Sometimes you might not want certain pictures shot on your iPhone or iPad to take pride of place in your Photo Library, but for whatever reason, you don't want to just outright delete them. Fortunately, Apple's Photos app includes an option to hide certain photos from the main library. This article shows you how.

hide photos feature

Bear in mind that hiding pictures via the following method ensures they won't appear in the Photos or For You sections of the Photos app, but they will still be accessible in the Albums section. If you're looking for a more secure way to squirrel away pictures, consider using a third-party app like Safe Lock instead.

How to Hide Pictures in the Photos App

  1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap Select in the top-right corner of the screen.
  3. Tap the pictures you want to hide.
    hide photos ios 12
  4. Tap the Share button in the bottom-left corner of the screen. (It looks like a square with an arrow pointing out.)
  5. In the Share Sheet's bottom row of available actions, tap Hide.
  6. Tap the prompt that appears at the bottom of the screen to confirm.

Note that pictures you choose to hide from your photo library are stored in an album called Hidden, which lives in the Albums tab.

How to Unhide Pictures in the Photos App

  1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Scroll to the bottom and under Other Albums, tap Hidden.
    unhide photos ios 12
  4. Tap Select in the top-right corner of the screen.
  5. Tap the pictures you want to unhide.
  6. Tap the Share button at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  7. In the Share Sheet's bottom row of available actions, tap Unhide.

Related Stories

Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2021 sales have now carried over into Cyber Monday as well. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro devices from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models like iPhone SE. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate...

Best Black Friday AirPods Deals Still Available

Black Friday 2021 deals are still going strong into Cyber Monday, and in this article we're tracking the best deals across Apple's AirPods lineup. Throughout the week we've been sharing the best sales for Apple devices like iPhone, Mac, and iPad, so be sure to follow us on Twitter for all of the latest Black Friday sales Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...

Kuo: Apple AR Headset Coming in Late 2022 With Mac-Level Computing Power

Thursday November 25, 2021 8:32 pm PST by Eric Slivka

Apple's long-rumored augmented reality (AR) headset project is set to bear its first fruit late next year with the launch of the first device carrying a pair of processors to support its high-end capabilities, according to a new research report from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seen by MacRumors. According to Kuo, the higher-end main processor is said to be similar to the M1 chip Apple...

Best Black Friday Apple Watch Deals Still Available

The Apple Watch always makes a great gift around the holiday season, and for Black Friday 2021 we're tracking a few solid offers on numerous models of the Apple Watch. In this article, you'll find the best Black Friday sales on the new Apple Watch 7, but the best money-saving discounts will be found on older models like the Apple Watch Series 3 and SE. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner...

Best Black Friday iPad Deals Still Available

Although Black Friday sales began as early as October in 2021, the shopping holiday is now officially underway and we're highlighting the best sales for each of Apple's product lines. In this article, you'll find the best Black Friday sales on iPad Pro and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a...

Best Black Friday iMac and MacBook Deals Still Available

Our Black Friday 2021 coverage continues with the best deals you can find on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac mini today. As with all Black Friday deals, we aren't sure how long any of these will last, and prices are always fluctuating, so if you see something you want, be sure to buy it soon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and...

Huge List of Black Friday Deals on iPhone and Mac Cases, Cables, Accessories and Software

Black Friday is in full swing today, and in this article we're highlighting some of the best deals that you can find online among popular third-party accessory makers like Twelve South, Nomad, Satechi, and many more. Visit our Black Friday Roundup for a deeper dive into the best sales going on today. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and...

Apple's Black Friday Promotion Now Underway in the U.S. and More Countries

Friday November 26, 2021 12:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is now underway in the United States and select other countries, with customers able to receive a free Apple gift card with the purchase of select products through November 29. Participating countries include the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany,...