Works for Photo Hider whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Photo Hider's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Photo Hider behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode; choose Hide and Require Face ID instead to move it into App Library's Hidden folder as well.
Lock Photo Hider with Face ID
- Find Photo Hider on your Home Screen or in App Library.
- Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
- Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Photo Hider now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Photo Hider from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Photo Hider in App Library
- Touch and hold Photo Hider's icon and tap Require Face ID.
- Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
- Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
- To open it later, swipe to App Library, tap Hidden and authenticate.
Hiding also locks the app. To undo either, touch and hold the icon again and choose Don't Require Face ID.
Why lock Photo Hider?
Photo Hider is a photo vault, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. A photo vault holds the pictures you least want seen, so the questions that matter are where the files live, whether they are encrypted, and what happens if you forget the PIN or change phones.
Photo and video apps usually request access to your photo library. iOS lets you share only selected photos, which keeps the rest of the library — and its location metadata — away from the app.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Photo Hider sends to its developer; for that, see Photo Hider's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Photo Hider opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Photo Hider's content out of Spotlight and Siri suggestions
- With Hide, remove the icon from the Home Screen
It does not
- Stop someone who knows your passcode
- Encrypt or change how Photo Hider stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Photo Hider from purchase history or Screen Time reports
Don't see Require Face ID?
- Update to iOS 18 or later in Settings › General › Software Update.
- Make sure a passcode is set in Settings › Face ID & Passcode; the lock needs one.
- Some Apple apps (Settings, Calculator, Camera, Maps, Find My, Clock) cannot be locked or hidden.
- If your iPhone is managed by work or school, the option may be restricted.
Other settings worth checking for Photo Hider
Photos
Settings › Privacy & Security › Photos. Limited Access lets you pick exactly which pictures the app can see; Add Photos Only lets it save without reading your library.
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › Photo Hider › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Photo Hider's full privacy label
The developer has not provided privacy details on the App Store.
Lock these apps too
After you lock Photo Hider
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Photo Hider have its own passcode?
What happens to Photo Hider's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Photo Hider encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Photo Hider remove it from my purchase history?
Is Photo Hider safe? Full privacy report →Lock an app: A–Z →All photo & video apps →