logo
I found a secret iPhone folder that could expose bad habits, financial info & cheating – deleting it saved my storage

I found a secret iPhone folder that could expose bad habits, financial info & cheating – deleting it saved my storage

The Irish Sun20-06-2025
YOUR smartphone is like an electronic mirror - it can reveal all sorts about who you are, who you're close to and what your interests are.
But I found a secret folder recently that could expose more about me than I'd like to admit. It's quite spooky.
4
It acts as a chunky dossier of my social media scrolling, internet browsing, social life - and all my bad habits
Credit: Getty
Apple introduced a dedicated Screenshots album in iOS 9, all the way back in 2015.
Somehow, I've only just discovered it - and with the sheer size of it, there's no wonder my storage is always full.
It's tucked away in
From strings of screenshots of wedding guest dresses, confirmation pages following shopping orders and ticket bookings, to (and I hate to admit this) my own bank details - this album of images is incredibly personal.
It acts as a chunky dossier of my social media scrolling, internet browsing, social life - and all my bad habits.
All the Instagram profiles I've screenshotted, messages I've shared for my friends to weigh in on, to my own financial information that is ripe for hackers - it's all there.
Whenever you screenshot something on your iPhone, that snap is automatically transported to its own, exclusive folder.
Where these images are usually camouflaged in your wider Photos album, they are truly laid bare in the Screenshots folder.
I had nearly 3,700 screenshotted images inside this hidden folder - that's roughly 2GB in storage.
You might even be able to call me a digital hoarder - an emerging "dark side of technology" which can fuel anxiety and stress levels, according to a recent
Apple shows you tips and tricks on the new Iphone 16e with Apple Intelligence
But doing so is not only eating into my storage, it poses a huge security risk too.
Interestingly, considering how much it reveals about me, this sneaky folder may even be used to
4
While you may find it hard to let go of some images - 'just in case' you might need them later - remember that some of these screenshots may pose a security risk
Credit: Getty
Save storage
By deleting all my screenshots - spanning nearly a decade - I managed to
Unlike your main photo library, the Screenshots album gives you the option to Select All - so deleting every snap in one swoop is easy.
If you want to wipe all screenshots, tap
Select
in the top-right, then hit
Select All
in the top-left.
Once everything's highlighted, tap the
bin icon
and confirm.
While you may find it hard to let go of some images - 'just in case' you might need them later - remember that some of these screenshots may pose a security risk.
Where is the Screenshots folder?
Apple's Photos app automatically puts all your screenshots in a dedicated album - all you need to do is locate it. Here's how:
Open the
Photos app
on your iPhone or iPad.
Scroll down, and you will see a
Media Types
section. Tap it.
Select
Screenshots
to see them all in one spot.
If you're on iOS 17, make sure you're in the
Albums
tab.
Then, scroll down to find the
Screenshots
folder.
Alternatively, Apple may keep it in your
Pinned Collections.
Simply scroll along pass your Favourites and Recently Saved albums to find Screenshots.
Image credit: Apple
4
Some screenshots may expose sensitive information, such as financial details or passwords
Credit: Getty
Security risk
If you're an avid online shopper or digital banking user like me, then your screenshots could pose a security risk for your accounts.
Some snaps may expose sensitive information, such as financial details or passwords.
Even information that could be used for phishing scams, such as my name, email and postal address, can be in these screenshots.
This is yet another reason to let go of those pesky screenshots you never revisit or reopen.
Now, here's the part some people miss.
When you delete a screenshot - or any image for that matter - it's not fully gone.
The image quietly moves to the Recently Deleted album for up to 30 days before it is automatically removed.
If you want it gone for good - and you want to free up space immediately - then go into the
Recently Deleted
album, select the screenshots again, and hit
Delete
.
4
This hidden folder could be an obscure but easy way to catch out a cheater
Credit: Getty
Caught out
Now, I know that you could learn a lot about me from my Screenshots folder - meaning you could probably extract a lot of information about someone else from theirs.
This hidden folder, therefore, could be an obscure but easy way to catch out a cheater.
Anyone can delete texts or WhatsApp messages - however, there might be a trace of infidelity hidden in their screenshots.
Be it from screenshots of someone's recent Instagram photo, or perhaps confirmation of a dinner reservation you weren't privy to.
Four red flags your partner is cheating
Private Investigator Aaron Bond from BondRees revealed four warning signs your partner might be cheating.
They start to take their phone everywhere with them
In close relationships, it's normal to know each other's passwords and use each other's phones, if their phone habits change then they may be hiding something.
"You should also look at how they place their phone down when not in use. If they face the phone with the screen facing down, then they could be hiding something."
They start telling you less about their day
When partners cheat they can start to avoid you, this could be down to them feeling guilty or because it makes it easier for them to lie to you.
"If you feel like your partner has suddenly begun to avoid you and they don't want to do things with you any more or they stop telling you about their day then this is another red flag."
"Partners often avoid their spouses or tell them less about their day because cheating can be tough, remembering all of your lies is impossible and it's an easy way to get caught out," says Aaron.
Their libido changes
Your partner's libido can change for a range of reasons so it may not be a sure sign of cheating but it can be a red flag according to Aaron.
Aaron says: "Cheaters often have less sex at home because they are cheating, but on occasions, they may also have more sex at home, this is because they feel guilty and use this increase in sex to hide their cheating. You may also find that your partner will start to introduce new things into your sex life that weren't there before."
They become negative towards you
Cheaters know that cheating is wrong and to them, it will feel good, this can cause tension and anxiety within themselves which they will need to justify.
"To get rid of the tension they feel inside they will try to convince themselves that you are the problem and they will become critical of you out of nowhere. Maybe you haven't walked the dog that day, put the dishes away or read a book to your children before bedtime. A small problem like this can now feel like a big deal and if you experience this your partner could be cheating," warns Aaron.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Apple's AI awakening lifts lagging shares
Apple's AI awakening lifts lagging shares

