How to hide photos on iPhone, with or without a separate vault

Hide photos with Apple's Hidden album or import them into Vault Max. Learn what happens to originals, how to check your copies, and when to make a backup.

By FalconPublished 23 October 20265 min read

Vault Max passcode screen, photo viewer and private media library — Vault Max stores imported pictures in an encrypted library opened with your vault credential. These lock, viewer and Library screens show where you open and inspect a private copy before deciding what to do with its Photos original.

To hide a photo on iPhone, open it in Photos, tap the More button, and choose Hide. For several items, use Select first. Apple's built-in Hidden collection is a useful option when you want those pictures out of the main Photos view. If you want a separate library with its own vault credential, import the items into Vault Max and check the imported copies before deciding what to do with the originals.

The two approaches have different storage and recovery paths. Choose the one that matches how you want to open, organize and back up your private pictures.

Hide pictures using the iPhone Photos app

Open Photos and choose a picture or video.
Tap More → Hide, or touch and hold its thumbnail and choose Hide.
Confirm the choice. For a batch, select the items before using More → Hide.

To find them again, open Collections → Utilities → Hidden and authenticate. To remove the Hidden collection from view, go to Settings → Apps → Photos and turn off Show Hidden Album. Re-enable that setting when you need to find the collection.

The collection is locked by default on current iOS, using the device's authentication. Hiding items keeps them in Photos; with iCloud Photos, their hidden state also follows your other connected devices. See Apple's Hidden album instructions for the current controls.

Use Vault Max for a separate private library

Vault Max stores imported photos in its own encrypted library. You choose a vault passcode, password or pattern during setup, with optional biometric unlock. That vault credential is separate from the iPhone's device passcode. No Vault Max account is needed to create the library.

Vault Max passcode screen with Unlock options — **Open private photos with a separate vault credential**The Vault Max passcode screen leads to an encrypted Library with its own media filters. This gives imported private pictures a separate home and credential rather than leaving every copy in the main Photos library.

Vault Max Library with photo and video filters and a plus button — **Open private photos with a separate vault credential**The Vault Max passcode screen leads to an encrypted Library with its own media filters. This gives imported private pictures a separate home and credential rather than leaving every copy in the main Photos library.

The Hidden album versus photo vault comparison explains the storage differences in more detail. Apple's Photos protections are useful; choose a separate vault when its independent credential, organization and export workflow suit your needs.

Import a small batch, then open it

In the unlocked Vault Max library, tap + → From Photos. Choose a few pictures or videos in the system picker and finish the selection. Wait for import to complete, then open each item you intend to remove from Photos. Check the full image, play videos, and check motion on any Live Photos that matter to you.

Check a photo before removing its originalThis sample lake picture is open inside the Vault Max photo viewer. Open your own imports the same way to inspect their detail before deciding whether to delete the originals from Photos.

Vault Max with sample content. Use the controls to pause or replay.

Vault Max can offer Delete the originals from Photos? after a successful import. You can keep the originals, decline future prompts, or choose deletion and respond to iOS's permission and confirmation steps. An import is not a reason to skip checking the result.

For the complete route, including Files and share-sheet imports, follow how to move photos into Vault Max.

Decide what happens to the Photos originals

Keeping the originals gives you another copy, but those copies remain in Photos. Importing into Vault Max does not automatically hide every existing copy in Photos, Messages, Files, a shared album, or a backup you made earlier. Review the locations that apply to your pictures.

If you delete Photos originals, remember that Photos retains them in Recently Deleted for 30 days unless you permanently remove them sooner. With iCloud Photos, deletion also affects connected devices. Check your vault copies and backup before making a permanent deletion. Apple's deletion and recovery guide explains that final step.

An imported sample photograph open in Vault Max — **Pair a checked import with a recovery copy**The Vault Max photo viewer lets you inspect a saved picture; the Backup screen creates a password-protected archive. Use both steps before permanently removing other copies of an irreplaceable image.

Vault Max backup screen with Create backup file and Restore from a backup file controls — **Pair a checked import with a recovery copy**The Vault Max photo viewer lets you inspect a saved picture; the Backup screen creates a password-protected archive. Use both steps before permanently removing other copies of an irreplaceable image.

Organize private pictures without returning them to Photos

Create albums inside Vault Max for different projects or collections. Use the photo and video filters, search, and favorites to find an item in the encrypted library. Opening a Vault Max album does not require exporting those items back into the system photo library.

Organize pictures inside private albumsThese are albums inside Vault Max, containing sample lake and street photos. Use vault albums to group a private collection without exporting the pictures back to the system Photos library.

Vault Max with sample content. Use the controls to pause or replay.

You can also use + → Private Camera for new pictures and videos captured directly into the vault. This is useful when the next picture should start in the private library. It still needs a backup if you want to recover it after losing the phone.

Add the privacy controls you will actually use

Settings includes auto-lock, a panic-lock gesture and optional calculator disguise. Break-in alerts can attempt a front-camera photo after a configured number of wrong vault-code attempts, when enabled and camera access is available. Decoy vaults offer separate libraries opened by their own credentials.

Vault Max Settings with auto-lock, panic lock and Break-in alerts — **Choose how your vault locks and opens**Vault Max Settings provides auto-lock, panic lock and optional break-in alerts; the calculator is an optional disguised unlock screen. Choose the controls that help you close the library promptly and recognize your way back in.

Vault Max calculator disguise interface — **Choose how your vault locks and opens**Vault Max Settings provides auto-lock, panic lock and optional break-in alerts; the calculator is an optional disguised unlock screen. Choose the controls that help you close the library promptly and recognize your way back in.

Read the Vault Max feature guide for setup details and the difference between a decoy and a duress vault. These controls complement a clear import and backup plan.

Keep a recovery copy

Once the collection is where you want it, create a password-protected .vaultmax backup in Settings → Encrypted backup. Save it somewhere reachable without this iPhone and keep the backup password separately. The file is a snapshot, so make a new one after adding important items.

Our backup walkthrough covers the file and restore steps. If you already have an access problem, read forgotten Vault Max passcodes before deleting or reinstalling anything.

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