How to protect your sensitive files with the Secure Folder

  • The Secure Folder creates a private encrypted space that can only be accessed with an additional lock such as a PIN, pattern, or fingerprint.
  • On Android, Files by Google allows you to hide internal files, while Samsung offers a more advanced Secure Folder integrated into One UI.
  • Google Photos adds a Locked Folder for photos and videos that don't sync to the cloud or appear in the main gallery.
  • Using these features as a second access barrier protects documents and sensitive content from prying eyes and shared use of the mobile device.
Joaquin Romero

14 minutes

Secure folder

When you carry your entire digital life in your pocket, the last thing you want is for anyone to be able to snoop through your private photos, your work documents, or those files you simply don't want to share. Locking your phone screen is good, but often it's not enoughIf someone manages to unlock the device, they have direct access to all your information.

That's why it makes so much sense to learn how to use the Secure Folder and the various locked folders offered by Android, Samsung, and Google. They're like a safe inside the phone itself.where access is only granted with a PIN, pattern, password or even fingerprint, and where files are isolated from the rest of the apps, searches and backups.

What exactly is the Secure Folder and why should you care?

The idea behind Secure Folder is simple: create a private space within the mobile device that only you can enterEven if someone has the phone unlocked in their hand. It's a second layer of security that acts like a locked drawer for your most sensitive information.

On Android, this function exists in different forms depending on the device and the apps you use. Google integrates it into its Files by Google browser. With its "Secure Folder" feature, Samsung includes it as a "Secure Folder" within One UI, and you also have similar options in Google Photos with the "Locked Folder." They all follow the same philosophy: your sensitive files can only be opened with an additional locking method.

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Secure Folder in Files by Google: your basic safe on Android

If you have an Android phone with version 8.0 or higher, you can use the Secure Folder built into the Files by Google app. It is a space protected by PIN or pattern. where you can store photos, documents, and any files that are in internal storage.

Requirements and important notices before using it

Before putting anything inside, it's important to clarify a few things. This feature is only available from Android 8.0 onwards.Therefore, it won't appear in earlier versions. Furthermore, there's a critical detail: if you forget the PIN or pattern you set, there's no way to recover it or access your saved files.

You should also know that Secure Folder relies on Android storage encryptionThis means that the data is stored in a way that no one can read it without the correct key. This is good news for security, but it also means that if something becomes corrupted or deleted, not even Files by Google can recover the content.

How to set up the Secure Folder in Files by Google

To start protecting files with Files by Google, you only need the app installed from Google Play (the full version, not the lighter one that doesn't include this feature). The initial setup is done in a few steps.:

  1. Open the Files by Google app on your Android mobile device.
  2. At the bottom, go to the “Explore” tab.
  3. Scroll down to the “Collections” section.
  4. Tap on “Safe Folder”.
  5. Choose the type of lock you want to use: PIN or unlock pattern.

If you choose PIN, you will have to Enter the code twice to confirm. And finally, accept a prompt to try and memorize it. If you prefer a pattern, you'll draw the sequence, repeat it to confirm it, and then see a message reminding you not to forget it.

It is fundamental that Write down your PIN or pattern in a safe place (a password manager(for example). If you lose it, your files will be permanently inaccessible, with no option for recovery.

How to move files to the Secure Files folder

Once the function is activated, you can start hiding things. The process for adding files is very intuitive. and it's very similar to moving them between normal folders:

  • Navigate through the Files explorer to locate the photos, videos, or documents you want to hide.
  • Select one or more files.
  • Open the options menu (the three-dot button) located at the top of the screen.
  • Choose the “Move to secure folder” option.
  • Enter your PIN or pattern when prompted to confirm it's you.

After that last step, The files disappear from their usual location and become visible only within the Secure Folder.No one who picks up your phone and starts looking at the gallery, downloads, or other apps will see those files.

Note that Files can only move files from internal storageIf you need to share them securely, you can Use your mobile phone as an FTP serverIt's not for hiding entire applications or blocking access to apps; it's primarily intended for content such as images, videos, PDFs, or documents.

How to access protected files and retrieve them from there

When you want to view or retrieve something you've backed up, you'll need to reopen the Secure Folder from Files by Google. Access always requires the same locking method you configured:

  1. Open Files by Google.
  2. Scroll down to the “Collections” section.
  3. Tap on “Safe Folder”.
  4. Enter your PIN or draw your pattern, depending on the method you have chosen.

Once it's unlocked, you'll see all the files you have stored in that space. The view can be displayed in a grid or a list.And from there you can open, play or manage them like any other file, but always within that protected environment.

