking avoids unauthorized access to your private photos. Another nifty feature is the escape unlocks code where the app appears empty if someone discovers it.
It is a solid app that deserves a place in your App Library.
Main features
- Option to automatic locking
- Great default video player
- In-built photo viewer
Drawbacks
- Transferring bulk photos are slow
Pricing: Free to download; $2.99-$7.99
App rating: 4.6
5. Secret Photo Vault Lock Photos
Secret Photo Vault Lock Photos is a flexible photo vault app that lets you efficiently manage your photos and videos.
The app allows you can create several folders/subfolders and protect them using a password. There’s a native browser that lets you navigate through your files, and you can also download them directly through the default browser.
If you want, you can choose to use the USB import/export multiple files from/to iTunes File Sharing, which can assist you in managing your images.
The app supports many file formats, including jpg, jpeg, png, gif, BMP, gif, tiff, mp3, mp4, wave, MOV, m4v, MPV, and AIFF.
Secret Photo Vault is equally compatible with formats such as doc, pdf, pages, key, numbers, ppt, Xls, txt, RTF, and HTML. This means that you can control your documents and your media.
The app is intentionally made to look like a classic calculator app that keeps your private photos from intruders.
Main features
- The Default web browser is amazing
- It supports several file formats
- Option to enable decoy accounts
- USB import/export multiple files
Drawbacks
- Outdated native browser
Pricing: Free to download; $4.99
App rating: 4.5
6. Safe Lock – Secret Photo Album
Safe Lock – Secret Photo Album is a straightforward app with a specific function – hiding your media and extending privacy.
This app can securely hide your photos and videos and manage documents, so it’s like hitting two birds with one stone.
As for protection, Safe Lock lets you choose between biometric, passcode, dot lock, and alphabetic.
On a side note, the app can also hide GIFs, so you can easily create a secret album and keep them private.
Other functionality includes a secret camera, picture slideshow, anti-theft break-in reports, and Wi-Fi file transfer.
You can also integrate cloud services like iCloud, Google Drive, DropBox, Box, Disk, and Yandex. This feature makes file export from different cloud platforms relatively easy.
Another feature that adds an extra layer of protection is the ability to customize app icons.
Safe Lock is a flexible photo vault that you should try.
Main features
- Supports pin and biometric unlock
- Customize app icons to hide the nature of the app
- Wi-Fi file transfer
- Integrates with primary cloud services
Drawbacks
- Wi-Fi file transfer is excruciatingly slow
Pricing: Free to download; $1.99-$14.99
App rating: 4.8
7. Vault – Hide photos & videos
Vault-Hide photos & videos are developed by NQ Mobile Inc., which is not as a feature-rich app as others on the list but does a great job protecting your private images and videos.
With Vault, you can choose to immediately encrypt any images you import into the app to safeguard them. You can also save your photos to the app directly from the web and keep your photos safe. You can import pictures in bulk and use the efficient folder management function that keeps all your images in the Apple pie order.
The app’s user interface is clutter-free, making it easy to navigate and get things done.
Another great feature is the break-in alert functionality that keeps you aware of any intrusion. Even if someone tries to get into the app, the feature will capture the image of the intruder.
It achieves this by disguising itself as a camera showing a picture-capturing interface so that anyone could be fooled.
Main features
- Captures the photo of the intruder
- The best UI on the list
- Private cloud space available
- Option to import bulk images and videos
Drawbacks
- Album customization is rudimentary
Pricing: Free to download; $0.99-$19.99
App rating: 3.9
8. Calculator# Hide Photos Videos
As the name suggests, Calculator# Hide Photos Videos takes advantage of looking like a full-fledged calculator app that hides your photos and assists you mathematically.
The app has a secure gallery that lets you store your photos and videos. You can enhance them by using the organizing tools to keep them in whatever order you’d want.
This app also lets you store all your notes, so even your thoughts are private.
You can also use the app to create reminders and to-dos, manage your passwords and contacts, and even browse the web privately. Moreover, the app can also store the audio of any kind
Make sure to use the Dropbox backup, as it keeps your data locked and is easily accessible from various devices.
Main features
- Built-in web browser
- Native password manager
- Integrates with Dropbox
- Wi-Fi transfer from Mac, PC, or other devices
Drawbacks
- Too outdated design
Pricing: Free to download; $4.99
App rating: 4.2
9. PV – Secret Photo Album
PV – Secret Photo Album is an excellent photo vault app that gets the basics right. You can easily hide and manage all your photos and videos as you choose.
