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How to permanently unlock the Hidden and Recently Deleted sections of the Photos app on iPhone

Two iPhone mockups with one showing locked Hidden and Recently Deleted sections in the Photos app while the other showing them as unlocked

When you hide a photo or video on your iPhone, it's removed from the Recents album and moved to a new Hidden section. Similarly, when you delete a picture or video, it's moved to the Recently Deleted folder, where it stays for 30 days before being permanently deleted.

In previous versions of iOS, there was no way to lock these Hidden and Recently Deleted albums. So, anyone with access to your unlocked iPhone could see what was inside the Hidden and Recently Deleted sections.

Apple tweaked these things in iOS 16, and now Hidden and Recently Deleted sections are locked by default. You will see these changes immediately after installing iOS 16. But if you don't like that and wish to keep the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums permanently unlocked, here's how to do that.

How to lock your WhatsApp chats on iPhone like a pro

Two iPhones on a gradient green background showing locked WhatsApp and locked WhatsApp Business

Once you set a passcode on your iPhone, it secures all your apps and data. However, if you hand over your unlocked iPhone to nosy people, it's possible they will peek inside WhatsApp to see what you’re up to! Thankfully, WhatsApp offers a built-in option to lock the app.

This tutorial shows you how to enable a password or Face ID/Touch ID lock on WhatsApp for iPhone to protect your chats. The process to lock WhatsApp Business is the same.