Privacy and security
Photos access for apps
Most people call this how much of your library an app can see.
An app can be given access to your whole photo library, only to photos you pick, or to nothing at all.
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 16 and later
- Settings
- Privacy & Security
- Photos
What it does
Limited Access is the important middle option: you choose specific photos and the app sees only those. Add Photos Only lets an app save images without reading anything.
What changes
When it is on
The app sees what you granted.
When it is off
The app cannot read your photos, though you can still share to it from the share sheet.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- Editing apps need access to work.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Limited Access covers almost every real use.
- Full library access reveals location, faces and years of history.
- The share sheet works without granting anything.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
Helps
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: Denied until an app asks.
What your iPhone needs
- Needs iOS 14 or later
Questions people actually ask
- Can an app see all my photos?
- Only if you granted full access. Switch it to Limited Access and choose which photos it sees.
If it is not working
- Choose Limited Access, then use Edit Selected Photos to change what an app can see.
- Add Photos Only is the right level for an app that only saves images.