Works for Secret Photo Vault Album whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Secret Photo Vault Album's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Secret Photo Vault Album 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 Secret Photo Vault Album with Face ID
- Find Secret Photo Vault Album on your Home Screen or in App Library.
- Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
- Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. Secret Photo Vault Album now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Secret Photo Vault Album from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Secret Photo Vault Album in App Library
- Touch and hold Secret Photo Vault Album's icon and tap Require Face ID.
- Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
- Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
- 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 Secret Photo Vault Album?
Secret Photo Vault Album's privacy label lists location — the kind of data 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 Secret Photo Vault Album sends to its developer; for that, see Secret Photo Vault Album's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Secret Photo Vault Album opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Secret Photo Vault Album'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 Secret Photo Vault Album stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Secret Photo Vault Album 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 Secret Photo Vault Album
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.
Location
Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Secret Photo Vault Album. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.
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.
Sign-in
When creating an account, Sign in with Apple can give the app a relay address from Hide My Email instead of your real one.
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › Secret Photo Vault Album › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Secret Photo Vault Album's full privacy label
Is Secret Photo Vault Album safe? Every data type explained →
Lock these apps too
After you lock Secret Photo Vault Album
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Secret Photo Vault Album have its own passcode?
What happens to Secret Photo Vault Album's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Secret Photo Vault Album encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Secret Photo Vault Album remove it from my purchase history?
Is Secret Photo Vault Album safe? Full privacy report →Does Secret Photo Vault Album track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All photo & video apps →