Phone privacy by situation
Real situations, one page each. Every page says what your phone and its cloud backup show, the steps to change that in your phone's own settings, where York Vault helps, and what it does not solve. Pages on abuse and threats list help lines we checked.
Home, family and partners
- How do I keep body progress photos private?Fitness, weight loss or surgery progress photos land in your camera roll, memories and every synced device. Where to keep them private on iPhone and Android.
- Can my ex still see our shared album?After a breakup, an ex can still see a shared album or an iCloud Shared Library. How to remove them, what they keep, and how to share safely next time.
- How do I stop Google Photos partner sharing from showing my private photos?Google Photos partner sharing sends your partner every backed up photo you chose. How to limit it, stop it, remove one photo, and keep some photos out of it.
- Why are my iPhone photos showing on my kid's iPad?Your photos show on a family iPad when it uses your Apple Account with iCloud Photos on. How to stop the sync and give your child an account of their own.
- My kid found private photos on my phone. What do I do?Your child swiped from a game into your camera roll and saw private photos. What to say, how to lock the phone to one app, and where to keep adult photos.
- How do I let someone use my phone without them seeing everything?A stranger needs a call, a friend wants to check a map. How to lend your iPhone or Android phone so they reach one app, not your photos and messages.
- What if someone knows my iPhone passcode?A partner who knows your phone passcode can open the Hidden album, Locked Folder and locked apps. How to take the passcode back, and what a vault code adds.
- How do I keep photos of my ex without seeing them every day?Keep photos from a past relationship without them showing up in your camera roll, memories or in front of a new partner. Steps for iPhone and Android.
- How do I show someone a photo without them swiping through my camera roll?Show one photo on iPhone or Android without the other person swiping through your camera roll. Guided Access with touch off, albums, or sending it instead.
- How can I tell if someone went through my phone?Signs someone looked through your iPhone or Android phone while you were away: Screen Time, Digital Wellbeing, read messages, signed-in devices and app logs.
Screens and apps that show your photos
- Which apps can see all my photos, and how do I limit them?An app with full photo access can read your whole library, Hidden album included if it asks. How to check and limit photo access on iPhone and Android.
- How do I stop Memories from showing my private photos?iPhone Memories and Google Photos memories can turn private photos into a slideshow. How to remove one photo, hide a person or date, or turn memories off.
- Why did my photo widget show a private photo, and how do I stop it?The iPhone Photos widget, Photo Shuffle and StandBy pick from your whole library. How to keep private photos off them on iPhone and Android.
- Can CarPlay or Android Auto show my photos on the car screen?CarPlay and Android Auto have no photo app, but messages, AirPlay video and the car's own system can still show private things. What to check in each.
- How do I share my screen on a call without showing private photos or notifications?On FaceTime, Zoom or Google Meet, a shared screen shows every banner and photo you open. How to share one app, mute notifications and keep your library out.
- How do I stop strangers from sending me photos with AirDrop or Quick Share?Strangers can send photo requests through AirDrop or Quick Share. How to set Contacts Only, blur nude images, and what to do with a photo you got.
- Can someone screenshot a view once or disappearing photo?WhatsApp and Instagram block screenshots of view once photos, Snapchat tells the sender, and no app stops a second camera. What each one does.
When the phone leaves your hands
- Can border agents search the photos on my phone?CBP can search the photos on your phone at a US border and ask for your passcode. What its 2026 directive says, what it excludes, and where to get advice.
- I lost my phone. How do I get my photos back?Your photos come back only from a copy that left the phone: iCloud Photos, Google Photos, a backup or a vault backup. How to check, lock the phone and restore.
- I have personal photos on my work phone. Can my employer see them?Device management can list your apps, erase a company phone and remove personal apps, but Apple and Google say it cannot read your messages. What to check.
- Do I have to give my passcode for a phone repair, and how do I keep my photos private?Apple says it will never ask for your passcode. Pixel Repair Mode and Samsung Maintenance mode keep a technician out of your photos. How to prepare.
