# How to hide videos on iPhone

> Hide a video in Photos with touch and hold, find it in the Hidden album, and delete the original for good. A vault app adds a lock that is separate from your phone.

Source: https://vault9app.com/guides/hide-videos-iphone/
Updated: 2026-11-12

To hide a video, open **Photos**, touch and hold the video, tap **Hide**, and confirm. The video moves to the Hidden album and stays in your photo library. Apple says the album is locked by default and opens with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode ([Apple: Delete or hide photos and videos](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/delete-or-hide-photos-and-videos-iphb4defbde9/ios)).

For several videos, tap **Select**, choose them, tap the **More** button, then tap **Hide**. Hidden items no longer show in the Library, in other albums or in the Photos widget.

## Find a hidden video again

1. In **Photos**, tap **Collections**.
2. Scroll to **Utilities** and tap **Hidden**.
3. Tap **View Album** and unlock it.
4. Touch and hold the video, then tap **Unhide**.

You can also take the album itself out of sight. Open **Settings**, tap **Apps**, tap **Photos**, and turn off **Show Hidden Album**.

## What hiding does not do

Hiding does not delete a video and does not encrypt it. With iCloud Photos on, a video you hide is hidden on all your devices. And the album opens with your phone lock, so anyone who can unlock the album on your phone can watch the video.

A video that a family member should not see needs more than the Hidden album. In Vault9 it opens with your pattern or passphrase, or Face ID if you turn it on. Large videos play straight from the encrypted file. [Vault9 on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6830759639?pt=129716075&ct=hide-videos-iphone-md)

## Moving a video into Vault9

Unhide the video first if it is in the Hidden album. The photo picker in Vault9 does not show that album. Then import it, and delete the original in Photos yourself, because Vault9 never changes your Photos library.

Playback needs no decrypted copy on your storage. On export, Vault9 decrypts the video to a temporary file for the share sheet. It deletes the file when the sheet closes.

## Delete a video for good

Deleted videos wait in **Recently Deleted** for 30 days. To clear them sooner:

1. In **Photos**, tap **Collections**, then **Recently Deleted** under Utilities.
2. Tap **View Album** and unlock it.
3. Tap **Select**, choose the videos, tap **More**, then tap **Delete**.

With iCloud Photos on, a delete applies on all your devices. If you want a lock that is separate from the phone for photos too, read [how to lock photos on iPhone](https://vault9app.com/guides/lock-photos-iphone/).

## Sources

- [Apple Support: Hide photos with the Hidden album](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104987) (checked 2026-11-06)
- [Apple Support: Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104967) (checked 2026-11-06)
- [Apple Support: Delete or hide photos and videos on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/delete-or-hide-photos-and-videos-iphb4defbde9/ios) (checked 2026-11-06)