# Do Shared Library members see my Hidden album?

> Your own Hidden album stays yours, but a Shared Library photo you hide lands in every participant's Hidden album, where they can view or unhide it. Details.

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

![More menu with Move to Personal Library highlighted](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/img/shows-in--shared-library.png)

- Answer: Shared photos, yes

Your Hidden album holds two kinds of photos if you use a Shared Library. Only one kind is private.

**Short answer:** **Only the shared ones.** Photos from your **Personal Library** that you hide stay in your Hidden album alone. But Apple says a photo you hide in your **iCloud Shared Photo Library** moves to the **Hidden album for all participants, where they can view or stop hiding it**. Move a shared photo you added to your Personal Library before hiding it.

The answer

## What shows and what doesn't

- **Hidden personal photos**Only in your album
- **Hidden shared photos**In every member's album
- **Members can unhide**Shared photos only
- **Up to 6 people**You and five others

Why

## Why it works this way

An iCloud Shared Photo Library (iOS 16.1 and later) is shared by you and **up to five** other people. Changes to shared photos are seen by everyone.

Apple's iCloud guide says it plainly: hiding a shared photo moves it to the **Hidden album for all participants**, where they can **view it or stop hiding it**. Their own Face ID or passcode opens their copy of the album.

The Hidden album can mix both kinds. Apple's missing-photos article also suggests checking the Library view (**Both Libraries, Personal Library or Shared Library**) if photos seem to be missing.

By iOS version

## What changed across iOS versions

**iOS 14 and 15 have no Shared Library.**

| Version | Released | What you see |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [iOS 26](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-26/) | September 15, 2025 | Hidden shared photos go to every member's Hidden album. |
| [iOS 18](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-18/) | September 16, 2024 | Hidden shared photos go to every member's Hidden album. |
| [iOS 17](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-17/) | September 18, 2023 | Hidden shared photos go to every member's Hidden album. |
| [iOS 16](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-16/) | September 12, 2022 | Shared Library arrived in iOS 16.1. Hidden shared photos go to every member's Hidden album. |

3 steps

## Keep a photo out of members' Hidden albums

1. **Open the shared photo.** Shared Library photos have a badge at the top right of the thumbnail. Open it.
2. **Move to Personal Library.** Tap the **More** button (•••) at the top, then **Move to Personal Library**. Apple allows this for photos you contributed.
3. **Hide it.** Tap **••• › Hide**. It goes to your Hidden album only.

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Questions

## Shared Library members: questions

### Can people in my Shared Library open my Hidden album?

They can't open your album, but they get their own copy of anything you hid from the Shared Library. Apple says a hidden shared photo moves to the Hidden album for all participants, where they can view it or stop hiding it. Photos hidden from your Personal Library stay yours alone.

### How do I hide a Shared Library photo only for me?

Move it to your Personal Library first: open the photo, tap the More button and choose Move to Personal Library. Apple allows that for photos you contributed. Then hide it. If someone else added the photo, you can't move it, so ask them or leave the Shared Library.

Checked against Apple's documentation

- [Hide your photos and videos on iCloud.com](https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/mmea67686c65/icloud)
- [Use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iph1a6c849ab/ios)
- [If you're missing photos or videos in the Photos app](https://support.apple.com/en-us/118558)

## Go deeper

- [Hidden album looks empty?](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-album-empty/)
- [Hidden photos and iCloud](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/guides/hidden-photos-icloud/)
- [iOS 16Shared Library and the lock arrived](https://hiddenalbumiphone.com/ios/ios-16/)

## 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/)
- [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/)