# How to unhide photos on iPhone

> Unhide photos on iPhone: open Utilities › Hidden, unlock, select the photos, tap ••• › Unhide. They go back to your library at once. Steps for iOS 14 to 26.

Source: https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/unhide-photos-iphone/ · Updated 2026-11-01 · By VaultForYou

![Hidden album with one photo selected and the Unhide button](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/img/guides--unhide-photos-iphone.png)

- Instant
- Batch unhide
- iOS 14–26

Unhiding moves a photo out of Hidden and back into your library and albums, exactly where it was.

- **Steps:** 3
- **Time:** 15sec
- **Batch:** Yes
- **Lost data:** None

**Quick answer:** To unhide photos on iPhone, open **Photos › Collections › Utilities › Hidden** (iOS 26) and unlock it. Tap **Select**, choose the photos, then tap **••• › Unhide**. They return to your library and albums right away. On iOS 18, scroll down to Utilities; on iOS 16–17, use the Albums tab.

Steps by version

## Unhide photos on your iOS version

iOS 26:

1. **Open the Hidden album.** Go to Photos › Collections › Utilities › Hidden and unlock it with Face ID or your passcode.
2. **Select the photos.** Tap **Select**, then tap each photo or video you want back. Or open one photo.
3. **Tap ••• then Unhide.** Tap the **More** button (•••), then **Unhide**. The photos return to your library and albums right away.

iOS 18:

1. **Open the Hidden album.** Go to Photos › Scroll down › Utilities › Hidden and unlock it with Face ID or your passcode.
2. **Select the photos.** Tap **Select**, then tap each photo or video you want back. Or open one photo.
3. **Tap ••• then Unhide.** Tap the **More** button (•••), then **Unhide**. The photos return to your library and albums right away.

iOS 16–17:

1. **Open the Hidden album.** Go to Photos › Albums › Utilities › Hidden and unlock it with Face ID or your passcode.
2. **Select the photos.** Tap **Select**, then tap each photo or video you want back. Or open one photo.
3. **Tap ••• then Unhide.** Tap the **More** button (•••), then **Unhide**. The photos return to your library and albums right away.

iOS 14–15:

1. **Open the Hidden album.** Go to Photos › Albums › Utilities › Hidden.
2. **Select the photos.** Tap **Select**, then tap each photo or video you want back. Or open one photo.
3. **Tap ••• then Unhide.** Tap the **More** button (•••), then **Unhide**. The photos return to your library and albums right away.

After

## Where unhidden photos go

| Place | After unhiding |
| --- | --- |
| Library | Back, at the date it was taken |
| Albums it was in | Back in them |
| Hidden album | Removed |
| Other devices | Unhidden too, with iCloud Photos on |

Unhiding all of them isn't needed to see one. Open it inside Hidden. [How to find Hidden](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/find-hidden-photos-iphone/)

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Questions

## Unhide photos: questions

### How do I unhide photos on iPhone?

Open the Hidden album under Utilities in Photos and unlock it. Tap Select, choose the photos, then tap the More button (•••) and Unhide. The photos go straight back to your library and to any albums they were in.

### How do I unhide all photos at once?

In the Hidden album, tap Select, then Select All at the top left. Tap More (•••) and Unhide. Every hidden photo and video returns to your library in one go.

### Where do unhidden photos go?

Back to your library, sorted by the date they were taken, not the date you unhid them. Look for them at their original date. They also return to any albums they belonged to.

### Can I unhide photos without Face ID?

Yes. When asked to unlock the Hidden album, enter your iPhone passcode instead. Any device passcode works, including on iPhones with Touch ID.

### Why can't I unhide a photo?

Make sure you opened the Hidden album and unlocked it. Shared album photos can't be hidden or unhidden. If Hidden is missing, turn on Show Hidden Album in Settings › Apps › Photos first.

## Related guides

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- [Hidden photos and iCloud: who can see them?Sync, backups and shared accounts](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-photos-icloud/)