You can hide photos or videos on your iPhone, but if someone knows your passcode, they can access them, too. If you want to keep your media safe, then use a third-party app to lock photos and videos. These apps will help you lock any files using a PIN/password different from the iPhone’s passcode.
The iOS 18 has an App lock feature, but I guess it isn’t helpful. If you share your iPhone with your friends or family, they can also access the hidden apps. That’s why only a third-party iPhone locker can help you secure your data.
In this article, you will find top apps to lock photos, videos, or other files on your iPhone.
What to Look for in a Photo Lock App
So, we will be looking at the best iPhone apps to lock photos and videos. But first, let’s understand what we should look for in a photo lock app. These are just the basic features that the app needs to be useful.
- Encryption: Look for apps that obscure your data with advanced encryption mechanisms, making unauthorized access practically impossible.
- Passcode Protection: The app should have TouchID or FaceID as authentication modes. If it doesn’t, there should be strong passcode protection.
- Cloud Storage Integration: If you utilize cloud storage services like iCloud, check into products that link seamlessly and allow you to encrypt your data directly in the cloud.
- User Interface: I mean, the app should be simple to use. It does not have to be another task that you have to take care of.
Top iPhone Apps To Keep Your Files Secret With Password
We have tested many apps available on the App Store to find some great apps to keep your photos/videos private with an additional password. If someone accesses your iPhone with the password, they won’t be able to see your private photos or other locked items.
Most of the apps in the list will work with iOS 13 and above. They can also be used on iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 series iPhones.
1. Stock Photos App
You might wonder how the stock Photos app on the iPhone made its way to the list. The stock Photos app on iPhone is powerful and has many security features to keep your photos hidden. If you do not like third-party apps having access to your phone, this is the best option.
The Photos app offers the option to Hide your photos. To do so, go to the photo, tap on the three-dot icon, and then tap on Hide. The app will move your photos to the hidden album. The album is locked and requires FaceID or a passcode to unlock. So, all of your photos are safe and hidden.
If you want additional security, then go to iPhone’s Settings and find the Photos app. Now, turn off the option reading “Show Hidden Album.” This will remove the hidden album from the Photos app.
2. Secret Photo Vault: Keepsafe
Keepsafe is one of the most popular iPhone photo-hiding apps. It has over 70 million users across all platforms and offers a variety of fascinating features. The best part is that it is accessible for iPhone and iPad, so there will be no compatibility concerns with your Apple devices.
It provides PIN, Touch ID, and password protection together with military-grade encryption, ensuring that all of your treasured memories are always safe. This software’s photo management function is straightforward and easy to use, and the app’s overall user interface is also extremely intuitive. So, if you’re searching for a basic but effective vault, this is it.
Key Features:
- Simple interface.
- PIN protection.
- High-end encryption.
- Photo backup.
- Custom albums.
- Integrated camera for taking pictures and hiding them directly.
3. HiddenVault Secret Photo Album
It is a popular choice among iPhone users to keep their photos hidden. It is available for free on the App Store. The privacy features of the app are what separates them from many. They help you to keep your photos, videos, apps, and passwords hidden without having to access them.
This way, all your data is only yours to see, and the app doesn’t take any part in it. You can set up a PIN or FaceID authentication for the app to protect your hidden data. Also, the app has a private browser that you can use and does not record any data.
Key Features:
- It does not access your personal data.
- Built on zero-knowledge security architecture.
- PIN passcode and FaceID security.
- Built-in private browser.
4. Private Photo Vault- Pic Safe
This is the perfect option if you want a simple app with all the necessary features to keep your photos and videos safe and hidden. The only way to get access to the app is via a password. It even gives you break-in reports along with GPS and photos of the person trying to access your data without authorization.
The app also allows you to import and export photos from the Photos app. Then it also supports iCloud syncing, and you can even create albums. Overall, it is a powerful app with many cool features, and you can try it.
Key Features:
- Offers PIN, password, and pattern lock.
- Intruder selfie.
- Decoy password.
- iTunes syncing.
- Wireless photo transfer.
5. Photo Lock
Photo Lock is a simple and effective app for securing your photos and videos. It uses a passcode or Touch ID to protect your content and allows you to hide specific albums or individual files. The app’s interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy to use for anyone.
Key features:
- Passcode or Touch ID protection
- Hidden album and file functionality
- Simple and user-friendly interface
6. Safe Lock – Secret Photo Album
This vault takes things to the next level by adding more features to make it a robust privacy app. It can not only help you hide pictures, but it also allows you to manage all of the essential documents. It has a lot of authentication methods, including FaceID, TouchID, dot lock, pattern lock, and alphabetic lock.