Irish Times

time9 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Apple's AI awakening lifts lagging shares

This year has been tough for Apple , but shares stirred to life after Bloomberg reported it may ditch its in-house AI model in favour of technology from OpenAI or Anthropic. That would mark a big shift for a company that prefers to build its core technologies itself. The stakes are high. Siri, once a marquee feature, now trails rivals. Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management, whose team tested Apple's revamped assistant, called it 'a voice-activated Google search' – fine for basics like calling a contact or checking the weather, but poor at reasoning or conversation. READ MORE Even when backed by ChatGPT, Siri was sluggish, with response times up to 20 seconds. ChatGPT voice, Munster said bluntly, 'feels like the future.' Apple's AI struggles are well-known and investors may want to leapfrog the problem by adopting a proven model. Still, outsourcing AI comes with strategic risks, says Munster. Rely too much on external models and Apple could lose control of future development – a tension already visible in Microsoft's ties to OpenAI. One alternative: buy Perplexity. The AI search start-up is model-agnostic and building a smart browser. Munster says it could boost Safari, hedge against Google Search, and give Apple more freedom to switch models. Wedbush's Dan Ives agrees, saying acquiring Perplexity would be a 'no-brainer'. Apple has made just three billion-dollar acquisitions. A Perplexity deal – likely over $14 billion – would mark a clear break from its cautious M&A playbook. Still, Apple spent over $100 billion on share buy-backs last year, so it can well afford to make a big AI statement. The question is whether it will.

