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How to Lock Photo Vault Secure Folder on iPhone

iOS 18 Face ID lock and Hidden folder · 雪梅 黄 · checked November 2026

Time needed
4 taps
Needs iOS 18 or later

Works for Photo Vault Secure Folder whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.

Short answer

Touch and hold Photo Vault Secure Folder's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Photo Vault Secure Folder behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode; choose Hide and Require Face ID instead to move it into App Library's Hidden folder as well.

Lock Photo Vault Secure Folder with Face ID

  1. Find Photo Vault Secure Folder on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Photo Vault Secure Folder now asks for authentication every time it opens.

To test it, close Photo Vault Secure Folder from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.

Hide Photo Vault Secure Folder in App Library

  1. Touch and hold Photo Vault Secure Folder's icon and tap Require Face ID.
  2. Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
  3. Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
  4. To open it later, swipe to App Library, tap Hidden and authenticate.

Hiding also locks the app. To undo either, touch and hold the icon again and choose Don't Require Face ID.

Why lock Photo Vault Secure Folder?

Photo Vault Secure Folder is a photo vault, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. A photo vault holds the pictures you least want seen, so the questions that matter are where the files live, whether they are encrypted, and what happens if you forget the PIN or change phones.

Photo and video apps usually request access to your photo library. iOS lets you share only selected photos, which keeps the rest of the library — and its location metadata — away from the app.

A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Photo Vault Secure Folder sends to its developer; for that, see Photo Vault Secure Folder's full privacy report.

What the lock does and does not do

It does

  • Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Photo Vault Secure Folder opens
  • Hide message previews in notifications
  • Keep Photo Vault Secure Folder's content out of Spotlight and Siri suggestions
  • With Hide, remove the icon from the Home Screen

It does not

  • Stop someone who knows your passcode
  • Encrypt or change how Photo Vault Secure Folder stores data
  • Sync to your iPad or other devices
  • Remove Photo Vault Secure Folder from purchase history or Screen Time reports

Don't see Require Face ID?

  • Update to iOS 18 or later in Settings › General › Software Update.
  • Make sure a passcode is set in Settings › Face ID & Passcode; the lock needs one.
  • Some Apple apps (Settings, Calculator, Camera, Maps, Find My, Clock) cannot be locked or hidden.
  • If your iPhone is managed by work or school, the option may be restricted.

Other settings worth checking for Photo Vault Secure Folder

  1. Tracking

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.

  2. Photos

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Photos. Limited Access lets you pick exactly which pictures the app can see; Add Photos Only lets it save without reading your library.

  3. Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Photo Vault Secure Folder › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Photo Vault Secure Folder's full privacy label

App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
0types

None declared

Linked to you
0types

None declared

Not linked to you
4types

Is Photo Vault Secure Folder safe? Every data type explained →

Lock these apps too

After you lock Photo Vault Secure Folder

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

FAQ

Does Photo Vault Secure Folder have its own passcode?
Some apps offer an in-app PIN or biometric lock in their settings. The App Store privacy label does not say whether Photo Vault Secure Folder does; the iOS 18 lock works regardless.
What happens to Photo Vault Secure Folder's notifications when it is locked?
Locked and hidden apps do not show message previews or content in notifications, and their content does not appear in Spotlight search or Siri suggestions.
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Yes. If Face ID fails, the lock falls back to your device passcode. Keep the passcode private if the lock matters to you.
Is a locked Photo Vault Secure Folder encrypted?
The lock controls who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change how the app stores or syncs data. Encryption depends on the developer and on your device passcode.
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
You need iOS 18 or later. Some Apple apps such as Settings, Calculator, Maps and Camera cannot be locked or hidden.
Does hiding Photo Vault Secure Folder remove it from my purchase history?
No. Hidden apps still appear in App Store purchases and in Settings › Apps, and Screen Time reports still include them.

Is Photo Vault Secure Folder safe? Full privacy report →Does Photo Vault Secure Folder track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All photo & video apps →

Facts on this page come from Apple: lock or hide an app on iPhone, as reported by the developer. Checked November 2026. How we collect data · Report a correction