Have you ever hidden photos on your iPhone and then completely forgotten where to find them? ‍ You’re not alone! But, don’t worry, we got you covered.

This guide will reveal exactly How to Find Hidden Photos on iPhone in just a few simple steps. Get ready to unearth those lost memories (or maybe hidden vacation purchases ) in no time!.

Let’s dive right into it!

How to Find Hidden Photos on iPhone

Accessing and finding hidden photos on your iPhone is easy, but the process differs slightly based on your iOS version. For iOS 16, you can locate hidden photos directly within the Photos app.

However, if you’re using iOS 15 or an earlier version, you’ll need to navigate through the iPhone’s Settings to unhide albums and access hidden photos.

Here’s how:

For iOS 16 and Later

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the “Albums” tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Scroll down to the “Utilities” section and locate the “Hidden” album.
4. Tap on the “Hidden” album, and you’ll be prompted to use Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to unlock it.
5. Once authenticated, you’ll be able to view all the photos and videos you’ve previously hidden.

For iOS 15 and Earlier

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on “Photos”.
3. Toggle on the “Show Hidden Album” option.
4. Go back to the Photos app, open the “Albums” tab, scroll down and you should now see the “Hidden” album.
5. Tap on the “Hidden” album to access your hidden photos and videos.

Regardless of your iOS version, once you’re in the “Hidden” album, you can easily share, or unhide any of the hidden photos album, or videos as needed.

How to Unhide Photos on iPhone

Restoring visibility to a hidden photo on your iPhone is simple. Here’s how:

1. Open the Photos app and navigate to the “Hidden” album.
2. Locate the photo or video you want to unhide.
3. Tap on the share icon (the box with an upward-pointing arrow) in the bottom-right corner.
4. Select “Unhide” from the menu.

That’s it! The photo or video will now be moved back to your main photo library, and it will no longer be hidden.

How to Find Hidden Photos on iPhone via iCloud

If you use iCloud Photos, any photos you’ve hidden on one device will be hidden across all your devices, including your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. To access these hidden photos:

1. Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
2. Click on the “Photos” app.
3. In the left-hand sidebar, click on the “Hidden” album.
4. You’ll now see all the photos and videos you’ve hidden across your Apple devices.

To make certain photos visible again in your main gallery while using iCloud, simply follow the same steps for unhiding photos on your iPhone as outlined earlier.

How to Hide Photos on iPhone

Now that you know how to find and unhide your photos, let’s discuss the process of hiding them in the first place. There are a few different ways to hide photos on your iPhone:

Hiding Photos on iPhone

1. Open the Photos app and select the photo or video you want to hide.
2. Tap the share icon (the box with an upward-pointing arrow) in the bottom-right corner.
3. Scroll down and tap “Hide”.
4. Confirm that you want to hide the photo or video.

Disabling Hidden Album

If you don’t want the “Hidden” view of hidden photos or albums to appear in your Photos app at all, with a few clicks you can turn it off:

1. Open the Settings app and go to “Photos”.
2. Toggle off the “Hidden Album” option.

This will effectively hide the “Hidden” album from your Photos app, but your other hidden albums and photos will still be stored on your device.

With Note App

You can also hide photos on your iPhone using the Notes app, although it’s a more involved process:

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Notes app on your iPhone and tap the icon at the bottom right corner to create a new note.
2. In the new note, tap the Camera icon and select “Choose Photo or Video.”
3. Browse through your photos and videos, select the ones you want to hide, and tap “Add.”
4. The selected photos will now appear in the new note.
5. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen and select “Lock.”
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to set a passcode for the note.
7. Once the note is locked, go back to your Photos app and delete the original images.

Bonus — How to Hide and Unhide Photos on Your Mac

The process of hiding and unhiding photos isn’t limited to your iPhone; you can also manage your hidden photos on your Mac. Here’s how:

How to Hide Photos on Mac

1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
2. Select the photo or video you want to hide.
3. Right-click (or Control-click) on the photo and choose “Hide Photo”.
4. Confirm that you want to hide the photo.

Unhide Photos on Mac

1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
2. In the menu bar, click “View” and select “Show Hidden Photo Album”.
3. In the sidebar, click on the “Hidden” album.
4. Right-click (or Control-click) on the photo you want to unhide and choose “Unhide Photo”.

Other iPhone Photos Privacy Tips

In addition to hiding and unhiding multiple photos, there are a few other ways to protect your photo privacy on your iPhone:

Enable Face ID or Touch ID

Ensure that your iPhone is locked with either Face ID or Touch ID to prevent unauthorized access to your photos.

Use Encrypted Photo Vault Apps

Consider using a third-party app designed to securely store and encrypt your sensitive photos, keeping them separate from your main photo library.

Restrict Photos App Permissions

In your iPhone’s settings, review the permissions granted to the Photos app and other apps that have access to your photos, and adjust them as needed to limit exposure.

How to Find Hidden Photos on iPhone: FAQs

Here we provide answers to some of the commonly asked questions about how to find hidden photos on iPhone:

Can You Recover Deleted Hidden Photos on iPhone?

Yes! If you’ve unintentionally deleted a hidden photo on your iPhone, you can retrieve it from the “Recently Deleted” album. However, remember that deleted photos remain there for only 30 days before permanent removal.

How Do I Find Hidden Photos in My Gallery?

To find hidden photos in your iPhone’s gallery, open the Photos app and tap the “Albums” tab. Scroll down to the “Utilities” section and look for the “Hidden” album.

Tap on it, and you’ll be able to select it to view all your hidden photos.

How to Find Hidden Files on iPhone?

In addition to hidden photos, you can also find other hidden files on your iPhone by using the Files app. Look for the “On My iPhone” section, which may contain hidden pictures, documents, folders, or other files.

Why Can’t I Find My Hidden Photos on My iPhone?

If you’re unable to find your photo albums or hidden photos on your iPhone, there are a few possible reasons:

1. The “Hidden” album may be disabled. Go to Settings > Photos and ensure that the “Hidden Album” option is toggled on.
2. You may be using an older version of iOS where the “Hidden” album is located under “Other Albums” instead of “Utilities.”
3. The photos may have been deleted from the “Hidden” album and are no longer recoverable.

Are Hidden Photos On My iPhone Visible To Other Devices?

If you use iCloud Photos, any photos you’ve hidden on your iPhone will also be hidden on your other Apple devices, such as your iPad or Mac.

However, all the hidden photos are encrypted, so they won’t be visible to other people who may have access to your iCloud account.

Are Hidden Photos Still Saved in iCloud?

Yes, if you use iCloud Photos, your hidden photos will still be saved in your iCloud storage, but they will be encrypted and hidden from view on all your devices.

Conclusion

Knowing how to find hidden photos is important for several reasons. It helps people protect their privacy by making sure no private pictures are accidentally shared. 

For investigators and cybersecurity experts, it helps them find important evidence that might be hidden. For parents, it helps keep their children safe online. 

Overall, this knowledge helps us handle digital information carefully and securely, highlighting the need for digital skills in today’s connected world.