How to Password-Protect Photos on iPhone
You can lock some photos on iPhone with Face ID, but iOS doesn't let you put a real password on an album — and the built-in protection has a big gap. Here's what actually works, step by step.
What iPhone lets you lock (and what it doesn't)
On iOS 16 and later, two albums are protected by default: Hidden and Recently Deleted. Both require Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode to open. That's genuinely useful — but there are limits:
- You can't set a separate password on a normal album. The only lock is your device's own Face ID/passcode.
- You can't lock individual photos in your main library.
- Anyone who knows your passcode can open the Hidden album — the Face ID check falls back to it.
Step 1: Turn on the built-in lock
Make sure the default protection is actually enabled:
- Open Settings › Apps › Photos.
- Turn on Use Face ID (or Touch ID) for the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums.
- In Photos, tap a picture › More (•••) › Hide to move it into the locked Hidden album.
This is fine for casual privacy — keeping a photo out of sight when you hand your phone around at the right moment.
Step 2: For a real password, use a vault
If you want photos that stay protected even when your phone is unlocked, move them into a dedicated vault app that has its own lock — separate from your phone passcode:
- Install a vault app that encrypts photos on-device with AES-256.
- Import the photos and videos you want to protect.
- Set the vault's own Face ID lock (and a passcode you don't use anywhere else).
- Delete the originals from your camera roll and empty Recently Deleted, so they stop syncing to iCloud.
Now those photos need a second, separate unlock — and because they're encrypted on your device, they're unreadable even if someone reaches the storage behind the app.
Lock photos properly with Safey
An encrypted vault with its own Face ID lock — for photos, videos, passwords, cards, notes and files. Free to start.
Which approach should you use?
Use the built-in Hidden album for everyday tidiness. Use an encrypted vault for anything you truly can't afford to have seen — sensitive personal photos, documents, and screenshots of private information. The two work well together: the vault for the important things, the Hidden album for the rest.
Related reading: how to hide photos on iPhone and how to choose the best photo vault app.
FAQ
Can you password-protect a photo album on iPhone?
iPhone's Hidden and Recently Deleted albums lock behind Face ID or your passcode, but you can't set a separate password on a regular album. For a real password, move photos into a vault app with its own lock.
How do I lock individual photos on iPhone?
iOS doesn't lock individual photos in the main library. The reliable way is to move them into an encrypted vault app that locks with its own Face ID, then delete the originals from your camera roll.
Is Face ID enough to protect my photos?
Face ID protects your whole phone, but if your phone is already unlocked — or someone knows your passcode — your photos are exposed. A vault with its own separate Face ID lock adds a second barrier that stays closed even when the phone is open.