iOS doesn't let you set a separate password on individual photos. You have three workarounds: lock the Photos app, put photos in a locked note, or use a vault app with its own passcode. Only the last one gives you a password that's different from the one that unlocks your phone.
Option 1: Lock the Photos app (iOS 18 and later)
- Touch and hold the Photos icon on your Home Screen.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode).
- Confirm.
From now on Photos asks for Face ID every time it opens. Your Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are also locked by default. You can check this in Settings → Apps → Photos → Use Face ID.
Limits: it locks everything, so you'll authenticate every time you open Photos. And if Face ID fails, your normal iPhone passcode opens it.
Option 2: Lock photos inside the Notes app
Notes can lock individual notes, and a note can hold photos.
- Open Notes and create a new note.
- Tap the paperclip (or camera) icon, choose Choose Photo or Video, and add your photos.
- Tap the More button (•••) and tap Lock.
- Choose to use your iPhone passcode or set a separate Notes password.
- Go back to Photos, delete the originals, then empty Recently Deleted.
A separate Notes password is the closest Apple gets to a real photo password.
Limits: Notes isn't built for photos. There are no albums, it's slow with many images, videos are awkward, and if you forget a separate Notes password Apple can't recover locked notes.
Option 3: Use a photo vault with its own passcode
If you want your photos behind a password that only you know, and that has nothing to do with your phone's passcode, use a dedicated vault.
With Vult:
- Set a vault passcode when you first open the app.
- Import photos and videos from your library.
- Delete the originals from Photos and empty Recently Deleted.
Your vault passcode and your iPhone's Secure Enclave together produce the key that encrypts everything with AES-256-GCM. The passcode is never stored, so there's nothing to find on the phone or in a backup. You can also turn on strict Face ID: if anyone enrolls a new face or fingerprint on the phone, biometric unlock for the vault switches off, and there's no fallback to the iPhone passcode.
Comparison
| Locked Photos app | Locked note | Vult | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Password separate from iPhone | No | Optional | Yes |
| Works well for many photos and videos | Yes | No | Yes |
| Encrypted with its own key | No | Yes | Yes |
| Decoy vault | No | No | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a password on a single photo album on iPhone?
No. iOS can't lock individual albums. Only the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are locked, and they use your iPhone passcode or Face ID. For a password on specific photos, use a locked note or a vault app.
What happens if I forget my Notes password?
Apple can't recover it. You can reset the Notes password for future notes, but notes already locked with the old password stay locked until you remember it.
Does locking the Photos app hide it?
No. The built-in Photos app can be locked but not hidden. It still appears on your Home Screen and in the App Library. Most App Store apps can be both locked and hidden; our guide on how to hide apps on iPhone shows how.
