# Do Hidden album photos show in Memories or the widget?

> No. Photos in the Hidden album are kept out of Memories, Featured Photos and the Photos widget on iPhone. When a picture can still be featured, and the fix.

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

![Photos settings with Show Featured Content off](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/img/shows-in--memories-and-widget.png)

- Answer: No

Photos builds memories and the widget from your library. The Hidden album isn't part of it.

**Short answer:** **No.** Apple says hidden photos don't appear anywhere else in Photos, **including the Photos widget on your Home Screen**, and Memories are made from your library. Anything featured is outside the Hidden album: a copy you didn't hide, or a Shared Library photo, which Apple adds to every member's memories and widget.

The answer

## What shows and what doesn't

- **Memories**Hidden album excluded
- **Featured Photos**Excluded
- **Photos widget**Excluded
- **Unhidden copies**Can be featured

Why

## Why it works this way

Apple's Hidden album article: hidden photos don't appear in the Library, other albums **or even the Photos widget on your Home Screen**.

Memories and Featured Photos come from the library, so the Hidden album never feeds them. Unhiding a photo makes it a candidate again.

Apple also lets you turn off featured content. Where the switch is depends on your iOS version, listed below.

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 | Excluded. Switch: Photos › Collections › your account › Show Featured Content. |
| [iOS 18](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-18/) | September 16, 2024 | Excluded. Switch: Settings › Apps › Photos › Show Featured Content. |
| [iOS 17](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-17/) | September 18, 2023 | Excluded. Switch: Settings › Photos › Show Featured Content. |
| [iOS 16](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-16/) | September 12, 2022 | Excluded. Switch: Settings › Photos › Show Featured Content. |
| [iOS 15](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-15/) | September 20, 2021 | Excluded from Memories in the For You tab. |
| [iOS 14](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-14/) | September 16, 2020 | Excluded from Memories in the For You tab. |

2 steps

## Turn off featured content on iOS 18

1. **Open Settings › Apps › Photos.** Open **Settings**, tap **Apps**, then **Photos**. On iOS 26 the switch is in Photos › Collections › your account instead.
2. **Turn off Show Featured Content.** Switch it off to stop memories and featured photos in Photos and the widget.

> A private album that never syncs its lock to anyoneVaultForYou 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

Questions

## Memories & widget: questions

### Can photos in my Hidden album appear in Memories?

No. Memories are built from your library, and photos in the Hidden album aren't part of it. Apple says hidden photos don't appear anywhere else in Photos. If a hidden-looking picture turns up in a memory, it is a separate copy or a Shared Library photo that nobody hid.

### Where is Show Featured Content on my iPhone?

It depends on the version. On iOS 26, open Photos, tap Collections and tap your account at the top right. On iOS 18 it is in Settings › Apps › Photos. On iOS 16 and 17 it is in Settings › Photos. Turning it off stops memories and featured photos.

Checked against Apple's documentation

- [Hide photos with the Hidden album](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104987)
- [Hide people, memories and holidays in Photos](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iph10a9dd2a1/ios)
- [Use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iph1a6c849ab/ios)

## Go deeper

- [Hidden album on iOS 26](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-26/)
- [Hidden album on iOS 18](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-18/)
- [Add photos to Hidden](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/add-photos-to-hidden-album/)

## More: where the hidden album shows

- [iPadYes, synced](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/ipad/)
- [MacOff by default](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/shows-in/mac/)
- [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/)
- [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/)
