If you’re like most iPhone users, you probably assume your Photos app is private—after all, it’s your personal collection of memories.
But did you know that iOS has been quietly keeping track of the images you recently viewed and shared? With iOS 18.4, Apple is finally giving users a way to take control of this overlooked privacy issue.
Before this update, two default albums—Recently Viewed and Recently Shared—acted as automatic collections of the photos and videos you interacted with most.
While convenient for quickly finding a picture you just looked at, these albums could also be an unexpected privacy risk.
Anyone who picks up your phone and opens the Photos app could instantly see which images you’ve been viewing and sharing, even if they weren’t saved in a visible album.
With iOS 18.4, Apple has added a simple but important toggle that lets you hide these albums completely.
If you value privacy, you’ll want to turn this setting off immediately.
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To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down, and select Apps.
- Select Photos from the list.
- Then scroll down until you find the new option: Show Recently Viewed & Shared. Simply toggle it off, and those albums will disappear from your Photos app.
This small but significant change is part of Apple’s ongoing push to give users more control over their data.
While the company is known for its strong stance on privacy, subtle features like this prove that they’re still refining the user experience in ways that might not make the headlines but matter in everyday use.
So, if you haven’t updated your iPhone yet, now might be a good time. Not only will you get access to the latest features and performance improvements, but you’ll also gain a little extra peace of mind.
