What’s the most essential feature of the Photos app for you? I imagine everyone would have a different answer — some might value the editing tools, others the organization of the library or the ability to create albums. But one of the most interesting features is privacy — specifically, the ability to lock photos.

If you’re not familiar with this feature yet, don’t worry! We’ll dive deeper into this topic, and I’ll walk you through how and why you should lock your photos.

Why should I lock photos on iPhone?

Privacy is always an important part of our lives, so these kinds of apple perks excite us. If you still don’t know why you need it, here are a few reasons:

  1. Privacy: we all keep many personal photos on our phones. We store pictures containing personal details, private events, or even important information. If they fall into the wrong hands, it can be a problem. Locking your photos can help you maintain your privacy and security.
  2. Avoid accidental views: imagine a situation in which you show someone one photo and the person accidentally flips through the gallery further. You have no control over what the person sees. Photo Lock helps you to avoid such situations by keeping your photos away from prying eyes.
  3. Protection against theft or data loss: it is to lose our phone or become a victim of theft. No one must access your data. If your photos aren’t protected, it can have awful consequences. By locking your photos, you add an extra layer of protection.
  4. Photos often contain sensitive information: not all photos are just memes or selfies. Sometimes we store important documents, notes, or photos in the gallery that may contain personal data. You need to protect this information, so that no one can accidentally or intentionally access it.

By locking photos on your iPhone, you will not only increase the security of your device, but also keep your personal data safe.

How to lock photos

Apple often thinks about users’ privacy, which is why it gives you different options for locking photos on your iPhone. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Password protect photos on iPhone

You can add a password to the app itself, but you won’t be able to open the Photos app without entering the additional code. Here is how to do this:

  1. On the Home Screen, find the Photos App and long-press the icon. Choose the option “Require Passcode”.
  2. Add passcode to iPhone App
  3. Agree to add passcode.
  4. Require passcode for photos
  5. Now, enter the passcode you would like to use. From this moment, you should use the passcode to open the App.
  6. If you would like to stop using this function, long-press the app icon and choose “Don’t require a passcode.” Then, follow the instructions to unlock your Photos.
  7. Dont require passcode to photos app

Notes App

Another option to lock your iPhone photos with a password is to use the Notes app.

  1. Open the Photos app and select the photos you want to lock.
  2. Tap the Share icon in the bottom-left corner.
  3. Share photos in Photos App
  4. From the share options, scroll down and tap Add to Notes.
  5. Share photos in Notes App
  6. Choose an existing note or create a new one.
  7. New Note with new photo
  8. Tap Save to add the photos to the note.
  9. Open the Notes app, find the note with the images, and tap on three dots.
  10. Lock photo in Notes app
  11. Tap Lock and enter your iPhone passcode or use Face/Touch ID to lock it.

From now on, if you wish to view the photos, you’ll need to use your passcode, Face ID or Touch ID to access the note.

How to lock hidden photos on iPhone

First, hide your photos in a special album of the Photos App. It’s just a matter of a few clicks, and the photos will be saved into a separate album. You can then add a passcode to it:

  1. Go to Settings on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Photos.
  2. Settings Photos App
  3. Toggle Use Face ID/Touch ID under the Hidden Album section. (Use the passcode option if Face ID is disabled).
  4. Face ID enable in photos app settings
  5. Once enabled, you’ll need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode whenever you try to access the Hidden album.

How to lock Photos App on iPhone

More tips for protecting your iPhone photos

Locking some photos is essential, but protecting your entire device and keeping your backups safe is just as important. Here are more tips to help you to protect your photos.

Protect your entire device

The very first thing to do is to lock the iPhone itself. Someone can easily access your photos and other personal data if your device isn’t protected. Here’s how to make sure your iPhone is locked:

  • Enable Face ID: for added convenience and security, activate Face ID. Biometric data is difficult to hack as it cannot be collected.
  • Enable Auto Lock: Make your phone lock automatically after a certain period of inactivity. Go to Settings > Display and Brightness > Auto Lock and select the duration (preferably 1 minute). It will reduce the amount of time during which someone can gain access to your phone if you leave it unattended.
  • Use a strong passcode: Always set a strong passcode for your device. Avoid simple codes like 1234 or date of birth. For best protection, choose a six-digit passcode or your own alphanumeric passcode if your iPhone supports it.

Securely back up your photos

Backing up your photos is a crucial step in preventing them from loss, but it’s just as important to keep your backups safe on your computer. The best solution for you is CopyTrans Studio, a program that can manage iPhone photos. Here’s how to transfer photos from iPhone to PC:

  1. Download CopyTrans Studio and install it.
  2.  Download CopyTrans Studio
  3. Open the program, select your iPhone and click on “Photo Library”.
  4. Open iPhone gallery on Windows
  5. You can now back up your Photo Library in a few clicks. Simply choose the option you need: you can either drag-and-drop the photos separately or copy the whole album.
  6. The options of CopyTrans Studio

How to lock photos on iPad

FAQ

Can I lock individual photos on my iPhone with a password?

No, you cannot lock individual photos directly with a password in the Photos app. However, you can use the Hidden album feature, which can be locked with Face ID or Touch ID, or use the Notes App option.

Do iCloud Photos encrypt my pictures?

Yes, photos stored in iCloud are encrypted in transit and at rest. For added security, enable two-factor authentication for your Apple ID and Advanced Data Protection for iCloud to protect your account.

Can I lock my entire Photos app with a password?

Yes, you can add a passcode to the Photos App in a few clicks.

Can I lock photos on my iPhone without using third-party apps?

Yes, you can indirectly lock photos by adding them to a Note in the Notes app, which allows you to lock the note with a password, Face ID, or Touch ID.

How can I securely delete photos I no longer need?

After deleting a photo, go to the Recently Deleted album in the Photos app and permanently delete it. It ensures the photo cannot be recovered.

What’s the best way to back up private photos securely?

Use CopyTrans Studio to back up photos to your PC, external hard drive or USB flash drive.

Conclusion

Apple does its best to secure your data. So, if you want to protect your photos, you can easily do so via iPhone settings or the Notes App. From my experience, learning to protect photos is critical. After all, your photo library can be easily stolen if you don’t lock your phone or leave it accessible.

So, I took a few simple steps, such as locking my iPhone with a strong passcode and learning to store sensitive images more securely. It didn’t take long to set up, and the peace of mind it gave me was worth all the effort.
Never forget to back up your photos to your PC or iCloud. Make sure your iCloud backups are protected by two-factor authentication or consider encrypted external storage if you need more control. Ultimately, it comes down to carefully utilizing the tools you already have on your iPhone. Once you set up the proper method, you’ll know that your photos are locked on your iPhone and safe from unwanted access.