With biometrics, shielding your private photos and videos becomes easy. There’s also data transfer encryption tied in with biometrics.
Regarding photo management, the app can create several photo albums and lets you set up a customized album cover. Add to it the ability to jot down quick but private notes.
I am astonished that PV gives free unlimited storage so that you can securely store all your media and recover when the need be. There’s also a nifty option to back up your data seamlessly, so don’t about losing it.
There’s a built-in basic photo editor if, for some reason, you want to enhance your private photos.
All this is managed by tags, a helpful feature that quickly finds and organizes images.
With the premium version, you can get more features like Wi-Fi transfer and iCloud syncing.
Main features
- Customize album cover
- iCloud sync
- Wi-Fi transfer
- Built-in photo editor
Drawbacks
- Basic photo editor
Pricing: Free to download; $1.99-$69.99
App rating: 4.6
10. SPV – Secret Photo Vault
SPV – Secret Photo Vault is the following app to hide photos and videos developed by the fantastic folks at Maple Labs Co., Ltd.
Even though it looks like a simple photo vault app, it’s much more than that. It efficiently hides your images and videos protected by biometrics, PIN, or passcodes.
There’s a built-in browser that you can use to surf privately. It does not keep your browser history, so erasing it should be the last thing on your mind.
The app’s UI is not complex but not too simple. It’s clean and lets you easily navigate the app.
As for the media stored privately, SPV – Secret Photo Vault preserves its original quality.
Main features
- Store and manage passwords
- Excellent photo management
- Manage contact information
- Integrated browser
Drawbacks
- The default browser is sloppy
Pricing: Free to download; $3.99-$39.99
App rating: 4.5
11. SPV – Safe Privacy Vault
Last – but not least – is SPV Safe Privacy Vault, which is excellent at keeping your images and videos private.
Apart from pictures and videos, you can also save the files and phone numbers you want to keep private.
To keep your data private, the app has strong password encryption. It is also excellent at camouflaging its functions to protect whatever data you store.
You can place a direct call from the app itself. No idea why this feature exists, but it’s there if you want it.
Another not-so-weird feature is creating an unlimited number of folders that can house your photos and videos without hassle. With this, you stay organized, and finding specific files won’t be hard.
If you are too worried about someone accessing your data, you can change the app’s icon, thus camouflaging it from the world.
Other well-known features include break-in alerts that automatically capture photos of intruders who punch wrong passwords, one-tap import from the system albums, clicking pictures directly from the encrypted album, light and dark themes, and one-click mobile phone transfer that migrate your private photos and secret videos in the app’s encrypted albums.
SPV – Safe Privacy Vault is a full-fledged photo vault with enough bells and whistles.
Main features
- Biometrics unlock
- Master password protection
- Fake album space by setting a phony password
Drawbacks
- Calculator disguise is no longer a feature
Pricing: Free to download; $6.99
App rating: 4.8
FAQs
Can you hide pictures or videos on your iPhone?
Yes, you can hide pictures and videos on your iPhone. There are three ways to do so: the ‘Hidden’ album in the Photos app, Keeping images safe in locked Notes, and third-party apps.
Which is the best app to hide photos and videos?
Private Photo Vault – Pic Safe and Secret Photo Album – SA are the best apps to hide photos and videos on your iPhone. Other apps on this list are great, too!
Can you lock your hidden photos on your iPhone?
Unfortunately, iPhone users can’t lock hidden photos in the Photos app. But with the upcoming iOS 16 update, users can do so with Touch ID or Face ID. This means you no longer have to hide photos/videos for your friends. Even though biometrics will be enabled, the hidden folder will still be visible in the folder section of the Photos app but with a lock symbol on the right.
Conclusion
These are the best apps for iPhone to hide photos and videos.
You can keep your photos and videos safe with the apps mentioned above. The added sense of security will let you use your iPhone with peace of mind.
If you have a tonne of risky unlocked photos, these apps will give you privacy from people who scroll your pictures mindlessly.
To avoid such situations, use any of the above apps to keep your media private with a lock.
You can either choose to lock/unlock your photos with a passcode or biometrics.
Other features include hiding app content from the recently used app list or disguising it as another; break-in alerts and reports sent via email will keep you alarmed.
Keep your memories safe from voyeurs with the help of these great apps.
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