2 Ways to Set Up a Locked Folder on iPhone With or Without Google Photos

Google Photos stands out as an exceptional gallery app, with many iPhone users, myself included, preferring its features over Apple Photos. It has a long list of features that keep expanding from time to time, with a recent inclusion being Locked Folder, which allows you to hide and lock photos and videos with a password. Here's how to set up the locked folder in Google Photos on your iPhone.

 

What is locked folder in Google Photos?

Locked Folder is a feature in Google Photos that lets you hide sensitive photos and videos on your device with a password, Face ID, or Touch ID. It uses your phone's built-in lock, which means people with access to your lock screen password, PIN, or biometrics can unlock locked photos.

Photos that you lock are stored in a sandbox in the locked folder and are only accessible in Google Photos. They won't appear anywhere else on your phone. Here's more:

• The locked folder is available on iOS 15 and later and Android 6 and later.
• The locked folder can only be accessed after entering your iPhone passcode/PIN, Face ID, or Touch ID.
• Locked media can be backed up to the cloud. You can access it on other phones or on the web by signing in to your Google account.
• Items in the locked folder won't appear when you search Google Photos (or anywhere else).
• You cannot share items without moving them out of the locked folder.
• If you uninstall the Google Photos app or delete its app data, all locked items will be deleted unless you have enabled cloud backup or moved them back to the gallery.

How to Set a Locked Folder in Google Photos on iPhone

1. Open the Google Photos app on your iPhone. Sign in to your Google account if you haven't already done so.

 

2. Choose your favorite Library in the bottom navigation bar. Select Utilities.

3. Here press Folder locked.

4. Tap Configure a locked folder and allow Google Photos to use Face ID or Touch ID.

5. Finally, choose whether you want to backup the locked folder to the cloud.

 

You have successfully set up Google Photos locked folder on your iPhone. Cloud backup, if enabled, encrypts media and makes it available on other devices connected to your Google account. If you don't enable backup, the photos will stay on your iPhone and won't appear anywhere else.

How to Add Photos to Locked Folder on iPhone

You can add photos and videos to the locked folder individually or in bulk. Here's how it works:

1. Head toward Library > Utilities > Locked Dossier in Google Photos.

2. You will see a Move items if you haven't already added photos. Tap it.

 

3. Choose photos and videos and tap Getting around in the upper right corner.

 

4. Google Photos will ask for permission to delete the photos. Faucet Remove.

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1. Open Google Photos and select the photos you want to hide or lock.

 

2. From the options that appear, choose Move to locked folder.

3. Tap Getting around to confirm when prompted, and you are good to go.

Photos will now disappear from the main view of Google Photos, Apple Photos, and all other apps on your iPhone. You can only access it inside Google Photos > Library > Utilities > Locked Folder.

The photos you move to the locked folder are deleted from your iPhone and may appear in the “Recently Deleted” list in the Photos app. Make sure to delete them from there as well.

 

Lock images and videos in the Photos app

You can also lock photos and videos in the Apple Photos app on your iPhone. The hidden library is automatically backed up to iCloud (if enabled), similar to Google Photos.

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone. Select the photos, videos and other media you want to hide.

2. Press the three-dot menu at the bottom left.

3. Select Hide and press Hide photos ou Hide videos to confirm.

 

4. Now head to Settings > Photos and activate the toggle for Use Face ID.

 

That's it. Now you have successfully hidden and locked library photos on your iPhone. Any photos you hide will be moved to the “Hidden” album in the Photos app.

A word of warning: Hidden media items that would otherwise be invisible can be accessed after you connect your unlocked iPhone to a Mac.

Conclusion

This is how you can set up and move photos and videos to a locked folder on your iPhone with or without using Google Photos. Hope the above guide helps you to safely hide and protect sensitive media on your iOS device with Face ID, Touch ID or password. Stay tuned for more tips, tricks and how-tos.