Once it’s unlocked, anything there is fair game for someone who lets their curiosity get the best. But you can ensure that photos, videos, or other files that you’d rather stay private. And are kept in a digital lock. Several apps do this, placing a secure folder on your home screen only you can access. It’s the easiest way to ensure that certain things you want to be private remain.
After trying several options. I found three good ones that might help avoid embarrassing moments and give peace of mind. When the family passes your phone around the table at the next family gathering. The article includes information on Samsung apps built into their devices.
Private Photo Vault – Keepsafe
Keepsafe is a particularly impressive app that will keep your personal stuff from prying eyes. It’s straightforward to set up and use, with many useful options. That lets you tweak the app to work how you want it to.
As you’ll find with all of the apps in this genre. You use a pin number or fingerprint to gain access and provide an email address as a backup. With a backup code if you’re locked out. The interface keeps Material Design, which makes it blend well with Android apps.
Once you’ve started, you can start adding content to the categories. You can upload files and videos to different albums. You want to keep one devoted to photos of a significant other. But these are just suggestions. You can edit and delete any time if stockpiling photos of your main squeeze isn’t part of the plan.
The app starts with a 30-day trial period and a premium service of $10 monthly. This includes a space-saving feature that backs your data to a private cloud, provides trash recovery, and eliminates advertisements. Keepsafe says all the content is end-to-end encrypted and not viewed by the company.
You can also disguise the app with another icon. Even create a decoy number if you need to fool someone about what the app is really. Keepsafe will also perform break-in alerts by logging the time and snapping a photo of a suspicious attempt.
Gallery Vault-Hide Photo Video
Another solid choice is GalleryVault. The basic feature set is pretty similar, though the layout emphasizes a wider variety of content for you to save. The app also offers clever features to make it a ghost on your home screen. You can hide the icon and launch GalleryVault by typing a pin into your dialer. A URL in the browser. Or use a couple of covert methods to gain access.
GalleryVault is another solid choice, though the best features require a subscription.
The dialer requires you to grant additional permissions in the Android settings menu. But GalleryVault will walk you through it. Once you’ve set up your security layer, you can add images, videos, files, and anything else you want to upload. From here, it’s pretty self-explanatory in terms of adding content. But as with other apps, remember that uploading something doesn’t eliminate where you pulled it from. Manually delete photos you don’t want seen.
The app is free, and it’s ad-supported. If you want to remove the ads or get some more features. It’ll cost you a one-time payment of $15 through an in-app upgrade. What you get are the Pro version and impressive extras. It includes fingerprint unlock and the ability to close the app by shaking your phone. With a quick photo of the perpetrator if someone tries to break in.
Folder Lock
Another choice to consider is Folder Lock. A recommendation would be to go for the $4 Premium Folder Lock Pro. Make the most out of the extra security features. That includes a private cloud, the ability to hide the icon, and a rather creative panic mode. That offers a button for quickly switching from one app to another. In case you sense someone is looking over your shoulder.
Folder Lock gives you a grid layout of all the different type of places. For you to save content you want to keep private.
The interface isn’t relatively as smooth as the other two options in the list. But the feature set is pretty solid. If you’re looking for an app that is very straightforward about categorizing your secret content. It also doesn’t require a subscription. It is a lovely difference-maker in an era. Where practically every service out there tries to make do with some type of monthly revenue stream.
Samsung Built In Secure Folder
Finally, if you have a Galaxy Note7 or later, many of these features are built in through Samsung’s secure folder. You’ll need to sign in with a Samsung account. To lock the folder or hide it from appearing on your home screen.
Samsung’s been a little busy dousing the flames. It was heard that features came to the Galaxy S7 and later with updates. It’s good to grant this feature since the Galaxy phones were released in the Note generation.
Until then, there are some excellent choices from the Play Store. As always, no measure is entirely foolproof. So think extra hard. Putting a copy of your passport or other sensitive materials onto your phone without covering them in security.
