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).
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
- In Photos, tap Collections.
- Scroll to Utilities and tap Hidden.
- Tap View Album and unlock it.
- 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.
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:
- In Photos, tap Collections, then Recently Deleted under Utilities.
- Tap View Album and unlock it.
- 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.
Sources
- Apple Support: Hide photos with the Hidden album (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: Delete or hide photos and videos on iPhone (checked 2026-11-06)
