Hidden photos on Android: where they go and how to see them

Google Photos (any phone)

Google Photos has two places that take photos out of the main view.

• Locked Folder. Tap Collections, then Locked, and unlock with your screen lock. Our Locked Folder guide covers the rest.
• Archive. Archived photos are kept out of the main grid but aren't locked. Tap Collections, then Archive.

Samsung

• Hidden albums. In Gallery, go to Albums, tap the menu (three dots) and choose Hide or unhide albums.
• Private album. On One UI 8.5 and later, open the Gallery menu and look for the Private album. It opens with your screen lock.
• Secure Folder. Look for the Secure Folder icon, or swipe down twice and tap the Secure Folder tile if the icon is turned off. It has its own lock. See our Secure Folder guide.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO

The Gallery app has a hidden album of its own. Our Xiaomi guide shows where it lives on recent versions.

Android 15 and later: Private space

Photos taken or saved by apps inside Private space stay in the space. Unlock it from the bottom of the app list, or search for "private space" if it's hidden.

Folders that gallery apps skip

A folder containing a file called .nomedia, or a folder whose name starts with a dot, is skipped by most gallery apps. The photos are still there. Open the Files app, turn on Show hidden files in its settings, and browse to the folder. Our guide on stopping a folder showing in your gallery explains how this works.

Inside a vault app

Photos in a vault app are usually encrypted, and only that app can open them, with its code. If the code is forgotten, most apps offer recovery by email. Dobr doesn't, on purpose. Nothing about your pattern is stored anywhere, so nobody, including us, can open a vault without it. Pick a pattern you'll remember.

Last checked 2026-11-04. Phone menus change between Android versions and brands, so labels on your phone may differ slightly.