What are you trying to keep private?
Start with a concrete situation: a friend browsing your library, someone using your unlocked phone, or losing the device. A feature that helps with one situation may not cover another. Decide which files matter and who should be able to open them before choosing an app.
What Photos already provides
Apple’s Hidden album removes selected items from ordinary Photos views and is locked by default on supported systems. Apple’s current instructions explain how to hide items and manage the album’s visibility.
What a separate space adds
A vault can provide a separate credential and a place for documents and notes alongside photos. In Veil, a pattern opens an encrypted space; a different pattern can open another space. The unlock screen does not list them. This separation adds a recovery code and a backup routine that you must look after.
Hiding is not removing every copy
Moving attention away from a photo is different from accounting for its copies. Importing into Veil creates another copy. The original, an earlier export, a message attachment and a backup may all still exist. Make a short inventory before you decide what to keep or remove.
Choose a boundary you can maintain
Built-in controls may be enough for keeping selected photos out of everyday browsing. Consider a separate vault if you need separate access and mixed file types, and test its recovery process first. Neither choice protects an already exported copy or prevents another camera from recording a screen. Keep the device itself locked and updated.