How to hide videos on iPhone
To hide a video on iPhone, open Photos, press and hold the video, tap Hide and confirm. It moves to the Hidden album, locked by Face ID or Touch ID, with your hidden photos. Locked notes cannot hold video, so the other private routes are a vault app, or keeping the video out of the camera roll in the first place.
Hide a video in Photos
Apple's page on the Hidden album covers photos and videos together. The steps are the same: press and hold the item, tap Hide, confirm. Apple says hidden items move to the Hidden album and "don't appear anywhere else in Photos". To watch it later, tap Collections, scroll to Hidden under Utilities, tap View Album and unlock it. Press and hold the video and tap Unhide to put it back.
What this does not do: it keeps the video in Photos, and with iCloud Photos on, Apple says the hidden state follows to your other devices, so the video is also stored in iCloud. Do hidden photos sync to iCloud?
Why not a locked note
Notes is the usual second idea, and Apple rules it out for video: notes with video, audio or PDFs cannot be locked. A locked note can hold a few images, not a recording.
A vault app
A vault keeps the video outside the Photos library. In StrongRoom there are two ways in. Tap Import, then Photos and Videos, pick the videos and confirm; the app sees only what you pick. Or tap Import and choose Take photo or video, which records straight into the Vault so the video never reaches your camera roll. Videos are decrypted only while you watch them, and play in the app.
After an import StrongRoom can offer to delete the originals from your library. It asks every time. Photos then keeps the deleted video for 30 days in Recently Deleted, so open Recently Deleted and delete it there as well. Apple says an item deleted from that album cannot be recovered, so check the video plays from the Vault first. If iCloud Photos is on, deleting on your phone also removes it from the other devices on your Apple Account. Full steps for moving things in. How to move photos to a vault app on iPhone
The in-Vault camera, explained.
The free-limit caveat
The free plan is one Vault holding up to 10 items in total, and photos, videos and documents all count together. A handful of videos can use that up quickly. The app checks the count before an import and lets you add what fits; Pro removes the limit. Free and Pro. Free to use. Pay only for more room.
What StrongRoom cannot do: it has no cloud copy, so without an Export Package a lost phone means lost videos, and it cannot stop someone filming or screenshotting a video while it plays. See the full list of limits.
Checklist
- Decide who you are hiding from: a glance, or someone who knows your passcode.
- Hide or import the video.
- Check it opens from where you put it.
- Delete the original and empty Recently Deleted.
- Check iCloud Photos: if on, remove it from other devices too.
- If you keep it in a vault, write down your Recovery Phrase and make an Export Package.
Compare the methods
| Method | Holds video | Stops | Does not stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden album | Yes | Browsing the Library | Anyone who passes Face ID or Touch ID; iCloud copies |
| Locked note | No | Not applicable | Apple says video cannot be locked in a note |
| Vault app | Yes | Reading the stored file without the credential | Copies already in iCloud; screen recording |
| In-vault camera | Yes (new video) | Video entering the camera roll | Anything filmed earlier |
Frequently asked questions
How do I hide a video from the camera roll?
Hide it in Photos, which moves it to the Hidden album, or record it inside a vault app so it never enters the camera roll.
Can I hide videos in a locked note?
No. Apple says notes containing video cannot be locked.
Do hidden videos sync to iCloud?
Yes, if iCloud Photos is on. Apple says hidden items are hidden on your other devices too.
How many videos fit in the free StrongRoom plan?
The free Vault holds up to 10 items in total, videos included. Pro removes the limit.
Sources
- Hide photos on your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Vision Pro with the Hidden album (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad (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.