Everyone has those images: The ones that you can't really bear to delete, but you also don't necessarily want to see them cluttering up your Photos library. Thankfully, hiding them from your library is an easy task.
- What does hiding a photo do?
- How to hide images from the Photos app
- How to hide images in iOS 13
- How to unhide images from the Photos app
- How to unhide images in iOS 13
What does hiding a photo do, exactly?
When you hide an image from your Photos library, it effectively disappears from your main photos view (which includes Moments, Collections, and Years). The image will still be available in Albums and searches, however.
How to hide images from the Photos app
- Open the Photos app.
- Tap Select in the upper right corner.
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Tap the images you would like to hide.
- Tap the Share icon in the upper left corner. It looks like an arrow coming out of a box.
-
Tap Hide.
Any hidden photos will now show up in a Hidden album under the Albums tab. A window will appear that says:
These photos will be hidden from all places in your library and can be found in the Hidden album.
How to hide images in iOS 13
Apple occasionally offers updates to iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS as closed developer previews or public betas for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Mac (sadly, no public beta for the Apple Watch). While the betas contain new features, they also contain pre-release bugs that can prevent the normal use of your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, or Mac, and are not intended for everyday use on a primary device. That's why we strongly recommend staying away from developer previews unless you need them for software development, and using the public betas with caution. If you depend on your devices, wait for the final release.
- Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.
-
In either the Days, All Photos, or standard Albums view, tap on the Select button.
- Tap on the photos that you want to hide.
- Optionally, you can also just view individual photos and hide one-by-one instead of a batch.
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Tap the Share button.
- Scroll down in the Share Sheet.
- Tap on Hide.
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Confirm that you want to hide the photos, or tap Cancel if you change your mind.
How to unhide images from the Photos app
- Open the Photos app.
- Tap on the Albums tab.
- Select the Hidden album.
-
Tap Select in the upper right corner.
- Choose the photos you wish to unhide and press the Share button.
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Along the bottom row of Share icons, select Unhide.
How to unhide images in iOS 13
Apple occasionally offers updates to iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS as closed developer previews or public betas for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Mac (sadly, no public beta for the Apple Watch). While the betas contain new features, they also contain pre-release bugs that can prevent the normal use of your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, or Mac, and are not intended for everyday use on a primary device. That's why we strongly recommend staying away from developer previews unless you need them for software development, and using the public betas with caution. If you depend on your devices, wait for the final release.
- Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.
-
Tap Albums.
- Scroll down to the bottom until you see Other Albums.
- Tap Hidden.
-
Tap Select.
- Choose the photos or videos that you want to unhide.
- Tap the Share button.
-
Scroll down and tap Unhide.
Questions?
Let us know in the comments down below!
Great iPhone and iPad accessories
RAVPower Ace ($42 at Amazon)
Charge your iPhone or iPad on the go while it's gobbling up your juice to install the software beta. Don't leave home without it!
SanDisk Dual Drive (From $25 at Apple)
In iOS 13, you'll be able to access jump drives right on your iPhone or iPad. This dual drive has a reversible USB-C and USB-A connector.
Updated July 2019: Updated for iOS 13 beta.
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