Apple iPhones come packed with several features specifically designed for secure usage and upgraded privacy. I can claim that many iPhone users are not even aware of many features, which could help them to secure their data (contacts, documents, photos, videos, etc). One particularly useful feature is the ability to hide photos from the gallery which could be 0extremely helpful for maintaining privacy.
Let us explore why one might wish to hide photos and how to do it on your iPhone.
Why does one need to hide photos on their iPhone?
- Privacy Concerns
One of the most common reasons to hide photos is to keep personal images private. Losing your phone or having someone access your handset and go through your gallery could expose private data which one might not be comfortable sharing. Hence, hiding them adds a layer of security.
- Avoiding embarrassment
Even if you are not concerned about losing your phone, you might want to hide some of the photos from accidental exposure while showing your photo gallery. This is particularly useful if you have private images or sensitive content that you’d rather keep out of sight.
- Surprise gifts
Photos of surprise gifts or special occasions could be ruined if seen by the wrong person. Hiding these photos is important for the plan to be a secret.
- Personal preferences
These days everyone likes taking selfies, and at times some of your pictures are not for everyone, hece why to give access to anyone? A hidden album could be created and kept to safeguard your main gallery.
How to hide photos on your iPhone
First, you need to be sure that your iPhone is updated to the latest iOS. Now, follow the step-by-step guide for hiding photos:
- Open Photos: Find the photo or video you want to hide
- To select multiple items, tap "Select" in the upper right corner and then tap the images you want to hide.
- Tap the More Icon: It’s the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Select Hide: Look for the icon with an eyeball crossed out.
- Confirm: When prompted, tap "Hide Photo." The selected files will move to your "Hidden" album.
- Access Hidden Photos: Tap "Albums" in the bottom menu, then "Hidden" (marked by the same eyeball icon) to view hidden photos.
With iOS 16, your Hidden album will be locked by default, and you need to have an Apple ID or Face ID to access it.
How to set up a hidden album and lock it?
To further secure your hidden photos:
- Go to Settings: Open your iPhone Settings and scroll down to "Photos."
- Show Hidden Album: Toggle "Show Hidden Album" to green. This makes the Hidden album visible under "Utilities" in the Albums tab in Photos. Turning it off hides the album but does not delete the photos.
- Enable Face ID: Switch the toggle to green to require Face ID for accessing both the Hidden album and Recently Deleted.
While the ‘Hide Photo’ feature is not foolproof, it significantly is an enhancement for privacy, especially if your iPhones go around in many hands. By using Face ID, you add an extra layer of security, making it a worthwhile option for safeguarding your private images.
ALSO READ: Threads launches new fact-checking programme to rate false content: How does it work?
