Hide videos on iPhone
Hide a video with Photos
- Open Photos, view your library or a collection, and tap Select.
- Choose the video, or several.
- Tap the ••• button, then tap Hide.
Apple also says you can touch and hold a photo or video and tap Hide.
Apple says hidden photos and videos move to the Hidden collection and can't be viewed anywhere else. To see them: Collections, then Hidden (below Utilities), then View Album, and unlock it. To bring one back, touch and hold it there, then tap Unhide.
What this does and doesn't do
- It does keep the video out of your main library, so it won't pop up when you scroll through Photos for someone.
- The collection is locked by default, and Apple says it opens with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. Anyone who knows your passcode can open it.
- You can hide the collection itself. In Settings, tap Apps, then Photos, and turn off Show Hidden Album, which sits under Albums. That hides the collection from Photos but doesn't change its lock.
- With iCloud Photos, a video you hide is hidden on all your devices.
It isn't a separate lock. Here's how the Hidden album compares with a vault.
If you delete one
Deleted videos stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days, then are removed from your iPhone, iCloud and other devices. Anyone who can unlock the iPhone can see them during that time. To clear them sooner: Collections, Recently Deleted, unlock it, select the videos, tap the ••• button, then Delete. It can't be undone.
Locking videos away in FirstHour
FirstHour's Vault keeps videos behind their own pattern or PIN, sealed with AES-256-GCM, so knowing your iPhone passcode isn't enough.
- Open the Vault, tap +, then Choose from Photos, and pick your videos. You can also tap Take a photo or video to film straight into it.
- Wait while it locks the video away, and keep FirstHour open. FirstHour checks that the locked copy opens and matches.
- iPhone asks before removing the original from Photos. Say yes, and it goes to Recently Deleted for 30 days. Say no, and it stays in Photos as well.
A video in the Vault doesn't start by itself, and it can't go to an Apple TV by AirPlay, or show on the Lock Screen. To get one out, you can save it back to Photos or share it. A shared copy leaves out the place it was filmed.
- A long video needs room on your iPhone while it's copied. If there isn't enough, FirstHour says so and leaves the original where it was.
- With limited Photos access, FirstHour may not be able to remove the original. If so, it tells you, and you delete it in Photos yourself.
- FirstHour's picture check doesn't look inside videos, so it won't point out a private one.
- Without a backup you save yourself, losing your iPhone loses the Vault. Back it up.
Questions
Does hiding a video free up space?
No. It only moves it. Deleting frees space, once Recently Deleted is emptied or the 30 days pass.
Does hiding work the same for videos and photos?
Yes. Apple's steps cover both, and hidden videos go to the same Hidden collection as hidden photos.
Sources
- Hide photos and videos on Apple devices, Apple Platform Security
- Hide photos on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Vision Pro with the Hidden album, Apple Support
- Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad, Apple Support