How to Hide Photos on a Mac
In the Photos app on a Mac, select the photos in Library, choose Image > Hide, and confirm. They leave your Library and move to the Hidden album, which Apple says is locked by default and opens with Touch ID or your login password. Hiding is not deletion and it is not encryption.
What hiding does on a Mac
Apple's Photos guide for Mac describes hiding as a way to remove photos from view: "The selected photos disappear from view but are not deleted." The photos stay in your Photos library file and move to the Hidden album. Apple's support article on the Hidden album adds that hidden items do not appear anywhere else in Photos, such as the Library or other albums.
That makes hiding a good fit for a tidy-up. It keeps a photo out of the grid someone scrolls through when you show them your screen. It is not built to stop a person who sits down at your unlocked Mac and knows where to look.
How to hide photos in Photos on a Mac
- Open Photos and click Library in the sidebar.
- Select the photos or videos you want to hide.
- Choose Image > Hide, then click Hide to confirm. Apple also lists Control-click > Hide Photo and the shortcut Command-L on its Hidden album page.
To get them back, show the Hidden album first (below), select the photos, and choose Unhide.
How the Hidden album is locked on a Mac
Apple states that the Hidden album is locked by default and requires authentication to open in Photos. On a Mac you unlock it with Touch ID or your login password. Apple's Photos guide also says you can change this in Photos settings so it no longer asks, so check yours rather than assuming it is on.
The Hidden album is also hidden from view by default on a Mac. You show it with View > Show Hidden Photo Album, and it appears under Utilities in the sidebar. View > Hide Hidden Photo Album puts it away again.
What the lock does not cover
- Anyone with your login password. If someone knows the password that unlocks your Mac, the same password unlocks the Hidden album.
- A Mac you leave unlocked. Once you have unlocked the album, anyone at the screen can look.
- Your other devices. With iCloud Photos on, Apple says photos you hide on one device are hidden on your other devices too. That also means the photos themselves are stored in iCloud Photos like the rest of your library.
- Anything outside Photos. Hiding applies inside the Photos app. A copy of the same picture that you saved or exported elsewhere is not hidden.
The Hidden album is a screen lock on a normal part of your photo library. It is not a separate encrypted container. For the iPhone side of the same questions, including what syncs and who can see it, read Is the iPhone Hidden album secure.
Hide the album itself, or move the photos out
Two further steps change how visible things are. Leaving View > Show Hidden Photo Album switched off keeps the album out of the sidebar, which is the default. If you want a photo to leave the Photos library entirely, export it and delete it, and note that Apple keeps deleted photos for a period before they are removed for good. That is a different job from hiding, and it means the photo now lives wherever you put it.
Which option fits
| Goal | Hide in Photos | Something stronger |
|---|---|---|
| Keep a photo out of the grid when you show someone your screen | Works | Not needed |
| Keep it from someone who knows your Mac login password | Does not help | Needs a separate lock |
| Keep it off iCloud | Does not help while iCloud Photos is on | Keep it out of the library |
| Encrypt the file | Does not do this | Needs an encryption tool |
Next steps
If your goal is to keep photos private on an iPhone, start with how to hide photos on iPhone, which compares five approaches. To see how a hidden photo shows up on a Mac or a PC, read how to see hidden photos on a Mac or a Windows PC.
Related reading
- How to hide photos on iPhone, five ways compared
- How to see hidden photos on a Mac or a Windows PC
- Is the iPhone Hidden album secure
- What StrongRoom does not protect against
Frequently asked questions
Does hiding a photo on a Mac delete it?
No. Apple says the selected photos disappear from view but are not deleted. They move to the Hidden album.
Is the Hidden album password protected on a Mac?
Apple says it is locked by default and opens with Touch ID or your login password. You can change that in Photos settings.
Do photos I hide on my Mac hide on my iPhone?
If you use iCloud Photos, Apple says photos hidden on one device are hidden on your other devices too.
Is a hidden photo encrypted?
Hiding does not encrypt a photo. It moves it to a locked album inside the same photo library.
Sources
- Hide photos and videos from view on Mac (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- Hide your photos and videos on iPhone, iPad and Mac (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.