Skip to content
StateMaps

How to Lock Photo Vault Private Album on iPhone

iOS 18 Face ID lock and Hidden folder · Kirill Skotnikov · checked November 2026

Time needed
4 taps
Needs iOS 18 or later

Works for Photo Vault Private Album whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.

Short answer

Touch and hold Photo Vault Private Album's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Photo Vault Private Album 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 Vault Private Album with Face ID

  1. Find Photo Vault Private Album on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Photo Vault Private Album now asks for authentication every time it opens.

To test it, close Photo Vault Private Album from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.

Hide Photo Vault Private Album in App Library

  1. Touch and hold Photo Vault Private Album's icon and tap Require Face ID.
  2. Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
  3. Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
  4. 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 Vault Private Album?

Photo Vault Private Album's privacy label lists location — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Private-photo apps promise to keep pictures out of your main library. The label shows what leaves the phone; it cannot show whether the hiding is a real lock or just a separate folder.

Lifestyle apps cover family, home and personal organisation, and often combine location, contacts and photos in one place.

A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Photo Vault Private Album sends to its developer; for that, see Photo Vault Private Album'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 Vault Private Album opens
  • Hide message previews in notifications
  • Keep Photo Vault Private Album'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 Vault Private Album stores data
  • Sync to your iPad or other devices
  • Remove Photo Vault Private Album 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 Vault Private Album

  1. Tracking

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.

  2. Location

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Photo Vault Private Album. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.

  3. 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.

  4. Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Photo Vault Private Album › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Photo Vault Private Album's full privacy label

App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
0types

None declared

Linked to you
0types

None declared

Not linked to you
2types

Is Photo Vault Private Album safe? Every data type explained →

Lock these apps too

After you lock Photo Vault Private Album

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

FAQ

Does Photo Vault Private Album have its own passcode?
Some apps offer an in-app PIN or biometric lock in their settings. The App Store privacy label does not say whether Photo Vault Private Album does; the iOS 18 lock works regardless.
What happens to Photo Vault Private Album's notifications when it is locked?
Locked and hidden apps do not show message previews or content in notifications, and their content does not appear in Spotlight search or Siri suggestions.
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Yes. If Face ID fails, the lock falls back to your device passcode. Keep the passcode private if the lock matters to you.
Is a locked Photo Vault Private Album encrypted?
The lock controls who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change how the app stores or syncs data. Encryption depends on the developer and on your device passcode.
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
You need iOS 18 or later. Some Apple apps such as Settings, Calculator, Maps and Camera cannot be locked or hidden.
Does hiding Photo Vault Private Album remove it from my purchase history?
No. Hidden apps still appear in App Store purchases and in Settings › Apps, and Screen Time reports still include them.

Is Photo Vault Private Album safe? Full privacy report →Does Photo Vault Private Album track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All lifestyle apps →

Facts on this page come from Apple: lock or hide an app on iPhone, as reported by the developer. Checked November 2026. How we collect data · Report a correction