Apple is adding a new feature to iOS 16 to make hidden and recently deleted albums in Photos much more private. Starting with iOS 16, these albums will be locked by default, and you can unlock them using Face ID, Touch ID, or a password, depending on Apple’s iOS 16 features page.
In iOS 15, these albums are hard to find, but they’re not behind any protection. This means that someone who may have unwanted access to your phone can easily see what’s there if they know where to look, which somewhat nullifies the purpose of the particular hidden album. With the change to iOS 16, people won’t be able to see photos from both albums unless you unlock them. This new feature will also be available on iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, and all three software updates will be available this fall.
Photos updates aren’t the only new privacy features in iOS 16. Apple also introduced Safety Check, which aims to protect people in abusive relationships by allowing them to revoke access to information shared with others.