- How do I erase my photos before I sell or trade in my phone?Do not delete photos one by one before you sell a phone. Back up, move your library, sign out, then erase all content. Steps for iPhone and Android.
- My phone was stolen and the thief knows my passcode. What do I do?A thief who watched you type your passcode can open your photos and try to take your account. What to do in the first hour, and what to turn on now.
Intimate photos and personal safety
- How do I keep my creator content separate from my camera roll?Creator photos in your camera roll sync to family devices, show in memories and carry your location. How to keep paid content apart on iPhone and Android.
- My ex knows my Apple Account password. Can they see my photos?An ex with your Apple Account or Google password can see iCloud or Google Photos from any browser. How to change it, sign them out and check recovery details.
- Someone shared my intimate photo without consent. How do I get it removed?Someone posted or sent your intimate photo without consent. Save proof, use the 48-hour removal rule, block copies with StopNCII and clear it from Google.
- Is someone tracking my phone?How to check if someone tracks your iPhone or Android phone: location sharing, unknown trackers, device profiles and signed-in devices, and when to plan first.
- Where should I keep intimate photos on my phone?Intimate photos in the camera roll sync to every device, show up in memories and sit behind your passcode. Where to keep them on iPhone and Android instead.
- I'm not out to my family. What can they see on my phone?Not out to your family, and your phone is on a family plan or shared account? What family can see on iPhone and Android, and what you can keep private.
- How do I keep protest photos private?Photos from a protest can show faces and the exact place. How to remove location, blur or block faces, turn off Face ID before you go, and keep the photos safe.
- Someone is threatening to share my photos. What do I do?Someone threatens to post your intimate photos unless you pay or send more. Do not pay. How to save proof, report the account and get images blocked.
Records and evidence
- How do I keep a parent's medical and insurance documents on my phone?Caring for a parent means their Medicare card, medication list and power of attorney on your phone. How to keep them ready at the hospital and safe from scams.
- How do I keep screenshots and evidence for a divorce or custody case?Screenshots of texts, photos and records for a divorce or custody case. What to capture, how to keep dates intact, and how to keep it from a spouse's accounts.
- How do I keep a record of abuse on my phone without them finding it?How to save photos, screenshots and a log of abuse on your phone so the other person cannot find or delete them, and what to ask an advocate first.
- Is it safe to keep photos of my passport and ID on my phone?A photo of your passport or license helps when a card is lost, but in the camera roll anyone can see it. Where to keep ID copies, and what they replace.
- How do I store immigration documents on my phone?Copies of a green card, visa, I-94 or work permit on your phone help, but do not replace the card. What USCIS and GOV.UK say, and where to keep the copies.
- How do I protect a source's photos and their metadata on my phone?A source's photo can carry their location, their phone model and their face. How journalists keep source photos on a phone, redact them and share them safely.
- How do I keep medical photos out of my camera roll?Photos of a rash, a wound, a scan or a prescription sit in your camera roll next to holiday shots. Where they show up, what HIPAA covers, where to keep them.
- How do I take move-in photos that protect my rental deposit?Move-in photos help in a deposit dispute only if their dates survive. How to shoot each room, keep the original files, and send copies with the dates kept.
- How do I keep reproductive health information private on my phone?Period apps, clinic visits, test results and messages leave traces on a phone. What HIPAA covers, how to cut location and app data, and where to keep records.
- Is it safe to keep a photo of my seed phrase or backup codes on my phone?A screenshot of a crypto seed phrase or 2-step backup codes syncs to the cloud with every other photo. Where wallet makers and Google say to keep them instead.
- Is it safe to store tax returns and bank statements on my phone?Tax returns, W-2s and bank statements hold every number a thief wants. How long the IRS and HMRC say to keep them, and how to store and send them safely.
- How do I save evidence of workplace harassment on my phone?Harassed at work? Keep a dated record, screenshots and emails on your own phone, not a work device. What the EEOC and Acas say, and the deadlines to know.
Keep what is yours, yours.
Free to download. Your own items stay open on every plan.
No ads. Your photos are encrypted on your phone. How.