Samsung Secure Folder alternatives for any Android phone
Samsung Secure Folder is one of the better built-in ways to keep things private on Android. But it only exists on Samsung Galaxy phones, and it has some limits that matter for private photos.
What Secure Folder does well
Secure Folder creates a separate, private space on your phone, protected by Samsung Knox (Samsung). It has its own PIN, password or pattern, so knowing your screen lock is not enough to get in. You can move photos, videos, documents and even apps into it, and hide its icon.
Where it falls short
- Samsung only. If your next phone is not a Galaxy, Secure Folder does not come with you.
- No new backups. Samsung says backing up Secure Folder is no longer supported. You can still restore older backups.
- Forgotten lock. If you forget the lock and did not turn on reset with your Samsung account, you cannot get back in. You can only remove Secure Folder and start again.
The alternatives
Google Photos Locked Folder
Built into Google Photos on most Android phones. Photos in it stay out of your gallery, search and other apps, and you can back them up to your Google Account (Google Photos Help).
The catch: it opens with your phone’s screen lock, so anyone who knows it can open the folder. Read more in Is Google Photos Locked Folder safe?
Safe folder in Files by Google
Has its own PIN or pattern and blocks screenshots (Files by Google Help). But files in it cannot be backed up to Google Drive, and if you forget the PIN or pattern, the files are lost. Google also notes that someone who gains access to your phone’s internal storage may be able to get to them.
An encrypted vault app
A vault that encrypts each photo with its own key works on any Android phone, and can offer a backup that stays encrypted. Choose carefully: in a 2022 study of 20 popular Android vault apps, only 5 even tried to encrypt the files (Ruffin et al., WPES 2022).
Lockspeare is designed as a Secure Folder alternative for photos and videos: its own PIN or pattern lock, a decoy vault, and encrypted backups to your own Google Drive that you restore with a recovery phrase on any Android phone.
Comparison
| Feature | Samsung Secure Folder | Google Photos Locked Folder | Files by Google Safe folder | Lockspeare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phones | Samsung Galaxy | Most Android phones | Android 8.0 and later | Android |
| Its own lock | Yes | No, uses your screen lock | Yes | Yes |
| Backup | No longer supported | Optional, to your Google Account | No | Optional, encrypted, to your own Google Drive |
| Forgot the lock | Reset with Samsung account, if enabled | Uses your screen lock | Files are lost | Recovery phrase |
| Decoy | No | No | No | Yes |
Moving from Secure Folder
If you switch, move your photos out of Secure Folder into the new vault, check that they open, then delete them from Secure Folder. Afterwards, empty your gallery’s trash; deleted photos can stay there for 30 days. See why deleted photos may still be on your phone.
Common questions
Can I back up Samsung Secure Folder?
Not anymore. Samsung says backing up data is no longer supported for Secure Folder, though you can still restore data from older backups.
What happens if I forget my Secure Folder password?
If you turned on reset with your Samsung account, you can reset the lock by signing in to it. If you did not, you cannot open Secure Folder again; you can only remove it and set up a new one.
Is there a Secure Folder for non-Samsung phones?
Not built in. Google Photos Locked Folder and the Safe folder in Files by Google are available on most Android phones, and encrypted vault apps work on any Android phone.