Photo privacy guides for iPhone
Plain-English guides to hiding, locking, backing up and moving private photos on iPhone and iPad. Each one starts with the short answer, gives exact steps for iOS 26, and says what each option does and doesn't protect.
- Updated How to hide photos on iPhone: every method, and what each one protects All the ways to hide photos on iPhone, from the Hidden album to encrypted vault apps, and what each one actually protects.
- Updated Is the iPhone Hidden album actually private? What the Hidden album in Photos protects against, what it doesn't, and how to make it stricter.
- Updated How to move a private photo vault to a new iPhone without losing photos A before-during-after checklist for moving any photo vault app to a new iPhone, and why vault photos go missing.
- Updated Your photo vault app lost your photos: what to do now What to do, and not do, when photos disappear from a vault app, and where they might still be.
- Updated Keepsafe alternatives that don't need an account Vault apps that work without an account, compared with Keepsafe from their App Store listings.
- Updated Vaultaire vs Keepsafe: which photo vault fits you? Vaultaire and Keepsafe compared from their App Store listings: account, backup, price, encryption and decoy vaults.
- Updated How to lock photos on iPhone with Face ID, a passcode or a pattern Every way to put photos behind Face ID or a separate code on iPhone, and when each one is enough.
- Updated What is a decoy vault, and does it actually protect you? How decoy vaults and fake PINs work in photo vault apps, the two kinds, and what they can't do.
- Updated How to hide videos on iPhone, and keep them playable Ways to hide videos on iPhone, and what to check so large videos still import and play.
- Updated Photo vault apps without a subscription or ads Which vault apps sell a one-time purchase, which have ads, and what happens to your photos if you stop paying.
- Updated Forgot your photo vault password or PIN? What you can still do What to do when you forget a vault app's PIN, password or pattern, and how each kind of recovery works.
- Updated How encrypted photo vaults work, in plain English Keys, key stretching, AES-256-GCM and encrypted backups, explained without jargon.
- Updated Are photo vault apps safe? What to check before you trust one The real risks of photo vault apps, and six things to check before you trust one with private photos.