How do I find hidden or recently deleted photos on an iPhone?
Answer
Hidden photos live in a separate Hidden album, and deleted photos stay in Recently Deleted for a limited time—both are inside the Photos app, not on a random website.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Never enter your Apple ID password on unfamiliar photo-recovery websites.
- Emptying Recently Deleted permanently removes those items after confirmation.
Follow these steps
Open Albums in Photos
Open the Photos app and go to the Albums tab, then scroll to Utilities or similar sections where Hidden and Recently Deleted appear.
You should see: You can see the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums.
Check the Hidden album
Open Hidden and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode if asked, then review whether the missing pictures are there.
You should see: Hidden photos appear, or the album is empty.
Check Recently Deleted
Open Recently Deleted, select wanted photos, and tap Recover to return them to the library.
You should see: Deleted photos are restored, or they are no longer in Recently Deleted.
Unhide photos you want in the main library
Inside Hidden, open a photo, use the unhide option, and confirm it returns to the main library and albums.
You should see: The photo is visible again in the normal Photos view.
Check iCloud Photos if still missing
If the albums are empty on the phone, sign into iCloud.com Photos with the same Apple ID and look there before considering a backup restore.
You should see: Photos are found in iCloud, or they are missing from the account entirely.
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Extra tips
What to look for: Albums named Hidden and Recently Deleted, and any Face ID or passcode prompt before Hidden opens.
Before you change anything: Use the Photos app on the iPhone or iCloud.com with the same Apple ID. Do not empty Recently Deleted until you have recovered what you need. Avoid third-party “photo recovery” websites asking for Apple ID passwords.