There are five common ways to hide photos on an Android phone. Some only tidy your gallery. Others actually lock the photos away. Here’s what each one does, so you can pick the right one.

1. Archive in Google Photos

Select photos, tap the menu and choose Archive. They disappear from your main photo grid but are still in the Archive section and in search.

Good for: decluttering. Not good for: privacy. Anyone who opens Google Photos can find them in seconds.

2. Google Photos Locked Folder

In Google Photos, go to Collections → Locked Folder. Photos moved here need your screen lock to view, and don’t appear in the gallery, albums or other apps.

Good for: a quick, built-in hiding place. Watch out: it uses the same PIN or fingerprint as your phone, so anyone who knows your phone’s unlock code can open it. Depending on your settings it may also back up to your Google account.

3. Samsung Secure Folder

On Samsung Galaxy phones, open Settings → Security and privacy → Secure Folder. It creates a separate, locked space with its own apps, gallery and files.

Good for: Samsung owners who want a whole separate space. Watch out: it needs a Samsung account to set up, and it’s only on Samsung phones.

4. Android Private space

Newer Android versions (15 and up) include Private space under Settings → Security & privacy. It’s a hidden, locked area of your app drawer where you can install a separate copy of apps such as Gallery or Files.

Good for: hiding entire apps. Watch out: it’s only on newer phones, and it’s a bit fiddly to keep photos inside it.

5. An encrypted vault app

A vault app moves photos into its own encrypted storage, behind a lock that’s separate from your phone’s. Once a copy is safely inside, you delete the original from your gallery.

Not all vault apps are equal. Many require an account and upload your photos to their servers. Before you pick one, check:

Is it encrypted? Some “vaults” only hide files in a folder. Look for real encryption such as AES-256.
Does it need an account? An account usually means your photos, or data about them, leave your phone.
Can you recover it? There should be a way back in if you forget your code, without a cloud account.
Can you back it up? Without backups, a lost or broken phone means lost photos.

Our app

Sealcloak was built for exactly this: AES-256 encryption, a lock that isn’t your phone’s PIN, a recovery phrase instead of an account, and encrypted backups. It has no internet permission at all, so nothing can be uploaded.

Which should you use?

Just tidying up? Archive.
Hiding from a quick glance, and nobody knows your PIN? Locked Folder or Secure Folder.
Need real privacy, even from people who know your phone’s PIN? An encrypted vault with its own lock.

Whatever you choose, keep a backup. Hidden photos are often the ones you’d most hate to lose.

How to hide photos on Android