# The Hidden album isn't in Utilities

> No Hidden album under Utilities on your iPhone? Show Hidden Album is off, you're looking in the wrong tab for your iOS version, or sync isn't done. Fixes.

Source: https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/hidden-album-not-in-utilities/ · Updated 2026-11-01 · By VaultForYou

![Photos settings with Show Hidden Album turned on](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/img/fix--hidden-album-not-in-utilities.png)

- 4 causes

Utilities moved between iOS 17, 18 and 26, and one switch can remove the album entirely.

- **Causes:** 4
- **Steps:** 3

**Short answer:** Most often **Show Hidden Album is off**: turn it on in **Settings › Apps › Photos** (iOS 18 and later) or **Settings › Photos** (iOS 14–17). If it's on, check you're in the right place: **Collections › Utilities** on iOS 26, **swipe up past the library** on iOS 18, **Albums › Utilities** on iOS 16–17.

Causes

## Causes, most likely first

| Cause | How to tell | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Show Hidden Album is off | Utilities lists Recently Deleted but no Hidden | Turn on Show Hidden Album in Photos settings |
| Wrong place for your iOS | You can't find Utilities at all | iOS 26: Collections; iOS 18: swipe up; iOS 16–17: Albums |
| On a Mac | Hidden missing from the Mac sidebar | View › Show Hidden Photo Album (off by default on Mac) |
| On iPad with sidebar closed | No Utilities on screen | Tap the sidebar button at the top left |

3 steps

## Turn the Hidden album back on (iOS 26)

1. **Open Settings › Apps › Photos.** Open **Settings**, tap **Apps**, then tap **Photos**.
2. **Turn on Show Hidden Album.** Switch **Show Hidden Album** on. Turn it off to remove the album from Photos; your hidden photos stay hidden either way.
3. **Check Utilities again.** Go back to Photos and look under Collections › Utilities.

Did that fix it?

Good. People usually do this next:

- [Check the lock](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/lock-hidden-album-iphone/)
- [Where else it shows](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/)

Find your fix:

- [I'm on iOS 18](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/cant-find-utilities-ios-18/)
- [It's there but empty](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/hidden-album-empty-after-update/)
- [Steps for my iOS](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/)

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Questions

## Not in Utilities: questions

### Why is the Hidden album not under Utilities?

Usually because Show Hidden Album is switched off. Apple added that switch in iOS 14, and with it off the album and its photos aren't visible anywhere in Photos. Turn it on in Settings › Apps › Photos on iOS 18 and later, or Settings › Photos on iOS 14 to 17.

### Did turning off the Hidden album delete my photos?

No. Turning off Show Hidden Album only removes the album from view. Your hidden photos stay stored, keep syncing with iCloud Photos and still use storage. As soon as you switch it back on, the Hidden album returns under Utilities with every photo in it.

Checked against Apple's documentation

- [Hide photos with the Hidden album](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104987)
- [If you're missing photos or videos in the Photos app](https://support.apple.com/en-us/118558)
- [Delete or hide photos and videos on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphb4defbde9/ios)

## Go deeper

- [Hidden album missingFull guide](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-missing/)
- [What the switch hides](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/photos-when-switched-off/)

## Other fixes

- [Not asking for Face ID](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/hidden-album-not-asking-for-face-id/)
- [Use Face ID switch missing](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/use-face-id-toggle-missing/)
- [Empty after update or restore](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/hidden-album-empty-after-update/)
- [Can't find Utilities (iOS 18)](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/cant-find-utilities-ios-18/)
- [Not on my Mac](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/hidden-album-not-on-mac/)
- [Not syncing to iPad](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/hidden-album-not-syncing-to-ipad/)