How to hide photos and videos in Google Photos

Google Photos app icon on a smartphone screen

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Once you know how to hide photos and videos in Google Photos, you'll exist able to keep images you don't want people to see hidden away from prying eyes.

Owners of Pixel smartphones have long been able to lock sensitive photos and videos away in the Google Photos app, meaning that they are neither backed upwardly, sharable or visible in your Photos filigree.

The company has promised that this feature will roll out to all Android and iOS devices by the cease of 2022, and information technology appears that this is now happening. My own handset — a slightly ageing Samsung Milky way S10e — has the update, which arrived without whatsoever fanfare. However, information technology doesn't announced to exist on iOS yet and Google'due south ain back up page for the feature states that "This feature is only available on Android 6 and later."

If the option has already been rolled out to your phone, here's how to hide photos and videos in Google Photos on Android.

1. Open the Google Photos app and find a photo or video you want to lock away, then tap it. That video of Hamilton the cat looks similar a prime candidate.

How to lock photos and videos on Android — (Epitome credit: Alan Martin)

two. Tap the three vertical dots in the top correct-manus corner of the image/video.

three. Swipe left along the list of options below the image/video until yous see "Motion to Locked Folder." Tap information technology.

4. If you haven't already fix this feature up, the app will invite you to do so now by authenticating with a fingerprint. You'll take to imagine what this looks like as, ironically, Android wouldn't let me screenshot for privacy reasons.

five. Once washed, y'all'll be presented with a screen reminding you that copies and edits aren't automatically locked away, and that locked items volition be deleted if y'all uninstall Photos. Tap "Continue."

6. Another confirmation screen follows. Tap "Move."

7. One more step: you lot have to let Photos modify the epitome or video, so tap "Allow."

8. Await for the load screen to complete, and your image is safe and secure.

How to notice locked photos and videos in Google Photos

Now that your photos and videos are safely secured, how on World do you access them? Google Photos hides that away a niggling…

ane. From the main bill of fare of Google Photos, tap "Utilities."

2. "Locked Folder" is the 6th option down on the subsequent menu.

Looking for more Google Photos tutorials? Here's How to delete Google Photos permanently, How to upload to Google Photos, and How to back up to Google Photos from a phone, tablet, or reckoner.

Freelance correspondent Alan has been writing nigh tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the spider web and in the occasional mag too. When not weighing upwards the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you lot'll probably find him tackling his always-growing games backlog. Or, more than likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.