Where is the Hidden album on iPhone in iOS 26?

In iOS 26, open Photos, tap Collections, scroll down to Utilities, tap Hidden, then tap View Album and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. iOS 27 uses the same path, and if Hidden isn't there, turn on Show Hidden Album in Settings > Apps > Photos (on iOS 27 it's Hidden Album, under Albums).

Short answer

Hidden moved when the Albums tab became Collections in iOS 26. It still asks for Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. If it isn't in the list, check the Show Hidden Album setting. Your hidden photos stay in your library whether the album is showing or not.

Open Hidden on iPhone in iOS 26 or iOS 27

Open Photos.
Tap Collections.
Scroll down to Utilities.
Tap Hidden, then View Album.
Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

Before iOS 26, this list sat under a tab called Albums, so older guides that send you there are out of date. iOS 27 uses the same path as iOS 26. For the rest of the layout change, see where Camera Roll and everything else went in iOS 26.

Apple's iPhone guide calls this the Hidden collection, while its support articles and the Settings switch call it the Hidden album. They're the same place.

If Hidden isn't under Utilities, turn it back on

Open Settings, tap Apps, then Photos. On iOS 27, also tap Albums.
Turn on Show Hidden Album (on iOS 27 it reads Hidden Album).
Go back to Photos and look under Utilities again.

The setting controls whether the album is in view. Your hidden photos stay in your library either way. Apple doesn't say whether the setting carries across your devices, so check it on each one.

Get a photo back out of Hidden

Once the album is open, tap the photo, tap More, then Unhide. Pressing and holding the photo and tapping Unhide also works, according to Apple Support. To unhide several, tap Select, tap each one, then tap More and Unhide.

Find it on iPad, Mac and iCloud.com

iPad: open Photos, open the sidebar if it's closed, and select Utilities, then Hidden. As on iPhone, the album shows by default.
Mac: in Photos, choose View > Show Hidden Photo Album. It's off by default on a Mac, so it can look as if it's missing.
iCloud.com: select Hidden, then Show Hidden Photos. Apple's steps there don't describe a Face ID check.

With iCloud Photos on, a photo you hide on one device is hidden on the others too. Here's how hidden photos sync.

Where the Hidden album stops

Your passcode opens it. Face ID is the quick route, not the only one, so anyone who knows your code can get in.
Show Hidden Album isn't a lock. Turning it off takes the album out of view, and Apple doesn't say whether turning it back on asks for Face ID. The lock is a separate setting. Turning off Use Face ID removes it from both Hidden and Recently Deleted.
It doesn't show its size. Apple describes no view of how much space Hidden takes up, only general totals in Settings > General > iPhone Storage. More in whether hidden photos take up storage.
It doesn't cover your other copies. A duplicate or an edited copy of a hidden photo stays in your Library until you hide that one too.

What LuminaClean does here

LuminaClean is a photo cleaner, and it doesn't hide photos. If you came looking for Hidden while tidying up, it helps with the clutter still in your Library: the duplicate copies and near-identical shots. It groups duplicates and similar photos on your iPhone, with no account and no upload, and you swipe to keep or delete. Nothing goes without your swipe, and every delete lands in Recently Deleted first. You get 65 free deletes to start, then 30 more every day.

Less to keep private.
LuminaClean finds duplicates, blurry shots and screenshots on your iPhone, and deletes only what you swipe away. Free to start, no account.

Get LuminaClean free

Anything you delete goes to Recently Deleted first, so you have 30 days to change your mind.

On a computer? LuminaClean is an iPhone app. Scan this with your iPhone camera to open it in the App Store.

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Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Why did the Albums tab disappear from Photos in iOS 26?

It's now called Collections. Your own albums are under Collections > Albums, and Hidden is further down under Utilities.

Why can't I see the Hidden album on my iPhone?

Show Hidden Album is probably off. Turn it on in Settings > Apps > Photos (on iOS 27 it's Hidden Album, under Albums) and look under Utilities again. The setting controls whether the album is in view, so your photos are still in your library.

Why does my Hidden album ask for Face ID, and can I use my passcode instead?

Apple locks the album by default, and the lock accepts Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. If Face ID fails, your iPhone passcode opens it.

Is the Hidden album in the same place on iOS 27?

Yes. Apple's iPhone User Guide gives the same path for iOS 26 and iOS 27: Collections, then Hidden below Utilities, then View Album.

How do I see hidden photos on a Mac?

In the Photos app on your Mac, choose View > Show Hidden Photo Album. The album is off by default on a Mac, unlike on iPhone and iPad, so it can look as if it's missing.

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Sources

Steps checked against Apple Support on November 3, 2026. Menu names can change with iOS updates.