# Does the Hidden album show on a Mac?

> The Hidden album syncs to your Mac with iCloud Photos, but Photos on Mac keeps it out of the sidebar by default. How to show it and what locks it on macOS.

Source: https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/mac/ · Updated 2026-11-01 · By VaultForYou

![View menu with Show Hidden Photo Album highlighted](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/img/shows-in--mac.png)

- Answer: Off by default

Your Mac gets the Hidden album too, but it starts switched off.

**Short answer:** **Not until someone turns it on.** With iCloud Photos the album syncs, but Apple says it is **off by default on Mac**. To show it, choose **View › Show Hidden Photo Album** in Photos; it appears under **Utilities** in the sidebar. On **macOS Ventura and later** it opens with **Touch ID or your login password**.

The answer

## What shows and what doesn't

- **Sidebar by default**Not shown
- **After View › Show**Listed under Utilities
- **macOS Ventura and later**Touch ID or login password
- **Older macOS**No lock

Why

## Why it works this way

Apple's support article says the Hidden album **is off by default on Mac**, while on iPhone and iPad it is on and visible by default.

iCloud Photos still syncs the album. Apple says photos hidden on one device are hidden on your other devices, so they are waiting on the Mac, one menu command away.

The lock on a Mac uses **Touch ID or the Mac login password** (macOS Ventura and later), not your iPhone passcode. Anyone who can log in to that Mac can open it.

By iOS version

## What changed across iOS versions

**Newest version first. Check yours in Settings › General › About.**

| Version | Released | What you see |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [iOS 26](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-26/) | September 15, 2025 | Locked on iPhone; the matching Mac lock needs macOS Ventura or later. |
| [iOS 18](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-18/) | September 16, 2024 | Locked on iPhone; the matching Mac lock needs macOS Ventura or later. |
| [iOS 17](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-17/) | September 18, 2023 | Locked on iPhone; the matching Mac lock needs macOS Ventura or later. |
| [iOS 16](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-16/) | September 12, 2022 | Locked on iPhone; the matching Mac lock needs macOS Ventura or later. |
| [iOS 15](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-15/) | September 20, 2021 | No lock on iPhone or on Macs before macOS Ventura. |
| [iOS 14](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-14/) | September 16, 2020 | No lock on iPhone or on Macs before macOS Ventura. |

3 steps

## Show the Hidden album on a Mac

1. **Open Photos on the Mac.** Open **Photos**.
2. **Choose View › Show Hidden Photo Album.** In the menu bar, choose **View › Show Hidden Photo Album**. **Hidden** appears under Utilities.
3. **Click Hidden, then View Album.** In the sidebar under Utilities, click **Hidden**, then **View Album**, and use Touch ID or your login password (macOS Ventura and later).

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Questions

## Mac: questions

### Why can't I see the Hidden album on my Mac?

Because it is off by default on Mac. Open Photos and choose View › Show Hidden Photo Album. Hidden then appears under Utilities in the sidebar. If it is empty, check that iCloud Photos is on in Photos settings on the Mac and that it uses the same Apple Account as your iPhone.

### What unlocks the Hidden album on a Mac?

On macOS Ventura and later, Touch ID or your Mac login password. Apple locks the Hidden album by default on those versions. Anyone who knows the Mac's login password can open it, so a shared Mac account means a shared Hidden album.

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)

## Go deeper

- [View hidden photos on MacFull guide](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/view-hidden-photos-on-mac/)
- [Not on my Mac?](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/fix/hidden-album-not-on-mac/)
- [iCloud Photos](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/glossary/icloud-photos/)

## More: where the hidden album shows

- [iPadYes, synced](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/ipad/)
- [iCloud.comYes, in sidebar](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/icloud-com/)
- [Apple Vision ProYes, Optic ID](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/apple-vision-pro/)
- [Shared Library membersShared photos, yes](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/shared-library/)
- [iCloud BackupNot with iCloud Photos](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/icloud-backup/)
- [Memories & widgetNo](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/memories-and-widget/)
- [Recently DeletedYes, 30 days](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/recently-deleted/)
- [Photos with the album offNo](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/photos-when-switched-off/)
- [Another Apple AccountNo](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/another-apple-account/)
- [Without iCloud PhotosNo](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/without-icloud-photos/)