If you decide that certain items no longer need to be hidden, you can remove them from the Secure Folder. The process for returning them to their place is very similar:

  1. Go to Files and open “Secure Folder”.
  2. Enter your PIN or pattern and press "Next" to enter.
  3. Locate the files you want to extract.
  4. Press and hold to select one or more items.
  5. Open the “More” menu (the three dots) and select “Get out of Secure Folder”.

If you're in list view and want to move a single file, you'll also see a three-dot menu to the right of each item, from which you can choose the option to move it. Once the operation is complete, the file returns to its original location.If that folder no longer exists, Files will recreate it automatically.

There is a technical detail that should not be overlooked: Do not close the Secure Folder or switch apps while the files are being moved.If you interrupt the operation before it finishes, the transfer is canceled and the files remain where they were, inside the protected folder.

Change the lock type and delete the Secure Folder in Files

You might find that someone has seen your PIN or that you want to switch from pattern to PIN, or vice versa. Files allows you to quickly change the lock type from settings:

  1. On the Files home screen, tap the menu button in the upper left corner.
  2. Go to “Settings”.
  3. Select “Secure Folder”.
  4. Select “Change lock”.
  5. Enter your current method (PIN or pattern) to verify that it is you.
  6. Configure the new lock and confirm it.

From that same settings section you can completely delete the Secure Files folderThe process is simple:

  1. Open the Files main menu.
  2. Go to “Settings”.
  3. Go to “Secure Folder”.
  4. Tap on “Delete Secure Folder”.
  5. Confirm by clicking “Delete”.

It is vital that you know that If you delete the Secure Folder while there are still files inside, those files will disappear with no possibility of recovery.Before deleting it, it's a good idea to review the contents and remove anything you want to keep.

Risks, limitations and best practices with Files Secure Folder

Although the Secure Folder is robust, it's not magic. Because it relies on Android storage encryption, data can also be corrupted or deleted in specific cases. (system failures, serious hardware problems, etc.). If that happens, no one will be able to read the content: not you, not other apps, not even Files by Google itself.

To reduce the risk of losing access to your protected files, you should avoid certain actions:

  • Do not use other apps to "clean" your phone by deleting cache or aggressively freeing up space on internal storage.
  • Do not connect SD cards that contain encrypted Secure Folder files from another phoneThey cannot be reused from one device to another.
  • Do not try manually copy encrypted files from the Secure Folder of one mobile phone to anotherbecause they will not be readable on the new device.

In addition, the Secure Folder has several design limitations that should be known:

  • It is not possible to move installed applications to the Secure Folder, files only.
  • The items you store there They will not appear in searches or in Files categories..
  • No third-party application can directly open files located in the Secure Folder, which reinforces privacy.
  • Within that space You won't see options for sharing or creating automatic backups in Google Drive..
  • Screenshots are not allowed when browsing the Secure Folderto prevent anyone from taking photos of its contents.

Finally, keep in mind something important: Even if the files are locked by the Secure Folder, if someone gains advanced physical access to the device's internal storage, they could potentially interact with them.For the vast majority of users, this won't be a real problem, but it illustrates that absolute security never exists; the sensible thing to do is combine this feature with a good screen lock and prudent habits, and with a VPN for remote access.

Secure Folder on Samsung phones: an isolated environment within One UI

secure folder

In mid-range and high-end Samsung Galaxy phones, the privacy solution takes another step forward. Samsung's Secure Folder creates a kind of "parallel mobile" inside yourswhere you can have separate copies of apps, files, and data that only open with additional authentication.

Activate and manage the Secure Folder on Samsung

To activate this option on a compatible Galaxy, you must go through the system settings. Everything is centralized in the security and biometrics section:

  1. Go to the device's "Settings".
  2. Go to “Biometrics and security”.
  3. Tap on “Safe Folder”.
  4. Sign in or create your Samsung account if you don't already have one.
  5. Choose your preferred locking method: pattern, PIN, password, or registered fingerprint.

Once configured, The Secure Folder appears as an additional icon on the home screen.From there you can enter, install applications within that isolated space, move files, and configure its behavior.

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If you don't want anyone to even see that the Secure Folder exists, you can hide its icon from the Secure Folder settings menu itselfThis way, it disappears from the main screen, stops appearing in the app list, and doesn't show notifications: to access it, you'll need to know exactly how to reactivate it.

Encryption, hiding, and behavior starting with One UI 8.0

With modern versions of Samsung's layer (starting with One UI 8.0), the company adjusted the way the folder is managed. The former “Encrypt” option has been renamed “Hide Secure Folder”, and the behavior of the icon in the quick settings panel changed.

