Locked folders: a second lock inside your vault
Give a folder its own pattern, password or passcode. It stays shut even while the rest of your vault is open, so the most private photos get a second lock.
How it works
Set up in a minute
- 1
Create a folder and lock it
Name the new folder and turn on Lock this folder. The lock is set when the folder is created.
- 2
Choose how it unlocks
Pick a pattern, a password of at least 6 characters, or a passcode of at least 4 digits. Enter it twice to confirm.
- 3
Save your folder recovery phrase
The first time you lock a folder, VaultShield shows a separate 24-word recovery phrase, once. Write it down and keep it offline.
- 4
Add your photos
Import straight into the folder or move photos in. They are encrypted under the folder's own key.
What you get
A second lock where it matters
Stays shut inside an open vault
Opening your vault doesn't open a locked folder. Not with your pattern, Face ID or your vault recovery phrase.
Its own key
Each locked folder's photos, previews and file names are encrypted under a key made from that folder's own secret.
Three ways to lock
Use a pattern, a password or a passcode, and pick a different one for each folder.
Locks again on its own
Close the folder, leave the app or lock the vault, and the folder locks again.
Folders inside stay locked
A folder you create inside a locked folder has to be locked too, so nothing inside is left open.
Hard to delete by accident
A locked folder has to be unlocked before it can be deleted, and then you type DELETE to confirm.
Good to know
What it doesn’t do
We’d rather you know the limits now than find them later.
A separate recovery phrase
Locked folders use their own 24-word recovery phrase, not your vault's. If you lose both a folder's lock and that phrase, nobody can open the folder, including us.
The folder itself is visible
Anyone in your unlocked vault can see that the folder exists, its name and colour, how many items it holds, and their dates. They can't see the photos, previews or file names.
Lock it when you create it
A lock is added when a folder is made. To lock photos you already have, create a locked folder and move them in.
FAQ
Common questions
No. Locked folders open with their own pattern, password or passcode. Face ID is an optional extra step for opening the vault itself.
No. Locked folders have a separate 24-word Locked Folder Recovery Phrase, shown once when you lock your first folder. One phrase recovers every locked folder.
Use your Locked Folder Recovery Phrase to recover the folder and set a new lock. If you have lost that phrase too, the folder can't be opened by anyone, including us.
Yes. The folder's name, colour and item count are visible in the unlocked vault. Its photos, previews and file names are not. Choose a plain folder name if that matters.
Not directly. Create a new locked folder and move the photos into it. Each one is re-encrypted under the folder's key as it moves.