How to make private album google photos

Did you know that Google Photos on Android now has the option of creating a locked folder? Why would you even want this? Consider this: Over the past couple of years, millions of people across the globe have received COVID vaccinations and have been given cards to show as proof. You might not want to carry that card with you (to keep it safe). Instead, you might take a photo of the card so you have a digital copy on hand. 

However, you might not want just anyone to have access to that information. For such an image, you could also set up a locked folder in Google Photos on Android and tuck that image away for safekeeping. Once you do this, the only way to view that image is via your default screen unlock authentication (such as the fingerprint scanner). 

There is, of course, a caveat to using a locked folder. Any photo or video stored within that folder is not backed up to your cloud account. So choose the photos/videos you want to lock up wisely.

I'm going to demonstrate how to set up a locked folder in Google Photos on Android 12 running on a Pixel 6 Pro. This process should work in a similar fashion, no matter the device, so long as you're using Android 12.

Creating the locked folder

Open Google Photos on your Android device. From the main window (Figure 1), tap Utilities.

Figure 1

The Google Photos main window on Android 12.

In the resulting window (Figure 2), tap Set up Locked Folder.

Figure 2

The Utilities section of Google Photos on Android 12.

From this point on, Android does not allow taking screenshots (because this is considered a sensitive area), so just follow along closely with the instructions (worry not, it's nothing you cannot do). 

On the next screen, tap Set up at the bottom right corner of the display. You will then be prompted to authenticate, using your default method (such as fingerprint, facial scan, PIN, or pattern). After successfully authenticating, you'll be greeted with a window that says Nothing here yet and a Move items button. Tap Move items to open the file picker, where you can select any of the photos you want to add to your locked folder.

Tap to select the image(s) you want to move into the Locked Folder and then tap Move at the top right of the display (Figure 3).

Figure 3

It seems the file picker isn't considered a sensitive area in Android.

You'll again be prompted to authenticate yourself. After that, Android will present you with one last warning indicating:

• Related photos (including copies and edited versions) will not be moved.
• Items will be deleted if Google Photos is uninstalled.

Tap Continue and then Move (when prompted) and Photos will create the Locked Folder and add the selected photos. 

Accessing the Locked Folder

Now that you've created the Locked Folder and added photos/videos, how do you access it? Simple. Open Google Photos, tap Utilities, and scroll to the bottom of the page, where you'll see the Locked Folder entry (Figure 4).

Figure 4

The Locked Folder entry is in the Google Folders Utilities section.

Tap that entry and, once you successfully authenticate yourself, you'll be presented with all of the photos and videos you've added to the Locked Folder.

Use this feature wisely and it will keep prying eyes away from your more sensitive photos. I highly recommend using this feature to anyone who keeps photos of things like driver's license, credit cards, vaccination cards, and other such items. The extra protection might prevent someone from stumbling upon any information you don't want them to see.

Google Photos shared albums are extremely convenient for a plethora of reasons. With it, you and other users can add photos and videos to a single album, comment on added photos, and get notified whenever someone adds something new. And, if you’re the owner, you can change permissions for all users. Like your own personal albums, shared albums are shown in the Library. If you want to hide them from the library, you can do that by following the instructions below.

Table of contents:

1. How to hide and unhide shared Albums from Library
2. Use the Locked Folder to hide photos and videos in Google Photos

Can you make a hidden album on Google Photos?

We need to make a quick distinction between Shared Albums that can be hidden from Library and the recently-introduced Locked Folder where you can hide your photos and videos. With that in mind, we offer explanations for both.

1. How to hide and unhide shared Albums from Library

Users have an option to hide shared albums from Library and see them only under the Sharing tab in Google Photos. Cleaning some clutter if you have a lot of albums is always a good idea. Of course, this is applicable only to shared albums. You can’t hide personal albums, just delete them.

If you want to unhide albums, you can do that in the Sharing tab. Even if you hide the album, you’ll still see all photos and videos that the album contains in the main Photos tab.

Here’s how to hide a shared album in Google Photos Library:

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap Library.
3. Select a shared album you want to hide.
4. Tap on the 3-dots menu and select Hide from Library.
5. To unhide an album, open Sharing from the bottom and select the album. Tap on the 3-dots menu and choose Show in Library.

2. Use the Locked Folder to hide photos and videos in Google Photos

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a way to hide some private photos and videos in safe-like cloud storage, you can do that with the recently-added Locked Folder. This feature is, at the time being, available only on Google Photos for Android. You can find this useful Google Photos component in Library > Utilities > Locked Folder and you’ll need to add a PIN and allow a fingerprint before being able to store photos in it.

To transfer photos or videos to Locked Folder, just tap on the photo (or use multi-select to choose multiple photos or videos) and tap on the 3-dots menu. From there, select Move to Locked Folder. Depending on the size (primarily of large videos), this can take some time. Also, you won’t be able to access Locked Folder while online because this is a cloud-only feature. If you delete photos or videos from the Locked Folder, they don’t go to Trash, so keep that in mind before you delete something permanently.

Here’s how to enable and use Locked Folder on Google Photos for Android:

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Select the Library tab.
3. Tap Utilities.
4. Select Locked Folder.
5. Follow instructions to configure the Locked Folder. After that, just select photos and videos you want to keep behind a lock and move them to Locked Folder.

If you want to hide photos, videos, or other files locally, most Android skins come with App Lockers and Safe storage variations. You can use Files by Google’s Safe folder or Secure Folder on Samsung devices to keep your files out of sight and behind a security measure.

With that said, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions with us in the comments section below. Your feedback is invaluable.

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