Saving photos to the cloud is an increasingly common practice, but we don't always want all our images visible. Whether for privacy, to maximise security and your enjoyment. or simply a matter of order, hiding photos in OneDrive can be the ideal solution. Although OneDrive integrates smart features that help manage files in the cloud, it also allows you to configure different options so that specific images are not automatically displayed or stored in protected areas.
In this guide, we explain in detail all the possible ways to achieve this, using both native system tools and additional features offered by Microsoft through its OneDrive platform. It doesn't matter if you use Windows, Android, iOS or you access from the web, there is a way to hide your photos, and here you will discover it.
Hide photos in Windows 10 from the Photos app
The Windows 10 Photos app automatically syncs with your Microsoft account, which means it can also display images stored in OneDriveWhile this makes access easier, it can be annoying if you don't want certain cloud photos to appear in your local gallery.
To avoid this, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Photos app in Windows 10.
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner to enter Options.
- Access the menu Configuration.
- Look for the option related to Microsoft OneDrive.
- Turn off OneDrive folder syncing, either by selecting a specific folder or disabling the entire service.
By disabling this option, photos that are in the cloud will no longer be displayed in the Photos app., allowing you to keep your gallery more private and focused only on local files. For more information on how create hidden folders on your PC, check out our related article.
Personal Vault: Maximum security on OneDrive
OneDrive offers a feature called Personal Vault, a space designed to store sensitive content with an extra layer of security. This tool is perfect if you want to Hide photos without deleting or moving them out of the cloud.
Among its most notable features are:
- Identity checks by fingerprint, facial recognition, PIN or code sent by email or SMS.
- Automatic blocking after a period of inactivity.
- Access from any device signed in to your Microsoft account.
Setting it up is very simple:
- Accede to OneDrive.com or open the app on your device.
- Go to option Personal vault. If this is your first time, select Contac us.
- Follow the steps to verify your identity.
- Choose your authentication method (text message, email, or authenticator app).
- Enter the PIN received and access the vault.
Once inside you can move your private photos to this protected spaceThey will only be accessible after re-verification, significantly increasing your privacy.
How to move existing photos to Personal Vault
If you already have your photos uploaded to OneDrive and want to move them to the Personal vault, the process is also very straightforward:
- Open OneDrive and access Personal Vault.
- Verify your identity if necessary.
- Select one or more photos you want to hide.
- Press on Move to and choose Personal vault as a destination.
This allows the files to remain in your account, but will not be available without additional authentication, even if someone accesses your account from another device.
Prevent unwanted photos from appearing in Memories
An automatic feature of OneDrive is to show past photos in sections like Regards o In this dayHowever, this may bring images from third-party apps like social media, screenshots, or downloads to the front without your consent.
To avoid this from the mobile app:
- Open the OneDrive app.
- Go to the tab Yo o My account.
- Accede to Configuration and then to Charging the camera.
- Choose the option Organize by origin.
- Disable any folders you don't want to participate in auto-upload.
So You can keep the camera roll as the only valid source., preventing images from other sources from being uploaded uncontrollably.
Change shared file permissions
Within the OneDrive ecosystem, certain images may also become available to others if you have previously shared them.
To modify or remove permissions:
- Go to the documents library in your OneDrive account.
- Locate the shared image or folder and click on the icon. Shared.
- From there you can choose to remove access, restrict viewing only, or prevent downloading.
- You can also undo permission inheritance if the original folder shared all of its files.
With this you can control who has access to what content in a precise and organized manner.
Other ways to hide images: specific folders on mobile
On Android and iOS devices, you can delve into your auto-upload settings to define which folders sync with OneDrive:
- Open OneDrive on your mobile.
- Configure the section Charging the camera.
- Enable the option to select specific folders.
- Deactivate albums that contain unwanted images such as screenshots, WhatsApp or social media.
Thus, you prevent certain images from being uploaded automatically and you can keep the cloud cleaner and more secure.
There are multiple ways to Hide or protect photos in OneDrive, whether it's preventing them from being displayed in apps like Windows Photos, storing them in Personal Vault, or adjusting the automatic upload sources on your devices. You can also manage permissions so no one else can see your images if they've been previously shared. Each option offers a level of control to suit different scenarios, from users seeking extra privacy to those just looking to avoid visual clutter.