If you tap the Secure Folder icon in the quick settings to turn it off, Samsung performs encryption and obfuscation simultaneously.In practice, that means:

  • The Secure Folder app icon disappears completely.
  • The apps you had inside stop working and can no longer receive notifications.
  • Those apps don't appear in Settings or in the sharing menus either.

This has one clear advantage: Whoever picks up your phone won't see any trace that a private environment exists.But it also means that you are the one who must remember how to show it again and unlock it with your security method.

Backup and restore on Samsung Cloud

One of the major differences between Samsung's Secure Folder and Files' Secure Folder is that Lets do encrypted backups of its content on Samsung Cloudlinked to your Samsung account. So if you change phones or lose your phone, you can restore your private data on another compatible device.

To save content to the Samsung cloud, the process would be:

  1. Open the Secure Folder on your Galaxy.
  2. Tap on “More options” (three vertical dots in the upper corner).
  3. Go to "Settings".
  4. Go to “Security and restore” (or “Backup and restore”, depending on the version of One UI).
  5. Add your Samsung account if you haven't already linked it, following the on-screen instructions.
  6. Tap on “Back up data from secure folder”.
  7. Select the items you want to include and press “Backup”.

With that, An encrypted copy of the content will be uploaded to Samsung CloudLater, if you need to recover it on another Galaxy, you can do so from the same menu:

  1. Access the Secure Folder.
  2. Go to “More options” and then to “Settings”.
  3. Select “Backup and Restore > Restore”.
  4. Choose the device from which you want to recover the data.
  5. Select the items you want to restore and click on “Restore”.

In a few minutes, You'll have your apps, settings, and private files back in the new Secure Folder of your Samsung device.

Locked folders on Android: beyond Files and Samsung

If your phone isn't a Samsung or you only want to protect certain types of content, Android offers other built-in alternatives. The most well-known is the Google Photos Locked FolderIdeal for keeping sensitive photos and videos under lock and key without the need for additional apps.

Folder locked in Google Photos for sensitive images and videos

The Locked Folder feature in Google Photos isn't exactly the same as the Secure Folder in Files, but it serves a similar purpose for media content. It allows you to save photos and videos that will not be displayed in the general gallery.neither in search results, nor in other apps, and they are not uploaded to the cloud.

To activate it and start using it, the typical process is:

  1. Open the Google Photos app.
  2. At the bottom, go to “Library”.
  3. Tap on “Utilities”.
  4. Look for the “Locked Folder” option and click on “Start”.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions, where you will need to enter the same screen lock method as your mobile phone (PIN, pattern, fingerprint, etc.).

Once configured, Any images or videos you put in that folder will not sync with Google Photos in the cloud.Therefore, it remains exclusively on the device. It will also not appear when sharing from other apps or in automatic presentations.

Additionally, if you use the Google Camera app, you can save new photos directly to the locked folder From the gallery icon in the top right corner, select "Locked Folder". If you already have content in the gallery, you can select it, tap "More", and then "Move to Locked Folder".

Other options and third-party apps

Although built-in solutions are usually sufficient, there are also third-party applications that create private folders with different encryption and hiding systems. Their quality and safety vary greatlyTherefore, it is advisable to choose reliable developers with good ratings and clear privacy policies.

In general, if your goal is to protect documents, photos, or videos from prying eyes, It is more advisable to start with the native functions of Android, Google and Samsungbecause they integrate better with the system, are updated regularly, and do not depend on an external company whose future is unknown.

When does it make sense to use a Secure Folder and how to get the most out of it

Beyond the technical aspects, the real usefulness of these functions is seen in everyday life. The Secure Folder is especially useful when you frequently share or lend your mobile phone.: to your partner, your children, friends, at work, etc.

For example, if you let a child play with your phone, you can prevent you from accidentally deleting important photos or opening sensitive documents Simply save all of that in the Secure Folder. Even if your phone is shared at home or in the office: you keep the truly private part isolated from the rest.

It's also very useful if you have it on your phone. working filesThis includes reports, contracts, photos of identity documents, or any sensitive personal content. Even if someone were to bypass the screen lock, they still wouldn't be able to access the contents of the Secure Folder without knowing the specific PIN or pattern.

However, like any security tool, Secure Folder is not a substitute for a good screen lock, responsible backups, or common sense.It's a very powerful extra layer to keep safe what you don't want anyone to see, as long as you remember your passwords, avoid aggressively cleaning the system, and understand its data recovery limitations.

Secure folder
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In short, if you organize your files well and take advantage of tools like Files' Secure Folder, Samsung's Secure Folder, or Google Photos' Locked Folder, You can turn your mobile phone into a much more private device without sacrificing the convenience of carrying everything with you.Knowing that what is truly sensitive is protected behind an additional barrier that only you control. Share the information so that more users know about the topic.


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