Safe Lock also has cool features like Wi-Fi file transfer, slideshow viewing, break-in reports, etc. Furthermore, the app integrates with all primary cloud services like DropBox, Google Drive, Yandex Disk, iCloud, and Box. So you do not have to worry about anything.
Key Features:
- Secret camera.
- Wifi transfer.
- Password recovery by email.
- 7 types of authentication methods.
- Customize the app icon.
7. Vault: Hide Photos & Videos
Vault is a simple photo and video locking tool with a variety of capabilities to protect your important data. It enables you to build numerous vaults with unique passcodes or biometric identification, adding another degree of security. You may also hide individual albums or files within the program, as well as employ a hidden camera to snap photos discreetly.
Key Features:
- Storage space encryption.
- Password, touch & face ID authentication.
- App disguises itself as a camera.
- Intruder selfie.
- Vault will exit when you face down the screen.
8. Secret Photo Vault Lock Photos
It is a perfect option for people who want a more flexible app to hide their photos and videos. The app supports many file formats, including jpg, png, bmp, gif, tif, tiff, jpeg, mov, mp4, m4v, mpv, mp3, aiff, and wave, pdf, doc, ppt, etc. So you do not have to worry about which files to keep.
You can easily create many folders and keep all of your files separately. The app also has a feature to USB import/export multiple files from/to iTunes File Sharing, which allows seamless management. So make sure to check it out.
Key Features:
- Support multiple file formats.
- Support subfolders.
- Password recovery via security Q/A.
- Sort by size, date, type, and name.
- One password for all folders.
9. Best Secret Folder
Like its name, it is definitely a top app to keep your photos a secret. A 4.8-star rating by 12.3K reviewers isn’t a joke. The app has custom secret folders; you can use them to store your personal photos, videos, and any other media files you want.
The app is quite discreet in appearance, and it is tough for people to notice. So, you can use this app to hide photos and other files on your iPhone. It uses Passcode, Touch ID, Face ID, and Pattern for authentication, keeping everything safe.
Key Features:
- Keeps a log of successful and failed logins.
- Capture the intruder’s photos and location.
- Multiple security methods.
- The app’s icon is hard to notice.
- Add notes secretly.
10. Calculator# Hide Photos & Videos
If you look at this app, it will look like a calculator designed to help you with mathematics, but the calculator works as a concealer for a powerful photo-hiding app. This is one of the most significant advantages of this app.
Inside the app, there is a secure gallery where you can keep all of your pictures hidden and secure. You can also store all of your personal notes in this app. Your data is password-protected; you can even enable TouchID/FaceID authentication. The app offers Dropbox integration, which you can use to store stuff on the cloud.
You have to type your password in the calculator mode, which will unlock the vault with the matching password. It’s a great app to disguise itself. The only disadvantage is you are limited to 300 photos/videos in the free version, which is supported by some annoying ads.
Key Features:
- Multiple authentication methods.
- App disguises itself.
- Create multiple folders.
- Panic Switch
- Built-in browser.
What Else to Keep in Mind?
Using an app to keep your photos locked or hidden is all cool, but you also need to take some additional steps to safeguard yourself:
- Regularly Update Your Apps: Your app must be up to date so that you get all the new security features and bug fixes.
- Avoid Sharing Passcodes: What is the point of having a photo lock app if others can access it, right? Never reveal your app’s passcode to anybody, including trusted friends and family.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication: If your photo-locking app enables it, enable it to increase security.
- Be Wary of Phishing Attempts: Avoid phishing emails or messages that request your app credentials.
- Consider a Backup Solution: While your photo-locking app offers security, it’s still a good idea to have a copy of your photographs and videos in a separate location.
Final Words
iPhone is considered safe, but you might share your phone with your friends or family, and sometimes, we don’t want to share our important or secret photos, videos, or documents with anyone. You can use the above apps to meet your requirements.
Some of the apps on the list also allow you to hide documents as well. If you do not want to use a third-party app, using the Stock Photos app to hide photos is also a solid option. We hope this guide helps you find an excellent app to keep your private memories hidden.
Most apps offer limited features in the free version. You can upgrade to the premium version to unlock all features and lock unlimited photos/videos.
FAQs
iPhone allows you to hide your photos, videos, or documents in a hidden album. The only problem is you can’t have a separate password for the hidden album. Anyone who knows your passcode can access the hidden files.
The stock Photos app on the iPhone is one of the safest iPhone apps to lock photos. But if you want to create different passwords, then you have to rely on third-party apps.
If you use a trusted photo-hiding app with good reviews and a privacy policy, then it is safe to use. Still, disable the unnecessary app permissions.
You don’t have any option to hide apps, but you can remove apps from the home screen and access them from the app library when needed.
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