Device-based scanning
Reads camera metadata from every photo and video to determine which device took it. Choose which devices to keep — any make or model.
Why we built it
“I have a lot of photos of my dog. I also have a camera roll I’d never hand to another person.”
Showing someone one photo shouldn’t mean showing them everything. MyOriginals exists so you can pass your phone across the table without a second thought.
MyOriginals reads camera metadata to sort your library by device — so you decide what stays visible and what stays out of sight.
Still in your library
Photos move to the built-in Hidden album. A photo in your Vacation album won't show there while hidden, but it still belongs to that album. Unhide it anytime from the app or the Photos app and it comes right back.
No data collection
MyOriginals doesn't connect to the internet. Everything runs locally on your device.
Review before acting
Preview scan results before hiding anything. Cancel a scan at any time and keep partial results. Undo a hide immediately after.
Dry run
Review everything before you hide
After a scan, MyOriginals shows exactly what it found — devices in your library, how many photos stay visible, and how many would be hidden — with thumbnails you can browse before you tap confirm.
- Keep and hide counts up front, so there are no surprises
- Discovered cameras listed with one-tap add to your keep list
- Nothing moves until you choose Hide — cancel anytime during a scan
In the app
Built for control and undo
Choose your devices, review what will be hidden, and always have a path back if something was marked by mistake.
Filters
Pick which cameras and devices count as yours. Auto-detects your current device and discovers others from scan results.
Recently Hidden
Browse batches you hid and unhide by group, one at a time, or everything at once.
Operation Log
See what the app did and when — scans, hides, and unhides — with your last 100 operations kept on device.
Features
Any device, any camera
Works with any make or model — iPhone, Canon, GoPro, iPad, and more. Auto-detects your current device on first launch.
Dry-run preview
See thumbnail previews, keep/hide counts, and discovered devices before you commit. Add devices on-the-fly from scan results.
Undo & unhide
Instantly undo your last hide, browse recently hidden items, or unhide everything at once.
Operation log
Every scan, hide, and unhide is recorded so you can review what happened and when. Keeps your last 100 operations.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Does MyOriginals delete my photos?
- No. MyOriginals only hides photos by moving them to the built-in Hidden album.
- Do hidden photos leave my albums?
- No. They're hidden from view, not removed. Unhide and they show up in the same albums again.
- What is the Hidden album?
- An iOS feature. Hidden items stay in your library but don't show in the main Photos tab. You can view or unhide them in the Photos app or in MyOriginals.
- How does the scan work?
- MyOriginals scans your library and reads camera make and model from each photo or video's file metadata. It keeps items from your chosen devices and marks the rest to hide.
- Can I move scan results to an album instead of hiding them?
- Yes. On the scan results screen, tap Add to Album to save the keep or hide list to a Photos album.
- How do I make scans faster?
- In Settings → Photos, choose Download and Keep Originals and wait until iCloud finishes syncing.
- What if a photo has no camera info?
- Photos or videos with no EXIF camera data are marked to hide, since the app can't confirm they're from your devices. You can always review and unhide them.
- Can I undo after hiding?
- Yes. Right after a hide you'll see an Undo option. You can also open Recently Hidden to unhide by batch, or use Unhide Everything from the main screen.
- Why doesn't Unhide work?
- If Settings → Photos has Use Face ID on, iOS won't let MyOriginals see your Hidden album. Turn it off to use Unhide everything, or unhide manually in the Photos app.
- Does MyOriginals collect any data?
- No. MyOriginals doesn't connect to the internet. Everything runs locally on your device.
Availability
Coming soon to the App Store
Drop us a line and we’ll let you know when it launches.