The five shockingly common objects in your home that are tanking your Wi-Fi – and you can fix it in seconds
The five shockingly common objects in your home that are tanking your Wi-Fi – and you can fix it in seconds

The Irish Sun

timea day ago

  • The Irish Sun

The five shockingly common objects in your home that are tanking your Wi-Fi – and you can fix it in seconds

YOUR dodgy Wi-Fi might be your own fault – and not your internet provider's. It turns out that there are a few mistakes linked to common household objects that can cause Wi-Fi troubles at home. 3 Even if you're got a great router and a top package with rapid speeds, you won't necessarily get brilliant Wi-Fi Credit: Sky So much of what we do depends on having decent internet. That's why it's important to make sure you're not making simply errors that are silently killing your connection. SURPRISING WI-FI KILLERS Microwave ovens are great for fast cooking – but not fast Wi-Fi. For instance., Sky recommends Read more on Wi-Fi Aside from being a large metal object, microwave ovens operate a similar frequency range to common 2.4GHz WiFi (but with much greater power). So you'll want to keep your router far away from the microwave if you've got it set up in the kitchen. On that note, that second thing to watch out for is You'll definitely want to avoid having your router on or in a metal cabinet or shelving unit. Most read in Phones & Gadgets And avoid having any large metal objects nearby, like a washing machine. Thirdly, Genius Apple trick lets you send iPhone texts with no signal or Wi-Fi It's fine to have mirrors in your home, but you might not want to have one sitting right behind your router. Fourth, be mindful of other devices that operate on the same 2.4GHz frequency as your Wi-Fi. Common offending gadgets include bluetooth speakers and cordless home phones. And fifth, beware water. Drink it, obviously – but don't put it near your router. 3 Having electronics right next to your router is a bad idea Credit: Sky Aside from the obvious risk of water damage, large amounts of water can affect signals. So don't put your router on top of – or next to – a fish tank, or right by a giant vase filled with water. As a bonus tip, keep your router off the floor too. It can be tempting to dump it down there to get it out of the way, but routers generally work better when raised up. YOUR DEVICES MIGHT BE SLOWING WI-FI TOO Here's the official advice from Sky... "Everything you connect to your hub uses bandwidth, and the more you connect the more it can slow you down," Sky explained. "Even when you aren't using them, app updates, device backups and your smart home devices can still be using your bandwidth in the background. "Try disconnecting anything that doesn't need to be connected so they're not hogging your bandwidth when you're trying to browse, work or play. "And try avoiding activities that need a lot of speed, like online gaming or streaming in HD." Picture Credit: Unsplash You'll want it about head height, so find a nice shelf (preferably not metal) to stick it on. WHY ELSE MIGHT YOUR SPEEDS BE SLOW? Of course, there are plenty of other reasons that your Wi-Fi might be struggling. Your first port of call should be the speed that you're paying for. If you've got a cheaper broadband package then your internet speeds simply might not be very good. 3 You can check your internet speeds easily in seconds – it doesn't cost a penny and will reveal if you're having a Wi-Fi nightmare Credit: FAST / The Sun It's easy enough to check your speeds: try See if that matches up with the speeds on the package that you paid for. If it's miles off – like you're getting an eighth of the promised speed – then something is probably up. You'll experience worse speeds the further you are from the router, so consider connecting gadgets via an ethernet cable if they're very far away. If you've got a big home, you might need several connection points around the home to get the best speeds in the most distant parts of your house. And sometimes internet speeds can drop in an area temporarily due to a technical issue that has nothing to do with you – and is out of your control. Also, if your household is making heavy use of the internet – multiple devices uploading and downloading – then you may experience Wi-Fi trouble too.

Costly mistakes EVERYONE makes when buying new phones, TVs & Amazon gadgets – why you're losing £1000s without realising
Costly mistakes EVERYONE makes when buying new phones, TVs & Amazon gadgets – why you're losing £1000s without realising

The Irish Sun

timea day ago

  • The Irish Sun

Costly mistakes EVERYONE makes when buying new phones, TVs & Amazon gadgets – why you're losing £1000s without realising

