Does iPhone have a Secure Folder?

iPhone has no app called Secure Folder like Samsung Galaxy phones do, but you can build the same thing: an iPhone secure folder made from the locked Hidden album, a locked Files app or locked notes, or a vault app with its own passcode. Which one fits depends on what you store and who you want to keep out.

What Samsung's Secure Folder does

On Galaxy phones, Secure Folder is a separate, locked space with its own PIN or password, where you can keep photos, files and even second copies of apps. iOS has no single equivalent. Instead, it lets you lock parts of the phone with your passcode or Face ID.

Option 1: the Hidden album (photos and videos)

For photos and videos, the closest built-in secure folder on iPhone is the Hidden album. Open a photo, tap More (•••) and choose Hide. The Hidden album under Utilities opens only with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. See how to hide photos on iPhone.

Limit: it uses your phone's passcode, not a separate one, and it syncs with iCloud Photos.

Option 2: lock the Files or Notes app (documents)

In iOS 18 and later you can lock most apps. Touch and hold the Files app icon, tap Require Face ID, and confirm. Files then needs Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode every time it opens. You cannot set a password on a single folder inside Files, so this locks the whole app.

For short texts and a few pictures, Notes can lock individual notes: open the note, tap More (•••), tap Lock. Notes lets you use your iPhone passcode or a separate notes password. Some attachment types cannot be locked, so test with your own files.

Limit: again, mostly tied to your phone passcode, and nothing is hidden: a locked app still sits on your Home Screen.

Option 3: a vault app (a real separate folder)

A vault app is the nearest thing to Secure Folder on iPhone: its own storage, its own PIN, and nothing from it in Photos or Files. When choosing one, check that it encrypts files on the device, works without uploading your files to the developer, and offers a recovery option if you forget the PIN. Our best photo vault apps for iPhone list compares several.

Stash, our app, works like this: it opens as a working calculator, your secret PIN opens the vault, and photos, videos, PDFs, documents and audio are encrypted on the device with AES-256. You can sort them into albums and keep secure notes. Importing copies a file, so delete the original afterwards.

Which one should you use?

• A few photos you do not want to show by accident: Hidden album.
• Documents only you should open: lock the Files app.
• A separate code, files out of Photos and iCloud Photos, or a disguised app: a vault app.

FAQ

Is there a Secure Folder app for iPhone?

Several App Store apps use "Secure Folder" in their name. They are third-party vault apps, not Samsung's feature, so check who makes them and how they store your files.

Can I password protect a folder in the Files app?

Not a single folder. You can lock the whole Files app with Face ID in iOS 18 and later.

Is a secure folder a substitute for a passcode?

No. Use a strong device passcode first; every option here builds on it.