--- title: "Google Photos Privacy on iPhone: Hide, Lock and Limit It (iOS 27)" description: "Google Photos privacy settings on iPhone: lock it with Face ID, hide it, use locked Folder, archive and more. Checked for iOS 27." url: https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/apps/google-photos lang: en-gb published: 2026-10-31 updated: 2026-10-31 author: "VaultForYou Editorial Team" publisher: VaultForYou --- # Google Photos privacy on iPhone: every setting > Every way to hide, lock and limit Google Photos on iPhone, from iOS and from the app itself. Published 2026-10-31 - Updated 2026-10-31 - By VaultForYou Editorial Team - Checked against iOS 27 - 31 Oct 2026 ## Quick answer You can lock Google Photos with Face ID: touch and hold it and tap Require Face ID. On iOS 18 or later you can also hide it in the locked Hidden folder. Google Photos has its own lock too: Locked Folder. Inside the app, archive, hide faces in memories and hide dates in memories are available. - **Developer:** Google LLC - **Own lock:** Locked Folder - **Can be hidden:** Yes (iOS 18+) - **iPad app:** Yes You can lock Google Photos with Face ID: touch and hold it and tap Require Face ID. On iOS 18 or later you can also hide it in the locked Hidden folder. Google Photos has its own lock too: Locked Folder. Inside the app, archive, hide faces in memories and hide dates in memories are available. This page collects every privacy setting for Google Photos on iPhone, from iOS and from Google Photos' own settings, checked against official help pages in October 2026. ## Google Photos guides | Task | Fastest method | Time | Guide | |---|---|---|---| | Hide apps | Hide and Require Face ID | 10 sec | [How to hide Google Photos on iPhone](/en-gb/hide-apps/google-photos) | | Lock apps | Require Face ID | 10 sec | [How to lock Google Photos on iPhone](/en-gb/lock-apps/google-photos) | | Hide photos | Move to Locked Folder | 1 min | [How to hide photos in Google Photos](/en-gb/hide-photos/google-photos) | ## What iOS can do with Google Photos | Setting | Available for Google Photos | Where | |---|---|---| | Lock with Face ID | Yes | Touch and hold the icon -> Require Face ID | | Hide in the Hidden folder | Yes | Touch and hold -> Require Face ID -> Hide and Require Face ID | | Remove from Home Screen | Yes | Touch and hold -> Remove App -> Remove from Home Screen | | Hide notification previews | Yes | Settings -> Notifications -> Google Photos -> Show Previews | | Exclude from Siri and search | Yes | Settings -> Siri -> Excluded Apps | | Limit with Screen Time | Yes | Settings -> Screen Time -> Time Allowances | ## Google Photos' own privacy settings ### Locked Folder Go to **Collections -> Locked**. Locks only the Locked Folder, not the whole app. You open it with Face ID, Touch ID, or your iPhone passcode, and you can't set a different password. ### Archive Go to **Select a photo -> More -> Archive**. Hides a photo from your main Photos view. It still shows in albums, search, and device folders, and still counts toward storage. Find it under Collections -> Archive. ### Hide faces in memories Go to **Google Photos settings -> Preferences -> Memories -> Hide faces**. Pick people or pets under Show less or Blocked to keep them out of your memories. ### Hide dates in memories Go to **Google Photos settings -> Preferences -> Memories -> Hide Dates**. Photos taken on the dates you add won't show in your featured memories. ### Move to Locked Folder Go to **Select a photo or video -> Add to -> Move to Locked Folder**. Items in the Locked Folder don't show in the Photos grid, memories, search, or albums, and other apps on your iPhone can't see them. Needs iOS 15 or later. ### Back up Locked Folder Go to **Profile picture -> Google Photos settings -> Backup -> Back up Locked Folder**. Locked Folder items are not backed up unless you turn this on (photo backup must be on first). Without it, they live only on this iPhone and are deleted if you delete the app. ### Notification previews Go to **Google Photos settings -> Preferences -> Memories -> Notifications**. Turn off Previous years, Themed memories, or Creations so you aren't alerted about new memories. ## Keep Google Photos photos out of your camera roll Photos you save from Google Photos land in the Photos app, outside any app lock. Move private ones into a vault and delete the originals. > **Lock this in VaultForYou.** Keep Google Photos photos in an encrypted vault that opens only with a pattern you draw. [Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can you lock Google Photos on iPhone? Yes. Touch and hold Google Photos, tap Require Face ID and confirm. It then needs Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode to open. Google Photos also has its own lock, Locked Folder. ### Can you hide Google Photos on iPhone? Yes. On iOS 18 or later, touch and hold Google Photos, tap Require Face ID, then Hide and Require Face ID. It moves to the locked Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library and leaves search results. ### Does Google Photos have its own passcode? Google Photos has Locked Folder. Locks only the Locked Folder, not the whole app. You open it with Face ID, Touch ID, or your iPhone passcode, and you can't set a different password. It uses your iPhone's Face ID or passcode rather than a separate code. ### Do Google Photos settings sync to my iPad? The iOS lock and hidden status don't sync with iCloud; set them on each device. Google Photos has an iPad app, so repeat the steps there. ## Sources - [Apple Support: Lock or hide an app on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/lock-or-hide-an-app-iph00f208d05/ios) - [Google Photos Help: Hide sensitive photos & videos in Locked Folders (iPhone & iPad)](https://support.google.com/photos/answer/10694388?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS) - [Google Photos Help: Move photos to archive (iPhone & iPad)](https://support.google.com/photos/answer/7362432?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS) - [Google Photos Help: Find & manage your featured memories (iPhone & iPad)](https://support.google.com/photos/answer/9454489?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS) ## Google Photos guides - [How to hide Google Photos on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/hide-apps/google-photos) - [How to lock Google Photos on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/lock-apps/google-photos) - [How to hide photos in Google Photos](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/hide-photos/google-photos) ## Other email & cloud apps - [Gmail privacy on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/apps/gmail) - [Dropbox privacy on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/apps/dropbox) - [Google Drive privacy on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/apps/google-drive) ## Browse - [All apps](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/apps) - [Hide apps on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/hide-apps) - [Lock apps on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/lock-apps) - [Block apps on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/block-apps) - [Hide photos on iPhone](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/hide-photos) --- Our guides are written and fact-checked by the VaultForYou team against Apple's own documentation. We make VaultForYou, a private vault app for iPhone. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000