WHETHER it's early Christmas shopping or just a treat, buying new phones, TVs, and gadgets off Amazon can end up being a costly nightmare. There are loads of simple mistakes that could be costing you thousands, from getting sucked in by flashy TV specs you don't need, ignoring a little-known iPhone menu that reveals if you're being scammed, and falling for a costly Amazon "price trick". 16 The iPhone 16 is the latest model – but you don't necessarily need it Credit: Apple 16 Refurbished schemes are an easy way to bag huge discounts on top tech – without the downsides of bagging a used phone from a mate or stranger Credit: Apple / The Sun Here are some of the biggest mistakes that you can make when you're snapping up new gadgets. PHONE SHOPPING MISTAKES Mistake 1 – Ignoring official 'refurbished' schemes It's easy to forget that buying phones isn't just a choice between a new mobile from the shop or a used one via eBay or Facebook Marketplace. There's a third (and easily missed) option: certified refurbished schemes. Many gadget makers and retailers have dedicated services where they restore used or unboxed phones so that they're basically as good as new, but with big discounts. Apple is a good example. Go to the website and look for the Certified Refurbished section There you'll find top models that have been fully tested, include a one-year warranty, a brand new box with all accessories and cables, and a fresh battery too. And they're all heavily discounted because they're "refurbished". Right now, you can get £310 savings on some iPhone 14 Pro Max models (but we've seen Samsung has a similar scheme called Certified Re-Newed iPhone 16e review – I've secretly tested Apple's cheapest mobile and I love the new button but that's not the best bit And again, you'll get gadgets in a brand new box with a cable, SIM ejector, plus a year-long warranty. Then there are third-party marketplaces like Back Market that also refurbish mobiles. So don't pay full price for a phone without checking the refurbished version too. Just remember: you might struggle to find refurbished units for the absolute-newest phone models. Mistake 2 – Buying a used phone with fake parts When you're buying a used phone from a person directly, you'll often be nabbing it at a saving. 16 Apple has set up the iPhone to show when it's packing fake parts Credit: Apple But that person might have secretly Now you've got an iPhone that might break down, not work properly, and require expensive repairs. Not only that, but it'll affect the resale value of your mobile too. You'll want to get into Settings > General > About > Parts and Service History . This will show parts of your iPhone, and whether they're legit or not. "If a part is labelled Genuine Apple Part, the part has been replaced with a genuine Apple part using genuine Apple parts and processes," Apple explained. "If a part is labelled Unknown Part, this means that the installation is incomplete. "Or the part was replaced with a non-genuine part, was previously used or installed in another iPhone, or isn't functioning as expected." If you're not seeing the menu, it means your iPhone hasn't had any parts swapped. 16 If an iPhone has been repaired, you can see in Settings > General > About > Parts and Service History Credit: Apple You should check this page before you accept the smartphone from whoever you're buying it from. "Genuine Apple parts are designed to fit precisely within the device and provide optimal performance, safety, and reliability," Apple explained. "Repairs performed by Apple and Apple Authorised Service Providers are covered by Apple's warranty. "Repairs performed by untrained individuals or using non-genuine parts might affect the functionality, safety, security, and privacy of the device." Apple adds: "Using non-genuine batteries might also result in unexpected behaviour after installation, device software updates, or while charging. "Using non-genuine batteries might also lead to safety issues." Mistake 3 – Not looking at the phone's 'software' version All phones run on an operating system, with settings, menus, and design. 16 Google's latest phone software is called Android 16 – but not all mobiles can run it Credit: Google Apple's iPhone runs on iOS and most other mobiles run on Google's Android. These operating systems are updated fairly regularly – usually receiving a major upgrade once a year. These updates are important for two reasons. The first is that they deliver new features , keeping your old mobile feeling fresh with the latest tricks. And the second is that software updates are how tech giants deliver security fixes to your phone. These fixes will close dangerous security loopholes that hackers can use to break into your device, accounts, and potentially even your finances. If your phone is too old to receive these updates, it's seriously exposed to cybercrime – not to mention missing out on new features too. So before you buy a used phone, make absolutely sure that it can still receive software updates. 