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How to lock photos on iPhone

·Written by the developer of Stash

To lock photos on iPhone, move them to the Hidden album and make sure Use Face ID is on in Settings > Apps > Photos; the album then opens only with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. That is one of four ways to lock photos on iPhone. Pick the one that matches the situation.

1. Lock individual photos: the Hidden album

  1. Open the photo, tap More (•••), tap Hide.
  2. Open Settings > Apps > Photos (older iOS: Settings > Photos) and check that Use Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode) is on.

Now the Hidden album under Utilities is locked. The rest of your library stays open as usual. More detail: how to hide photos on iPhone.

2. Lock the whole Photos app

In iOS 18 and later you can lock an app. Touch and hold the Photos icon, tap Require Face ID, and confirm. Every time Photos opens, it asks for Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. Photos also stops showing content in search and notifications while it is locked.

This is useful if you lend your phone often and want all photos behind a second check.

3. Lock the screen to one photo: Guided Access

Showing someone one picture is when people most often worry about swiping. Guided Access fixes that:

  1. Turn it on in Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access, and set a passcode.
  2. Open the photo, then triple-click the side button (or Home button).
  3. Tap Options, turn Touch off, tap Start.

Now the screen shows only that photo and swipes do nothing. Triple-click and enter the Guided Access passcode to end it.

4. Lock photos with a separate code: a vault app

All built-in methods use your iPhone passcode. If someone knows it, they can open the Hidden album or a locked Photos app. For a code that is different from your phone's, use a vault app; we explain the details in how to password protect photos on iPhone.

Stash, our app, is one option: it looks and works like a calculator, and your secret PIN opens a vault where imported photos are encrypted on the device with AES-256. Face ID unlock and auto-lock when you switch apps are available. Delete the originals from Photos after importing, or they stay in your library.

Which lock should you use?

Situation Best fit
A few private photos Hidden album
You lend your phone a lot Lock the Photos app
Showing someone one picture Guided Access
You want a different code from your phone Vault app

FAQ

Can I lock a single album on iPhone?

Only the Hidden album (and Recently Deleted) can be locked. Other albums cannot have their own lock.

Can I lock photos without an app?

Yes. Methods 1 to 3 above are built into iOS and free.

What if someone knows my passcode?

Then they can open everything that uses it. Change your passcode in Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Nothing replaces a passcode only you know.