How to Hide Videos on iPhone in iOS 26

In iOS 26, open the video in Photos, tap More (•••) > Hide, then confirm. The video moves out of the main library views into the Hidden collection, which Apple locks by default with Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode.

That is the fastest built-in method. A separate photo vault is useful when you need a boundary that is different from the iPhone's main device authentication or want private-media-specific organization and backup choices.

Hide one video with Apple's Photos app

1. Open Photos.
2. Open the video.
3. Tap the More button.
4. Tap Hide and confirm.
5. To check it, go to Collections > Utilities > Hidden, tap View Album, and authenticate.

Apple documents the same flow for photos and videos in the iOS 26 iPhone User Guide.

To hide several videos, select them in a library or collection, tap More, then Hide.

Hide the Hidden collection itself

If you do not want the Hidden collection to appear in Photos:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps > Photos.
3. Turn off Show Hidden Album.

This removes the collection from view; it does not erase the videos. Turn the setting back on when you need access.

Keep Use Face ID, Use Touch ID, or Use Passcode enabled in the same Photos settings. Turning that control off removes the default authentication requirement for Hidden and Recently Deleted.

What hiding changes—and what it does not

Apple says a hidden item is hidden on other devices signed in to the same Apple Account when iCloud Photos is enabled. That makes the experience consistent across devices, but it also means “hidden” is a synchronized state—not an offline copy.

When the built-in Hidden collection is enough

It is a sensible choice when:

• you want to prevent a video appearing during ordinary library browsing;
• you are comfortable using the iPhone's Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode as the lock;
• the video's iCloud Photos behavior matches the rest of your library;
• you do not need separate credentials or album-level controls.

For more detail about storage location and syncing, see Where Are Hidden Photos Stored on iPhone?.

When a separate vault fits better

Consider a dedicated vault when you need one or more of these:

• a passcode separate from the iPhone passcode;
• private albums built for a sensitive-media collection;
• in-app capture that avoids placing a new recording in the camera roll;
• a backup model separate from iCloud Photos;
• a decoy or secondary vault supported by the chosen app.

These features vary, so verify them in the current store listing and privacy documentation rather than assuming every vault has them. The Safety Photo+Video App Store listing, for example, currently describes biometric and custom passcodes, album locks, in-app capture, a decoy password, and optional zero-knowledge cloud backup.

A safe move-to-vault checklist

If you import a video into any vault:

1. confirm the full video finishes importing;
2. play the beginning, middle, and end inside the vault;
3. understand whether storage is local, synced, or backed up;
4. verify the backup with a non-destructive sample test;
5. only then decide whether to delete the Photos-library original;
6. remember that a deleted Photos item remains in Recently Deleted for 30 days unless permanently removed.

Deleting the original before verifying the vault creates avoidable loss risk. Use How to Protect Private Videos on iPhone for a broader storage and recovery plan.

Sources checked

• Apple: Delete or hide photos and videos on iPhone (iOS 26)
• Apple: Set up and use iCloud Photos
• Safety Photo+Video on the App Store