The quick way: the Hidden album
- Open Photos and tap Select.
- Choose the video (or several).
- Tap More (•••), then Hide.
The video moves to Utilities → Hidden, which is locked with Face ID or your passcode on current iOS. It still syncs through iCloud Photos if that is on.
The secure way: an encrypted vault
- In VaultBolt, tap + and choose Choose from Photos.
- Select the videos and tap Add. Each video is encrypted in roughly one-second chunks with AES-256-GCM, so it can play without decrypting the whole file.
- Run the clean-up to delete the originals and empty Recently Deleted.
To skip all of that next time, record with the private camera: videos are encrypted as they are recorded and never touch your camera roll.
Don't forget these copies
- Recently Deleted keeps deleted videos for up to 30 days.
- iCloud Photos syncs deletions, but only after they leave Recently Deleted on every device.
- Messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram) may have saved the video to Photos automatically. See how to stop WhatsApp saving photos to your camera roll.
- Shared albums keep their own copy.
Large videos and storage
Encrypted videos take the same space as the originals. If space is tight, delete the original right after the vault copy is verified; VaultBolt only deletes originals once the encrypted copy is safely written.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hide a video without deleting it?
Yes. Hiding keeps the video in your library but moves it to the Hidden album. A vault app copies it into encrypted storage; you then choose whether to delete the original.
Do vault apps reduce video quality?
Some compress videos to save space. VaultBolt stores the original file, encrypted in chunks, so quality is unchanged.
How many videos can I hide for free in VaultBolt?
The free plan holds 100 photos and 10 videos in total. Pro is unlimited.