16 Apple is rolling out iOS 26 to iPhones later this year, but millions of older devices will miss out Credit: Apple A quick Google search will reveal the latest iOS or Android software version, and whether your mobile can get it. For instance, only the following iPhones can get the iOS 26 update coming out in September: iPhone 16e iPhone 16 ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus iPhone 16 Pro ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max iPhone 15 ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 14 ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 13 ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 12 iPhone 12 mini ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 11 ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone SE (3rd gen) ‌iPhone‌ SE (2nd gen) So if you buy an older iPhone than that, you're leaving yourself exposed. DON'T RISK AN ANCIENT MOBILE Here's some phone advice from The Sun's tech editor Buying a phone from last year or the year before is a savvy move to save money. But if you're snapping up a mobile that's five years old, you might be in serious danger. Make absolutely sure that it is still getting updates – and isn't cut off, or about to be. If you're left with a gadget that can't get security updates, you're an open goal for cybercriminals. They can waltz right in through unpatched security holes that are well-known in hacker communities. Free security updates are one of your best defences against hackers. So don't leave it to chance and don't leave the front door to your digital life unlocked. Picture Credit: Sean Keach It's better to buy a newer model that will still get updates for several years, to avoid having to upgrade (and paying hundreds to do so). Sure, it might be tempted to get a very old phone on the cheap – but going too far back is simply not worth the risk. TV SHOPPING MISTAKES TVs can vary wildly in price – so if you bungle your purchase, the cost of the mistake can be huge. It's not like picking the wrong pastry at Greggs, you could be throwing away hundreds of pounds. Mistake 1 – 8K? Not OK First off, watch out for telly jargon – and 8K is at the top of the list. It sounds better than 4K, right? But splashing out on 8K TV is one of the easiest ways to end up spending way more than you need to. These terms relate to the resolution of your TV's screen – that's the number of pixels. Pixels are the tiny dots that light up with colour to make up the picture that you see. If you have more of those tiny dots, your telly can show more detail. 16 Netflix has plenty of 4K telly – but you won't find any 8K movies in its library Credit: Netflix So a 720p HD TV would have a resolution of 1,280 pixels horizontally and 720 pixels vertically. That totals to 921,600 pixels across the entire screen. Here's how common resolutions compare: 720p HD (1,280 x 720 pixels) – 921,600 pixels total 1080p Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) – 2,073,600 pixels total 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) – 8,294,400 pixels total 8K Super HD (7,680 x 4,320 pixels) – 33,177,600 pixels total More pixels mean more potential detail on your TV screen – but that's not always particularly useful. For a start, your eyes will struggle to tell the difference between 4K and 8K. You'd need to have an absolutely enormous TV, bigger than would fit in most living rooms, to see a noticeable change. Or you'd need to be sitting so close to your telly that you're basically on top of it. But that's not even the biggest problem. 16 A 4K TV is a nice happy medium when it comes to quality and pricing – very few people need an 8K telly today Credit: Samsung To enjoy a 4K picture on a 4K TV, you also need a piece of 4K content – and the same is true for 8K. There's almost no 8K content out there. In fact, loads of telly still isn't even shown in 4K, never mind 8K. It's trickier to capture and produce 8K content, and streaming it would put a much bigger strain on home internet. So no one really bothers. And even though your 8K telly will promise to "upscale" lower quality footage, this is just computer trickery – and not comparable to the real thing. So I wouldn't bother with 8K just yet. At the same time, I'd recommend picking a 4K telly over a cheaper Full HD TV. You can get 4K TVs for very cheap now, and most streaming apps (like Netflix and Amazon Video) serve up 4K content. And if you buy a Full HD telly, you'll probably want to upgrade far sooner than if you get a more future-proofed 4K – so it's worth the slightly higher upfront cost. Mistake 2 – Plug-in power Just because your TV is slow does not mean you need a new one. You'll find that loads of cheap televisions run awfully slow, taking an age to navigate through menus. You click your remote and it feels like that signal is travelling through mud. That's because one of the easiest ways to cut costs on a cheap telly is by fitting it with a budget computer processor. 