How to create a secret folder on iPhone
iOS has no secret folder as such. The closest built-in is the Hidden album, which Apple locks with Face ID or Touch ID, and a locked note can hold a few images and text. A vault app gives you a folder that is encrypted and lives outside the photo library. Which to use depends on what goes in it.
Option 1: the Hidden album
Press and hold a photo or video in Photos, tap Hide and confirm. It moves to the Hidden album, and Apple says hidden items do not appear anywhere else in Photos. Open it from Collections > Hidden under Utilities, then View Album. Apple says the album is locked by default on iOS 16 and later.
It is a hiding place for photos and videos only, not for documents, and it is not encrypted separately from the rest of your library. If you want to know how a hidden folder for photos works in practice, this is it. The full walkthrough. How to hide photos on iPhone
Option 2: a locked note
In Notes, open a note, tap the More button and tap Lock, using your iPhone passcode or a Notes password. Apple says locked notes use end-to-end encryption for iCloud accounts. But notes with PDFs, audio, video or Keynote, Pages or Numbers files cannot be locked, and neither can shared or tagged notes. It is a secret note more than a secret folder.
Option 3: a vault with folders
In StrongRoom, a folder is a named place inside the Vault that holds Items. To make one, open the Vault, create a folder and move Items into it. Folders are one level deep, an Item sits in at most one folder, and the folder names, counts and contents are stored only inside the encrypted index. You can search by name across all folders and filter by Photos, Videos or Files.
The Vault is locked by a pattern or passphrase of your choosing, and the app does not store its files in the Photos library. Photos, videos, PDFs and documents can all go in. Folders, search and filters. Folders, search and filters
What StrongRoom cannot do here: it cannot nest folders, put a password on a single folder, or restore a Vault from the cloud, because there is none. The icon is visible on your Home Screen like any app. What it does not protect against.
What each protects
| Option | Stops | Does not stop |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden album | Browsing | Anyone who opens the album; iCloud Photos copies |
| Locked note | Reading the note | Files and video (cannot be locked) |
| Vault folder | Reading the stored data without the credential | Screenshots; copies already in iCloud |
Frequently asked questions
Can I make a hidden folder for photos on iPhone?
The Hidden album is the built-in way. It holds photos and videos, behind Face ID or Touch ID.
Is there a secret folder in Files?
Apple's Files documentation does not describe one. Use a locked note or a vault.
Are folder names visible in StrongRoom?
Not outside the Vault. They are stored in the encrypted index.
Sources
- Hide photos on your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Vision Pro with the Hidden album (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- How to lock or unlock notes on your iPhone or iPad (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.