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Hidden isn’t the same as encrypted

There are three common ways to keep photos private on Android. Here’s how each one works, where it falls short, and what SecretGrid does differently.

Comparison table

Typical for each kind of app; individual apps vary. A dash means it depends on the app or its settings.
FeatureSecretGridBuilt-in private foldersPIN and calculator vault appsCloud vault apps
Protection
Files encrypted with a key only you holdBuilt-in folders rely on the phone's own encryption and screen lock; many vault apps only hide files behind a PIN.
Hidden vaults no one can count
A wrong code looks like an empty vault
Duress code that removes the real vaults
Disguised as another app
Screenshots blocked
Privacy
No account or email needed
Works fully offline
Backup encrypted before it leaves the phone
Recovery without anyone else's server
Location removed from photos
Everyday use
Folders, search and favourites
Notes, ID cards and passwords too
Share a vault securely
Sync between your phones

The other approaches, fairly

Each has real strengths. The question is what it protects you from.

Built-in private folders

A private area built into the phone or gallery app, opened with your screen lock or fingerprint.

Good at: Nothing to install, and it's protected by the phone's own encryption while the phone is locked.

Falls short: Anyone who knows your screen lock, or has your unlocked phone, can open it. Its existence is obvious, there's one of it, and there's no decoy or duress option.

SecretGrid uses a separate key you draw, supports any number of vaults that can't be counted, and has decoy and duress patterns.

PIN and calculator vault apps

A standalone app, often disguised as a calculator, that shows your files after you enter a PIN.

Good at: Quick to set up, and the disguise keeps casual eyes away.

Falls short: Many keep files unencrypted (or encrypted with a key stored next to them) and simply hide them, so a copy of the phone's storage reveals everything. A forgotten PIN often means a reset through an email or account.

SecretGrid encrypts every file with keys derived from your pattern, so the disguise is a bonus rather than the protection.

Cloud vault apps

An app that stores your private files on the provider's servers, tied to an account.

Good at: Your files follow you to any device, and the provider can help you get back in.

Falls short: You need an account, it doesn't work offline, and if the provider can reset your access, it can generally reach your files too. Your private content lives on someone else's servers.

SecretGrid works without an account or server; backup and sync go through your own Drive, as ciphertext only.

Checklist

Six questions to ask any vault app

Whatever you choose, these answers tell you how private your photos really are.

  1. 1

    Are files encrypted, or just hidden?

    Hidden files can be read by anything that copies the phone's storage. Look for named encryption (such as AES-256) and per-file keys.
  2. 2

    Whose key is it?

    If the app or its company can reset your PIN, they hold a key too. The safest vaults can't be reset by anyone.
  3. 3

    What happens on a wrong code?

    An error message tells an onlooker there's a vault. A wrong code that looks like an empty vault reveals nothing.
  4. 4

    Do I need an account?

    An account links your private files to your identity and usually to the provider's servers.
  5. 5

    What does the backup see?

    A backup encrypted on the phone is safe even if the cloud account is breached. Plain uploads aren't.
  6. 6

    What if someone forces me to open it?

    Decoy vaults and a duress code let you comply without giving everything away.
How SecretGrid answers them

Switching to SecretGrid

Moving from another vault app takes a few minutes.

  1. 01

    Install SecretGrid and create a vault

    Draw a pattern and write down the 9-word recovery phrase.

  2. 02

    Move your files out of the old app

    Most vault apps can export or “unhide” files back to the gallery or a folder.

  3. 03

    Add them to SecretGrid

    Tap Add, then Photos & videos or Files. Location data is removed as they're encrypted.

  4. 04

    Delete the leftovers

    Remove the exported copies from your gallery (and its trash), then uninstall the old app.

Comparison questions

See the difference on your own phone

Free on Google Play, with no account. Pro adds duress, disguises, sync and sharing.

Get it on Google Play