16 An Apple TV 4K is a great plug-in option for your telly – and will instantly speed it up Credit: Apple If you're happy with the picture, then the far cheaper option is to buy a plug-in streamer. My personal pick is the Apple TV 4K, which costs £149 and goes into the back of your telly. It's lightning quick to navigate with, and has all the top apps you'd want (BBC iPlayer, Netflix, ITV Hub, Prime Video, Now TV and so on). But you could also bag yourself a 4K Amazon Fire Stick (£60) or a 4K Roku box (£39) and use that as your main TV interface instead. That way, you get to enjoy your TV's picture – but it's the streaming stick that's powering what you see. And it means you don't need to pay hundreds (or even thousands) for a brand new telly that runs faster. Mistake 3 – Getting the wrong kind of TV What you absolutely don't want to do is get the wrong telly for your needs. 16 Make sure you pick a telly with plenty of ports – or you might find it lacking down the line Credit: Samsung Then you'll get it, use it for a few months, and realise you've made a big mistake. There are a few common bungles to watch out for. The first is the number of HDMI ports – you need to make sure that you have enough. If you're connecting a Fire Stick, an Xbox, and a Sky TV box, that's three HDMI ports gone straight away. And if the TV only has three ports, what do you do if you bag yourself the new Two HDMI ports will be a real struggle, so try to get a telly that has at least four. Secondly, if you're planning to do some serious gaming on the telly, pay attention to the refresh rate. Video is just a series of still images shown very quickly – and the refresh rate tells you how many times a second your TV is updating those images. For gamers, a screen with 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate gives you a smoother motion when you're playing games at a high frame rate. 16 Some TV brands offer 144Hz televisions that are better for gaming Credit: Samsung And that's important especially in fast-paced games. AMAZON SHOPPING MISTAKES Amazon is a treasure trove for gadget fans – it's packed with tech, often sold with heavy discounts. Mistake #1 – Falling for fake deals But one of the pitfalls for Amazon shoppers is finding a fake deal. This is when a price seems to be discounted, but the truth is that the "full price" isn't totally honest. Sometimes, sellers will only list a product at its full price for very short periods of time. This allows them to display a product as heavily discounted – even though that's the real price. Fortunately, there's a brilliant tool called CamelCamelCamel ( 16 You can easily check the price history for Amazon products by using CamelCamelCamel Credit: CamelCamelCamel / The Sun You'll be able to see a graph that charts its price movements, plus its highest, lowest, and average mark-ups. That way, you can tell if you're actually buying a great deal – or you're being massively ripped off. Mistake #2 – Not using price alerts The problem with buying products online is that it always feels like there's a sale on – until the moment you actually want to buy a product. 16 Make sure you're using your Amazon Wish List for discount alerts Credit: Amazon Then suddenly it's full price everywhere and you're paying hundreds more than you'd hoped to. The best way to tackle that with Amazon gadgets is to set up price alerts. This is perfect if you don't need something right away and want to get the best value for money . For a start, you can add items to your Amazon Wish List, and then switch on notifications in your Amazon account settings. That way, you'll be notified when prices drop for any of the items on your wish list. You can also go into the Amazon app, head into the Notifications > Recommendations settings and toggle it on. This will give you personalised deal alerts based on your shopping activity – like for items that you've recently searched. This is handy, as it'll capture gadgets that you forgot to add to your wish list but might still be interested in. 16 Try toggling on recommendation notifications for personalised deal alerts Credit: Amazon It could save you from massively overspending. Mistake #3 – Ignoring Amazon's hidden discounts There are a few easy-to-miss discount schemes on Amazon worth noting. Firstly, there's the Amazon Renewed store This is Amazon's Certified Refurbished store, where it professionally inspects, tests, and resells gadgets – with a one-year guarantee included. 16 Loads of discounted gadgets can be found in the Amazon Renewed store Credit: Amazon / The Sun You'll find significant discounts on products, including phones, headphones, and laptops. So it's worth checking on that store before you pay full price on regular Amazon. If you're a Prime member, you can also take advantage of the Buy More & Save store – you can find that This knocks 15% off your total bill if you buy at least four qualifying items. 16 If you're a Prime member, you can instantly cut your shopping bill Credit: Amazon / The Sun There's plenty in there, including food, clothes, and home essentials – but also some electronics too. So it's an easy way to trim your Amazon bills if you need the items on offer.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store