# A photo I hid still shows in Memories or the widget

> Apple keeps hidden photos out of Memories, Featured Photos and the Photos widget. If you still see one, it's an unhidden copy or a Shared Library photo. Fixes.

Source: https://hidephotosoniphone.com/fix/hidden-photo-in-featured-or-widget/ · Updated 2026-11-01 · By VaultForYou

![Show Featured Content switched off in Photos](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/img/fix--hidden-photo-in-featured-or-widget.png)

- 3 causes

Apple names the widget as a place hidden photos never appear. So what you see is a different photo.

- **Causes:** 3
- **Steps:** 3

**Short answer:** A truly hidden photo can't appear there: Apple keeps hidden photos out of Memories, Featured Photos and **the Photos widget**. What you see is **another copy** (check Utilities › Duplicates) or a **Shared Library** photo, which Apple adds to every member's memories and widget. To stop all featured photos, turn off **Show Featured Content**.

Causes

## Causes, most likely first

| Cause | How to tell | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A copy you didn't hide | The photo is still in your library | Hide every copy |
| A Shared Library photo | It carries the Shared Library badge | Hide it, or move it to your Personal Library first |
| Featured content is on | Memories and the widget keep picking photos | Turn off Show Featured Content |

3 steps

## Turn off featured photos (iOS 26)

1. **Open Photos › Collections.** Open **Photos** and tap **Collections**.
2. **Tap your account.** Tap your account picture in the **top-right corner**.
3. **Turn off Show Featured Content.** Switch it off. On iOS 18 it is in **Settings › Apps › Photos**; on iOS 16–17 in **Settings › Photos**.

Did that fix it?

Good. People usually do this next:

- [Photos widget answer](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/shows-in/photos-widget/)
- [Every place checked](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/shows-in/)

Find your fix:

- [It's in a Shared Library](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/shows-in/shared-library/)
- [It's still in my library](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/fix/hidden-photo-still-in-library/)

> When hiding isn't enough, use a lock of your ownVaultForYou keeps the photos, videos and documents you choose in a private vault that opens only with a pattern you draw. [Get VaultForYou](https://www.vaultforyou.app/)Free to download · iPhone, iOS 16 or later

Questions

## Still in Memories or widget: questions

### Why did a photo I hid show up in a memory?

A hidden photo isn't used for memories, so the one you saw is a different item: a duplicate you didn't hide, or a photo in a Shared Library, which Apple adds to every member's memories. Hide each copy, or turn off Show Featured Content to stop memories altogether.

### Does turning off Show Featured Content clear the Photos widget?

It stops Photos from making featured photos and memories, and Apple says you can turn them off in both the Photos app and the widget this way. Your photos aren't deleted or hidden by it; switch it back on later and featured content returns.

Checked against Apple's documentation

- [Hide photos with the Hidden album](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104987)
- [Hide people, memories and holidays in Photos](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iph10a9dd2a1/ios)
- [Use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iph1a6c849ab/ios)

## Go deeper

- [Memories and Featured Photos](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/shows-in/memories-featured-photos/)
- [Hide button](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/methods/hide-button/)

## Other fixes

- [Hidden photo still in library](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/fix/hidden-photo-still-in-library/)
- [Showing on iPad or Mac](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/fix/hidden-photos-showing-on-ipad-or-mac/)
- [Can't find Unhide](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/fix/cant-find-unhide/)
- [Hidden photos came back](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/fix/hidden-photos-came-back/)
- [Someone opened Hidden](https://hidephotosoniphone.com/fix/someone-opened-hidden-album/)