How to keep photos behind a separate PIN on iPhone

Choose a dedicated photo vault and check its lock behavior before importing important images.

PhotoSafe Team · Reviewed 2026-10-31

Choose a dedicated access workflow

Apple’s Hidden album uses device authentication. If you want selected photos inside a separate app with its own PIN, choose a vault that explicitly provides that feature. A second lock is useful only when you understand when it appears and how it can be changed or recovered.

Set up PhotoSafe with a private PIN

PhotoSafe uses a six-digit vault PIN and offers optional biometric access on supported devices. Choose a PIN you can remember and keep a secure record in your password manager. Avoid a code that someone can easily infer from your birthday or a code you routinely share.

Check the lock with sample photos

Import a sample, close or lock the vault, and reopen it. Review auto-lock and biometric settings in the installed version. Test what happens when you switch apps and return. Do not assume that a screenshot of a locked screen proves how every access path behaves.

Plan for forgotten access

PhotoSafe cannot recover forgotten PINs or encrypted vault data for you. Reinstalling is not a recovery method: deleting the app removes locally stored vault data. Keep separate safe copies of important images before relying on the vault as their only home.

Keep the scope clear

A vault PIN protects access through the app’s workflow. It does not secure originals in Photos, exported files, shared albums, or images already sent elsewhere. Review those copies and your device security separately.

Sources

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