How to hide your photos and videos on Android using Secure Folder

Your phone can contain private photos, family videos, screenshots, scanned documents and downloaded files that you would rather keep away from casual browsing. A screen lock protects the whole device, but it does not stop someone who already knows your PIN from opening Gallery or Files. Samsung Secure Folder adds a separate, encrypted space for sensitive content on compatible Galaxy phones.

The feature is useful in everyday situations, such as lending your phone to a mate, showing holiday pictures at a barbecue in Brisbane, or handing your device to someone at a phone repair shop. The steps below explain how to move media into Secure Folder, control its visibility and avoid common mistakes that can expose private files.

What Secure Folder does on a Galaxy phone

Secure Folder is a protected area built into Samsung Galaxy devices. It uses Samsung Knox security to isolate selected apps and files from the regular part of your phone. You can protect it with a PIN, password, pattern or biometric method, including a fingerprint where your model supports it.

Photos and videos placed inside Secure Folder are removed from the normal Gallery view after they are moved. They remain available inside the Secure Folder version of Gallery, which operates separately from your everyday Gallery app. You can also install a second copy of compatible apps there, giving the protected space its own accounts, settings and data.

The feature is generally available on many recent Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets running supported versions of One UI. Menu names can vary slightly between models sold through Australian carriers such as Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Google Pixel, Motorola, Nokia and other Android devices may not include Secure Folder, so their owners should use the privacy tools provided by the manufacturer or Google Photos instead.

Set up a protected space

Open Settings, select Security and privacy, then choose More security settings and Secure Folder. On some One UI versions, Secure Folder appears directly under Biometrics and security. Tap through the setup instructions, sign in with a Samsung account if requested and select a security method.

A strong password is safer than a simple pattern, especially if people around you have seen you unlock the phone. A separate PIN is also preferable to using the same code that unlocks the entire device. Fingerprint access is convenient, but keep a password or PIN available because Android may require it after a restart or following a security check.

You can choose whether Secure Folder appears in the app drawer and Settings. Hiding the icon can reduce casual discovery, but it is not a replacement for encryption or a strong lock. To hide it, open Secure Folder, tap the three-dot menu, choose Settings and switch off Add Secure Folder to Apps screen. You can usually access it again through Settings or by restoring the shortcut from the same menu.

Move photos and videos into Secure Folder

Open the regular Gallery app and select the images or videos you want to protect. Tap More, choose Move to Secure Folder and authenticate when prompted. Samsung then transfers the selected media rather than creating a second copy, so it should disappear from the ordinary Gallery once the process finishes.

You can also open Secure Folder, launch its Gallery app and use Add files. Select whether to move or copy the media. Moving is the better choice when you do not want the original left in the ordinary storage area. Copying creates a duplicate, which means the unprotected version must be deleted separately from Gallery and the Bin or Trash.

For files stored in My Files, select the item, tap More and choose Move to Secure Folder. This can help with downloaded clips, exported videos and images received through messaging apps. Content saved by an app may still remain in that app’s own folder or cloud account, so check the original location after transferring it.

If you download entertainment content, such as tracks from a legal service or material found through latest music releases, remember that Secure Folder protects the copy stored on your phone. It does not automatically make an online account private, remove a file from a streaming service or control media already backed up elsewhere.

Keep media from appearing in other apps

Moving an image into Secure Folder should remove it from the standard Gallery database, but privacy can be affected by copies and previews. Check Google Photos, OneDrive, Dropbox, WhatsApp, Telegram and social media apps if the file was previously backed up or sent. A secure local copy cannot erase a version that has already reached the cloud or another person’s device.

Open Google Photos and review the backup status of the selected items. If you want the photos kept only inside Secure Folder, delete the ordinary backed-up copies from Google Photos and then empty its Bin after checking that the protected versions remain accessible. Be careful with this step because cloud deletion can affect other devices signed into the same account.

