In iOS 16, Apple is introducing a new feature that will make the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums in Photos much more private. According to Apple’s iOS 16 features page, such albums will now be locked by default, and you’ll be able to unlock them using Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
Those albums are difficult to find on iOS 15, yet they are not protected. This means that anyone with unauthorized access to your phone can easily see what’s there if they know where to look, which partly negates the point of the Hidden album in particular. People will be unable to view images in either album until they are unlocked in iOS 16. This new functionality will also be included in iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, all of which are scheduled to be released this fall.
The improvements to Photos aren’t the only new privacy features in iOS 16. Apple also developed Safety Check, which allows people in abusive situations to remove access to information shared with others.
