Want to keep some of your iPhone photos private? iOS 17 has made it easier than ever to hide pictures from prying eyes. In just a few taps, you can make sure your photos stay your own business. No need to worry about someone accidentally swiping to your private moments during a casual photo-sharing session.
You can also check out this video about how to hide a picture on iPhone for more on this topic.
Step by Step Tutorial: Hiding a Picture on iPhone
Before we dive into the steps, let’s talk about what we’re accomplishing here. By following these instructions, you’re going to move selected photos into a hidden album, which is not readily visible in your main photos feed.
Step 1: Open the Photos app
Open the Photos app on your iPhone where all your images are stored.
Step 2: Select the photo you want to hide
Tap on the photo you want to hide to open it.
Once the photo is open, tap on the share button at the bottom left corner of the screen. This will open up a list of options for what you can do with the photo.
Step 3: Tap the ‘Hide’ option
Scroll down and tap on ‘Hide’ from the list of actions.
A prompt will appear asking if you’re sure you want to hide the photo. Hiding the photo means it will not appear in your Moments, Collections, or Years but will still be in your Hidden album.
Step 4: Confirm by tapping ‘Hide Photo’
Tap on ‘Hide Photo’ to confirm your choice.
After you confirm, the photo will disappear from your main photo feed. Don’t worry, it’s not deleted; it’s just moved to a different place.
Once you’ve hidden a photo, it will move to an album called ‘Hidden’ which you can find in the Albums tab of the Photos app. Only you will know it’s there unless you choose to share it.
What Happens After You Hide a Picture
After you hide a photo, it won’t show up in your main feed, but it’s still on your iPhone. It’s simply tucked away in the ‘Hidden’ album. If you ever need to access or unhide it, you can do so by going to Albums and scrolling down to find the ‘Hidden’ album.
Tips for Hiding a Picture on iPhone
- Make sure your iPhone is updated to iOS 17 to have the most updated photo hiding features.
- If you’re hiding a photo for security reasons, consider also turning off iCloud Photos, as hidden photos will still be saved to iCloud.
- Remember, hidden photos can still be accessed if someone knows where to look, so don’t rely on this for foolproof privacy.
- You can also use third-party apps for more secure photo hiding options if you feel the need.
- If you want to hide multiple photos, you can select multiple images before tapping the share button and then follow the same steps to hide them all at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can hidden photos be seen on other devices?
No, hidden photos are only visible in the ‘Hidden’ album on the device you used to hide them. However, if you use iCloud Photos, they can be accessed on other devices logged into the same iCloud account.
Can I lock the ‘Hidden’ album with a password?
As of iOS 17, there is no option to password-protect the ‘Hidden’ album. For extra security, you may want to consider third-party apps that offer password protection.
Will hidden photos be backed up to iCloud?
Yes, if you have iCloud Photos enabled, your hidden photos will still be backed up to iCloud.
Can I hide an entire album of photos?
You cannot hide an entire album at once, but you can go into the album and select multiple photos to hide using the same steps.
Can I unhide a photo after hiding it?
Yes, you can unhide a photo by going to the ‘Hidden’ album, selecting the photo, tapping on the share button, and then choosing ‘Unhide’.
Summary
- Open the Photos app.
- Select the photo to hide.
- Tap on the ‘Hide’ option.
- Confirm by tapping ‘Hide Photo’.
Conclusion
Hiding photos on your iPhone can be a useful feature when you want to keep certain images away from the general view. Whether it’s a surprise party photo you don’t want the guest of honor to see or a personal image you’d prefer to keep private, iOS 17 makes it easy to manage your photo visibility.
Remember, while the ‘Hidden’ album is out of sight, it’s not completely secure, so for sensitive images, consider additional security measures. With the steps outlined above, you now know how to hide a picture on iPhone quickly and efficiently. Keep snapping, and enjoy your photo privacy!
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.