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How to Lock Private photos album on iPhone

iOS 18 Face ID lock and Hidden folder · djamal guellati · checked November 2026

Time needed
4 taps
Needs iOS 18 or later

Works for Private photos album whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.

Short answer

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

  1. Find Private photos 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. Private photos album now asks for authentication every time it opens.

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

Hide Private photos album in App Library

  1. Touch and hold Private photos 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 Private photos album?

Private photos album is a private photo app, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information 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.

Utilities range from calculators to VPNs, so their labels vary more than any other category. A simple tool that collects identifiers and usage data for tracking is a sign of advertising SDKs.

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

  1. 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.

  2. Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Private photos album › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Private photos album's full privacy label

App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
No Details Provided

The developer has not provided privacy details on the App Store.

Is Private photos album safe? Every data type explained →

Lock these apps too

After you lock Private photos 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 Private photos 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 Private photos album does; the iOS 18 lock works regardless.
What happens to Private photos 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 Private photos 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 Private photos 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 Private photos album safe? Full privacy report →Lock an app: A–Z →All utilities 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