Looking for some guidepost to hide sensitive files, such as private photos, videos, on mobile phone? Often the screen lock is not enough to secure your private data on the phone, as you may forget to lock the phone screen in time or need to allow others to use your phone sometimes. In this article, we will introduce you a fast and efficient way protect your photos, pictures, videos, movies on Android mobile using the free app, Folder Lock.
Lock, hide photos, videos with built-in apps on Android
In fact, many Android phones have the built-in utility to hide, lock or password protect photos and videos without the need for third-party file locker apps.
- Hide private photos, videos on Tecno mobile phone;
- Hide photos, videos, sound recordings on Infinix phone.
Those professional data locker apps however often have many other advanced features. Continue reading and learn how to use this free file protection app to lock our private photos, videos behind a secure password on Android.
Protect private photos & videos with Folder Lock
Get the app from Google Play store. You can find the download link from previous linked page. Run Folder Lock app on your phone and allow it the access to your media and other files on the phone. Then create new PIN in the security app. You have the option to setup a password, PIN, pattern or fingerprint lock as your primary access lock.
After that, a notification will appear telling you to grant it the permission to take pictures and record video using your camera. Just agree with it. Then it will ask for permission to access your contacts. Confirm it. You can then go to use the data security app to hide and lock sensitive files on the phone.
From the main screen of this file locker app, you can see various file types and categories, such as Photos, Videos, Wallets, AppLock, Social Media, Documents, Contacts and more. To protect or hide your private pictures, choose Photos. Open a desired album. Tap on the Add (+) icon, you can then lock photos from your Device’s gallery, Camera and Private browser.
Import photos from Gallery
Tap Gallery icon, select desired gallery albums, then select photos you want to protect, tap on the Locker button given in the top bar to move them from Gallery to the file locker app.
Capture and import new photos
Tap the Camera icon, take a new picture and save it to the photo locker app. Note that a copy of the photo will also be saved to the Gallery app, you have to manually delete it from the Gallery app.
Download images from the web
You can also open its built-in private browser to access and download images from websites. Long tap on a photo, select ‘Save image‘ to download it to the file protection app directly. The secure browser helps users download pictures and videos from internet and save them into the file locker app directly without saving a copy to the Downloads folder on your Android phone storage. Leave no traces of browsing history.
Another way to move photos from Gallery to Folder Locker
Open the album in Gallery to find and select the photo(s), tap on the Share icon, and share the selected photo(s) with Folder Lock, then select a destination album, these selected photo(s) will be then moved from Gallery app to the Folder Locker app.
Security Locks Recovery Email
Last but not least, you should also set the security locks recovery email from its Settings > Recovery of Security Locks. Enter your email address there, so you can reset the security lock in case you forgot it.
Folder Lock Alternatives
- AppLock: lock Facebook, Whatsapp, Gallery, Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram, SMS, Contacts, Gmail, Settings, incoming calls and any app you choose. Prevent unauthorized access and guard privacy.
- LOCKit: password protect your private photos, videos, lock any apps even Settings on your phone.
Update Sep 2022: this article was originally published in Dec 2019, new methods to hide photos, videos with built-in apps on Tecno and Infinix phones were added.