{"id":106937,"date":"2026-09-25T04:01:36","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T11:01:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/?p=106937"},"modified":"2026-09-25T04:18:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T11:18:04","slug":"hide-notes-on-iphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/hide-notes-on-iphone\/","title":{"rendered":"How to hide notes on your iPhone"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

When you hand your phone to someone else for a quick repair or a phone call, it\u2019s natural to feel uneasy about them stumbling across your personal notes.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no hidden-notes folder on iPhone. What you can do instead is lock a note using your device passcode or a separate Notes password, then use Face ID or Touch ID to open it. The title will still appear in your main list, but the note’s contents stay hidden until it’s unlocked.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to hide notes on your iPhone, what locking actually protects, and where to check if a note seems missing.<\/p>\n

How to hide notes on your iPhone<\/h2>\n

You can lock an individual note with your passcode or a separate Notes password. Here\u2019s how to set it up.<\/p>\n

How to lock a single note<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. First, open the note. Tap the More<\/em><\/strong> button in the top-right corner, then select Lock<\/em><\/strong>.
    \n\"An<\/li>\n
  2. Decide if you want to use the passcode you already use for your iPhone, or set a separate password just for your notes. To use your iPhone passcode, iCloud Keychain<\/em><\/strong> needs to be turned on.
    \n\"Choose<\/li>\n
  3. If you select your iPhone passcode, type it in when asked. You can also turn on Face ID<\/em><\/strong> or Touch ID<\/em><\/strong> here if your device supports it.<\/li>\n
  4. If you choose to create a new password instead, take a moment to add a hint that can help you remember it.<\/li>\n
  5. After you lock the note, it stays open. Tap the Lock<\/em><\/strong> icon at the top of the screen to hide its contents.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How to turn on Face ID or Touch ID for locked notes<\/h3>\n

    If you weren\u2019t prompted to enable Face ID<\/em><\/strong> or Touch ID<\/em><\/strong> when setting your iPhone passcode for the Notes app, you can turn it on later in your iPhone\u2019s settings:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Go to Settings > Apps > Notes > Password<\/em><\/strong>. If you have more than one Notes account, select the account you want to use.<\/li>\n
    2. Turn on Use Face ID<\/em><\/strong> (or Use Touch ID<\/em><\/strong>, depending on your device).
      \n\"Choose<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      How to open a locked note<\/h3>\n

      Tap the note, tap View Note<\/em><\/strong>, then unlock it using your Face ID, Touch ID, device passcode, or notes password.<\/p>\n

      \"A<\/p>\n

      Opening one locked note temporarily opens all other locked notes in the same account for several minutes. To lock them again, tap the Lock<\/em><\/strong> icon at the top of the screen, tap Lock Now<\/em><\/strong> at the top of your notes list, close the Notes<\/em><\/strong> app, or lock your iPhone.<\/p>\n

      How to remove a lock from a note<\/h3>\n

      If you no longer need to protect a note:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Start by opening it and unlocking it as usual.<\/li>\n
      2. Next, tap the More<\/em><\/strong> button in the top-right corner and select Remove<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      3. Confirm with your Face ID, Touch ID, device passcode<\/a>, or notes password when asked.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Passcode vs. a separate Notes password<\/h3>\n

        Using your iPhone passcode is convenient since you already know it by heart. However, anyone who knows your device passcode can also unlock notes protected with that passcode.<\/p>\n

        Setting a separate password keeps your notes private, even from someone who knows your device passcode. The catch is that if you forget your custom password and can’t use Face ID or Touch ID to access your locked notes, Apple can’t help you regain access. Even if you set a new one later, it won’t unlock the notes you protected with the old one.<\/p>\n

        Can you hide a note, folder, or the entire Notes app?<\/h2>\n

        You can restrict access to your notes, but you can\u2019t make notes or folders disappear entirely. What you can protect depends on whether you’re securing a single note or the whole app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
        What you want to hide<\/strong><\/td>\nWhat you can do<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
        An individual note<\/td>\nYou can lock a note using your device passcode or a custom password, then use Face ID or Touch ID to open it. Just keep in mind that while the contents are protected, the title stays visible in your main notes list.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
        A folder<\/td>\nYou can’t hide or lock folders. Moving a note to another folder only changes where it’s stored.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
        The Notes app<\/td>\nYou can lock the entire Notes app so it asks for Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode every time it’s opened. However, because Notes is a built-in iOS app, you won’t be able to tuck it away into the Hidden<\/em><\/strong> folder in your App Library<\/em><\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

        How to hide photos in Notes on iPhone<\/h2>\n

        If you want to keep a photo private, you can place it inside a note and lock it. This keeps the image secure alongside any text or details in that note. Here\u2019s how to hide photos in iPhone notes:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Open Notes<\/em><\/strong> and start a new note (or open an existing one).<\/li>\n
        2. Tap the attachment button (the paper clip) at the bottom and select Choose Photo or Video<\/em><\/strong> or Take Photo or Video<\/em><\/strong>. (Note: if you add a video, you won\u2019t be able to lock the note).<\/li>\n
        3. Once the photo is in the note, lock it using the menu options<\/a> at the top of the screen.
          \n\"Add<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Once locked, that photo won’t appear when you use View Attachments<\/em><\/strong> in Notes. It’s only visible inside the note itself, after you unlock it.<\/p>\n

          Adding an image to Notes doesn\u2019t automatically remove or hide the original in your Photos library. Anyone browsing your Photos app can still see it unless you hide or delete it from there.<\/p>\n

          If you just need to keep an image out of sight, using the built-in Hidden<\/em><\/strong> album in the Photos app is usually simpler. Apple locks that album with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode automatically, keeping those photos hidden while you scroll through your main library.<\/p>\n

          Keep in mind that a locked note isn’t a backup. Before deleting the original photo from your library, make sure you’ve kept a copy somewhere, especially if the image is important.<\/p>\n

          Why can\u2019t you lock a note?<\/h2>\n

          A few different things can keep the lock option from working. Specifically, you won’t be able to lock a note if:<\/p>\n