Messaging apps can also create separate copies in their media folders. A video received in WhatsApp, for example, may remain in the WhatsApp Images or WhatsApp Video folder even after you move another version into Secure Folder. Use My Files to inspect the relevant folders, then delete unwanted duplicates and clear the app’s media trash where available.

Avoid sending protected files through regular Gallery share sheets unless you intend to reveal them. Secure Folder applications have their own sharing flow, and the recipient may still be able to save, forward or screenshot anything you send. The feature protects storage on your phone; it cannot control a file after it leaves the device.

Manage backups, cloud accounts and recovery

Secure Folder content may not behave like ordinary phone media during a backup or device transfer. Samsung’s backup options and OneDrive syncing have changed across One UI releases, and some protected data may require separate handling. Open Secure Folder settings and review backup, restore and account options rather than assuming every private video is included in your normal Android backup.

If the content matters, keep a deliberate backup plan. You might export selected files to an encrypted computer drive or a trusted storage service, but exporting them temporarily removes the protection provided by Secure Folder. Delete temporary copies when the transfer is complete and check the computer’s recycle bin, cloud sync folders and recently deleted areas.

Recovery is another important consideration. If you forget the Secure Folder password and cannot use the available account recovery option, access to its contents may be lost. Samsung may offer a reset route that removes the protected data, depending on the device and account configuration. Store essential memories in a secure backup before relying on the feature for irreplaceable files.

When changing phones in Australia, do not assume Smart Switch will transfer everything exactly as it appears. Confirm that the new Galaxy has Secure Folder enabled, sign into the correct Samsung account and verify the photos and videos before wiping the old handset. This is especially useful when upgrading through a carrier plan or trading in a device at a shopping-centre store.

Strengthen privacy beyond the folder

Use a current Android and One UI security update, because Secure Folder works as part of the wider operating system security model. Keep Play Protect enabled, install apps from reputable sources and avoid modified APK files that request access to storage, accessibility controls or notifications without a clear reason.

The same caution applies to financial and communication apps. Australians often use mobile banking, PayID and other instant payment services, while readers following Nigerian or international technology news may also encounter changing mobile money rules; this mobile money policy is a useful example of why official updates matter. Never place banking passwords, one-time codes or recovery keys in an ordinary photo album, even if the album is hidden.

Turn off lock-screen previews for messaging apps if notifications might reveal private filenames or incoming images. Go to Settings, Notifications and Lock screen notifications, then select a setting that hides sensitive content. Also review app permissions under Security and privacy so that social, editing or file-management apps cannot browse more media than necessary.

Secure Folder is most effective when combined with practical habits. Lock your phone before leaving it on a café table in Melbourne, avoid sharing your unlock code with housemates and do not use biometric unlocking when you believe someone may try to access the device while you are asleep. In shared accommodation, workplaces and university settings, physical access remains one of the biggest privacy risks.

Check that your private media is really hidden

After moving files, lock Secure Folder and test the ordinary Gallery, My Files and Google Photos apps. Search by filename, date and album to confirm that no unprotected duplicate remains. Check the Bin or Recently deleted area as well, since a deleted copy can remain recoverable for weeks.

Open Secure Folder again and verify that the protected Gallery displays the correct photos and videos. If a file will not open, confirm that it was fully transferred and that the original app still has permission to access it. Very large videos can take time to move, particularly on older Galaxy models or devices with nearly full storage.

You can remove files from Secure Folder by opening its Gallery, selecting the media and choosing Move out of Secure Folder. Treat that command as an unhide action: the item will return to the regular storage area and may become visible in Gallery, Google Photos or other apps. Delete it from both locations if you no longer need it.

For non-Samsung Android phones, Google Photos Locked Folder is the closest widely available alternative. Open Google Photos, go to Collections, select Locked and follow the setup instructions. Locked Folder can protect selected photos and videos from the main Photos grid, but its backup behaviour and device support differ from Samsung Secure Folder, so review the settings before moving important media.