# How to find hidden photos on iPhone > Find hidden photos on iPhone: Photos › Collections › Utilities › Hidden, then Face ID or passcode. 4 taps on iOS 26; iOS 18 and older paths shown too. Source: https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/find-hidden-photos-iphone/ · Updated 2026-11-01 · By VaultForYou ![iOS 26 Photos Collections tab scrolled to Utilities with Hidden highlighted](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/img/guides--find-hidden-photos-iphone.png) - 4 taps - All iOS versions - No app needed Hidden photos are all in one place: the **Hidden** album under **Utilities**. Only the route there changes with your iOS version. - **Taps:** 4 - **Time:** 10sec - **Unlock:** Face ID - **Works on:** iOS 14+ **Quick answer:** To find hidden photos on iPhone, open **Photos**, tap **Collections** (iOS 26) or **Albums** (iOS 16–17), scroll to **Utilities** and tap **Hidden**. On iOS 18, scroll down past your library instead. Unlock with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. If Hidden isn't listed, **Show Hidden Album** is off. Steps by version ## Find hidden photos on your iOS version iOS 26: 1. **Open Photos.** Tap the Photos app on your Home Screen. 2. **Tap Collections, then scroll to Utilities.** Tap **Collections** at the bottom, then scroll down to the **Utilities** group. 3. **Tap Hidden.** Tap **Hidden**. 4. **Unlock with Face ID.** Tap **View Album**, then use Face ID or your iPhone passcode. iOS 18: 1. **Open Photos.** Tap the Photos app on your Home Screen. 2. **Scroll down to Utilities.** iOS 18 has no Albums tab. Scroll down past your library grid until you reach the **Utilities** collection. 3. **Tap Hidden.** Tap **Hidden**. 4. **Unlock with Face ID.** Tap **View Album**, then use Face ID or your iPhone passcode. iOS 16–17: 1. **Open Photos.** Tap the Photos app on your Home Screen. 2. **Tap Albums, then scroll to Utilities.** Tap **Albums** at the bottom, then scroll down to the **Utilities** group. 3. **Tap Hidden.** Tap **Hidden**. 4. **Unlock with Face ID.** Tap **View Album**, then use Face ID or your iPhone passcode. iOS 14–15: 1. **Open Photos.** Tap the Photos app on your Home Screen. 2. **Tap Albums, then scroll to Utilities.** Tap **Albums** at the bottom, then scroll down to the **Utilities** group. 3. **Tap Hidden.** Tap **Hidden**. On this version it opens right away, with no lock. View, see, access ## How to view, see or access hidden photos "Find", "view", "see" and "access" all lead to the same place. Once the Hidden album is open you can scroll, open any photo full screen, share it, or unhide it. | You want to | Do this | | --- | --- | | See all hidden photos | Open Utilities › Hidden | | Open one full screen | Tap it inside Hidden | | Send one | Open it in Hidden, tap Share. [More](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/send-hidden-photos/) | | Move it back to Library | ••• › Unhide. [More](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/unhide-photos-iphone/) | | See them on a Mac | Photos › Hidden in the sidebar. [More](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/view-hidden-photos-on-mac/) | Not there? ## No Hidden album in Utilities? The switch is off Open Settings › Apps › Photos (Settings › Photos on iOS 17 and earlier) and turn on **Show Hidden Album**. [Full fix](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-missing/) - Show Hidden Album is on - You scrolled all the way down to Utilities - You're in the Collections tab (iOS 26) or Albums tab (iOS 16–17) - iCloud Photos has finished syncing on Wi-Fi > A lock that isn't your iPhone passcodeVaultForYou keeps the photos, videos and documents you choose in a private vault that opens only with a pattern you draw. [Get VaultForYou](https://www.vaultforyou.app/)Free to download · iPhone, iOS 16 or later Other devices ## Find hidden photos on Mac, iPad or PC - [On a MacView › Show Hidden Photo Album](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/view-hidden-photos-on-mac/) - [On iPadSidebar › Utilities › Hidden](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-ipad/) - [On a Windows PCThrough iCloud.com](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/view-hidden-photos-on-pc/) Did that solve it? Good. People usually do this next: - [How to add photos to the Hidden album on iPhoneHide one photo or a whole batch](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/add-photos-to-hidden-album/) - [How to unhide photos on iPhoneMove hidden photos back to your library](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/unhide-photos-iphone/) - [Hidden album missing on iPhone? Turn it back onThe Show Hidden Album switch, by version](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-missing/) Find your fix: - [Hidden album missingTurn on Show Hidden Album](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-missing/) - [Hidden album empty4 places photos go](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-empty/) - [Steps for my iPhonePick your model](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/iphone/) Questions ## Find hidden photos: questions ### How do I find hidden photos on iPhone? Open Photos, tap Collections on iOS 26 or Albums on iOS 16–17, scroll to Utilities and tap Hidden. On iOS 18 scroll down past your library to Utilities. Unlock with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode to see the photos. ### How do I view hidden photos on iPhone without Face ID? Tap View Album and enter your iPhone passcode when Face ID fails or isn't set up. Or turn off Use Face ID in Settings › Apps › Photos so the album opens without asking; that leaves it unlocked for anyone. ### Why are my hidden photos not showing? Either the Show Hidden Album switch is off, the photos were unhidden or deleted, or iCloud Photos hasn't finished syncing photos hidden on another device. Check Recently Deleted too; deleted photos stay there for 30 days. ### Can I search for hidden photos? Open the Hidden album and browse it directly. Hidden photos are kept out of your library and other albums on purpose, so the fastest way to a specific one is to open Hidden and scroll. ### Where are hidden photos on iPhone 16? iPhone 16 runs iOS 18 or iOS 26. On iOS 26, open Photos › Collections › Utilities › Hidden. On iOS 18, scroll down past your library to Utilities, then tap Hidden. Unlock with Face ID. ### Can someone find my hidden photos? Anyone who knows your iPhone passcode can open the Hidden album on iOS 16 and later. On iOS 14 and 15 anyone holding your unlocked phone can. For photos only you can open, use a locked note with its own password or a vault app. ## Related guides - [How to add photos to the Hidden album on iPhoneHide one photo or a whole batch](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/add-photos-to-hidden-album/) - [How to unhide photos on iPhoneMove hidden photos back to your library](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/unhide-photos-iphone/) - [Hidden album missing on iPhone? Turn it back onThe Show Hidden Album switch, by version](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-missing/) - [How to lock the Hidden album on iPhoneUse Face ID, Touch ID or passcode](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/lock-hidden-album-iphone/) - [How to see hidden photos on a MacPhotos for Mac, with iCloud](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/view-hidden-photos-on-mac/) - [Hidden album empty on iPhone? Where your photos went4 places hidden photos go](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-empty/)