Lock the Photos App on Your iPhone to Protect Your Private Photos

Your iPhone’s Photos app contains all of your most treasured memories and private moments. With so much private information, it’s important to keep photos private from prying eyes. Fortunately, Apple allows you to hide some photos or lock the Photos app. In this guide, we’ll show you how to lock your Photos app quickly, so you can keep your memories safe. Whether you want to lock the whole app or just certain images, we’ll cover everything you need to know.

Lock the Photos App on Your iPhone to Protect Your Private Photos

Before iOS 18, locking the Photos app on your iPhone required custom shortcuts or Screen Time. Now, with iOS 18, you can easily lock apps using a passcode, Touch ID or Face ID to keep your apps secure.

For use of this new function, make sure your iPhone is running iOS 18 or later. When you’re prepared, take these easy actions:

1. Find Photos app on your iPhone’s Home Screen and long-press the app icon.
2. A menu with options will pop up. Select “Require Face ID/Touch ID/Passcode.”
3. A prompt will appear asking you to confirm the lock. Tap “Require Face ID/Touch ID/Passcode.”
4. Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your iPhone passcode.
5. You might see a list of apps that currently have access to your photos. Tap Done to proceed.
6. To adjust which apps can access your Photos app, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos. Select an app and choose from the options: None, Limited Access, or Full Access.

From now on, whenever you try to open the Photos app, you’ll need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. This also applies to accessing photos through other apps, unless they already have access. Plus, your photos won’t show up in notifications, Spotlight search or Siri suggestions.

If you ever want to remove the lock, follow the same steps and choose “Don’t Require Face ID/Touch ID/Passcode” from the quick actions menu.

Simple Steps to Hide Specific Photos on Your iPhone

Sometimes you can choose to hide some pictures from view rather than locking the entire Photos app. When someone is looking through your gallery and you would like to keep some of photos private, this can be helpful. Thankfully, hiding pictures on iPhones is simple and doesn’t require any extra apps.

How to Hide Specific Photos on Your iPhone

1. Choose image you want to hide in Photos app.
2. Long-press the photo and tap “Hide” from the menu.
3. Confirm by selecting “Hide Photo.”

In the Utilities section at the bottom of Photos app, the photo will be moved from the normal gallery to the Hidden album.

To access hidden photos:

1. Open the Photos app and scroll down to Utilities.
2. Select Hidden Album and tap View Album.
3. Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.

Extra Privacy: Hiding the Hidden Album

While hidden photos won’t appear in your main gallery, someone familiar with iPhones can still access them. To add another layer of privacy, you can hide the Hidden album itself:

1. Go to Settings > Photos.
2. Toggle off “Show Hidden Album.”

When you want to access your hidden photos again, follow the same steps and toggle setting back on.

Without locking the entire photographs app, this technique offers a quick and simple solution to retain private personal photographs. Additionally, it doesn’t require any third-party programs, which makes it a convenient and safe choice.

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FAQ

How do I lock the Photos app on my iPhone?
With iOS 18 or later, you can easily lock the Photos app by using Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Simply long-press Photos app icon, choose “Require Face ID/Touch ID/Passcode,” and authenticate.

Can I lock only specific photos in the Photos app?
While you can’t lock specific photos individually you can hide them. By long-pressing a photo and selecting “Hide,” it will be moved to the Hidden album, accessible only through authentication.

How can I make sure hidden photos are extra secure?
You can hide the Hidden album itself to increase privacy. Go to Settings > Photos and turn off “Show Hidden Album,” which will make it more difficult for people to find your secret pictures.

Can I still access my hidden photos after hiding them?
Yes! To access hidden photos, go to the Hidden Album in Utilities section of the Photos app, and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

Can someone bypass the lock on my Photos app?
If someone knows your passcode or is familiar with your iPhone’s settings, they could still access hidden photos or apps. To improve privacy- you can hide the Hidden album or remove the Photos app from the Home Screen.