Lock the Hidden and Recently Deleted collections
These collections are locked by default on supported iOS versions. To check that protection is enabled:
- In Settings, open Apps → Photos. On older iOS versions, Photos settings may appear directly in Settings.
- Keep Use Face ID, Use Touch ID, or Use Passcode enabled, according to your device.
- Open Photos and find Hidden or Recently Deleted under Utilities; on current iOS, start in Collections. Open the collection and authenticate.
To move an image into Hidden, follow the iPhone photo-hiding guide. Switching off Show Hidden Album only removes the collection from view; it does not move those photos out of the library.
How to lock the whole Photos app on iPhone
On iOS 18 or later, you can also require authentication before opening Photos itself:
- On the Home Screen, press and hold the Photos icon.
- Choose Require Face ID (or the Touch ID/passcode equivalent).
- Confirm the requirement and authenticate when prompted.
- Leave Photos, then open it again to check that authentication is requested.
To remove the app lock later, use the icon menu’s Don’t Require Face ID option and authenticate. If the locking option is unavailable, check your iOS version and any family or device restrictions. Apple limits app locking for children in Family Sharing; applicable ages vary by region.
This locks the app on this device; the app-lock setting does not sync through iCloud. The built-in Photos app cannot be hidden using the downloaded-app hiding feature. See locking versus hiding apps for that separate workflow.
When the device passcode can still grant access
Ordinary Photos authentication can accept the device passcode. Someone who knows it may therefore pass the check; Face ID is not a separate password for your library.
There is an important exception for locked apps: Stolen Device Protection can require biometrics without passcode fallback away from familiar locations, or everywhere when its Always setting is selected. This does not turn every photo-access route into a separate vault. Review Apple’s current protection rules and your actual settings.
Choose the boundary you need
Use the Hidden collection for selected media, the Photos app lock to restrict opening the library app, and an independent vault credential when the phone passcode should not grant vault access. Password-protecting photos or an album explains the available boundaries.
On NullVault for iPhone, separate patterns open separate encrypted content vaults. Core local use works offline without a NullVault account; optional services and purchases have their own requirements. Plan recovery before removing originals. A Photos lock or vault does not retract exports, shared copies, or content already held by another app or device.
A fictional example
Maya locks Photos before lending her iPhone to a friend. She leaves the app and confirms that reopening asks for authentication. Because the friend already knows her phone passcode, she also reviews Stolen Device Protection and keeps files needing an independent credential in a separate vault. This fictional example illustrates the access decision; it is not a product test.
Common mistakes
- Calling Face ID a separate password
- Ignoring passcode knowledge during repair or shared access
What this workflow does not change
- App locking does not remove shared, exported or cloud copies.
- The Photos app lock must be reviewed separately on each device.
- An unlocked screen or compromised device can expose displayed content.
Questions people ask
Can I hide the built-in Photos app?
No. Apple’s app-hiding feature applies to separately downloaded apps. You can lock Photos and hide its Hidden collection from view, but those are different controls.
Does locking Photos on my iPhone also lock it on my other devices?
No. Apple says an app’s locked or hidden status applies only on that device and does not sync with iCloud. Review access on each device separately.