Hidy VaultHow to share private photos from iPhone securely
Every way of sending a photo leaves a readable copy with the other person, and often in chat backups too. Secure sharing means fewer copies, no location data, and a way to stop sharing future photos.
- Remove location first: share sheet > Options > Location off.
- For one-off photos: AirDrop to someone nearby leaves no chat history.
- For an ongoing set: a shared vault keeps files encrypted and lets you stop future syncing.
The options compared
| Method | Copies it leaves | Can you stop it? |
|---|---|---|
| Messages or chat apps | Both chat histories, their backups, often their library | No |
| AirDrop | One file on their device | No |
| Shared album | A copy for every member, synced | Remove members; saved copies stay |
| Hidy shared vault (Pro) | An encrypted copy in their Hidy Vault | Stop future syncing; existing copies stay |
Before you send anything
- Remove location. In the share sheet, tap Options and turn off Location. Or strip everything with the metadata remover.
- Check what's in the frame. Reflections, documents, addresses and faces you didn't mean to include.
- Think about their phone. Who else uses it? Is their library synced to a family iPad?
Hidy Vault keeps photos, videos and documents in encrypted vaults that open only with a pattern you draw. No account, no Hidy server. Free for 3 vaults.
Share an encrypted vault instead
For a set of photos you keep adding to, a shared vault avoids the camera roll on both sides. Create a separate vault with only what you want to share, then create an invite in its Settings: 12 words that expire after 48 hours. The other person joins from their Hidy lock screen. See secure sharing.
Hidy Vault sharing is part of Pro.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a way to unsend a photo?
Not reliably. Once someone has a copy, you can't take it back. Choose what you share with that in mind.
Are shared albums private?
They're shared with the people you invite, who can save and reshare the photos. They're not encrypted against those people.
What does removing someone from a Hidy shared vault do?
It stops their future syncing. What they already have stays on their device.
