How to hide (and unhide) photos and videos on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Whether you want to keep certain pictures and videos private or simply want to declutter your camera roll, this guide will show you how to hide/unhide photos and videos on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, in just a few easy steps. We’ll go over the different methods for hiding and unhiding photos and videos, as well as how to access them again when you need them.

Hide Photos on iPhone

Hide photos & videos on iPhone and iPad

It’s very easy to hide one or more items in the Photos app. Just open the Photos app and follow these steps:

Hide a single photo or video

  1. Tap to open the photo or video you want to hide.
  2. Hit the More button (three dots inside a circle).
  3. Select Hide and confirm by tapping Hide Photo or Hide Video.
Hide a photo on iPhone

Hide multiple photos or videos

  1. Tap Select at the top and choose each photo or video. This puts a checkmark next to the selected items. Tip: If you’re selecting several photos adjacent to each other, drag your finger through them to select them.
  2. Hit the More button (three dots inside a circle).
  3. Select Hide and confirm by tapping Hide [Number] Photos, Hide N Videos, or Hide N Items.
Hide several photos at once on iPhone

Find hidden photos on iPhone

Hiding a photo doesn’t delete it; it just puts it into a Hidden album. That way, you can still view the photos when you want.

Open Settings, select Photos, and enable the toggle for Show Hidden Album. Once you do this, the album will display in the Photos app at the bottom of the Albums tab. You can hide it again just as easily by heading back to your Settings and disabling the toggle.

Show Hidden Album in iPhone Photos app

Note: If you unhide photos later using the steps below, the Hidden album will still display on your Albums tab. It will just have a 0 (zero) next to it.

Unhide photos and videos

To not only see your hidden photos but unhide one or more, you’ll need to display the Hidden album as described above. Then do one of the following to unhide photos.

Unhide a single photo

  1. Open the Hidden album from the bottom of your Albums tab and choose the photo you want to hide.
  2. Hit the More button and select Unhide.
Unhide one hidden photo on iPhone

Unhide multiple photos

  1. Open the Hidden album.
  2. Tap Select at the top and choose the photos.
  3. Hit the More button and select Unhide.
Unhide several hidden photos on iPhone

Hide photos on Mac

You have two quick and easy ways to hide a picture in Photos on your Mac. So open the Photos app and do one of the following:

  • Right-click the photo and pick Hide [Number] Photo from the shortcut menu.
  • Select the photo and click Image > Hide [Number] Photo from the menu bar.
Hide a Photo on Mac

You’ll be asked to confirm that you want to hide the photo. Click Hide in the pop-up window.

You can use the same actions to hide multiple photos at once. Just select each one and then either right-click or use the menu.

Find hidden photos on Mac

Just like on iOS, you’ll need to take action to display your Hidden album on Mac.

With Photos open, click View > Show Hidden Photo Album from the menu bar. You can hide it again with the same action if you wish.

Show the Hidden Photo Album on Mac

Notes on the Hidden album on Mac

  • Once you show the Hidden album, anyone with access to your Photos app on Mac (with your Mac login credentials) will be able to view it.
  • If you unhide all photos in the Hidden album, it will no longer display in the sidebar. If you hide another photo later, the album will return unless you Hide it using the steps above.

Unhide photos on Mac

If you’re ready to unhide a photo, you will need to display the Hidden album. Then open it and select a hidden photo. After that:

  • Right-click the photo and pick Unhide [Number] Photo from the shortcut menu.
  • Select the photo and click Image > Unhide [Number] Photo from the menu bar.
Unhide a Photo on Mac

Like with hiding photos, you can unhide multiple pictures at the same time by selecting them and right-clicking or using the menu.

Hidden photos with iCloud sync

If you have iCloud Photos enabled for your devices, any photos you hide will sync. For example, you can hide a photo on your iPhone and find it in the Hidden album on your Mac or unhide a photo on your Mac, and it will be unhidden on your iPhone too.

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