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Enable the Secure Folder in Search Settings for Secure Folder to hide apps, photos, and other content
Secure Folder is a password-protected, encrypted folder that can store files and apps.
To enable it and pick a lock method, go to Settings > Biometrics and security > Secure Folder.
Open the folder and tap Add files or Add apps to fill your Secure Folder with content.
This article explains what the Secure Folder is on a Samsung Galaxy device and how to set it up.
What Is Secure Folder?
The Samsung Secure Folder is a high-end security option that keeps sensitive information safe from prying eyes, whether that be someone who stole your phone or a malicious attack. It uses the Samsung Knox security platform to encrypt a folder. In the folder, you can store things like videos, images, apps, and other data you want to keep private. You can add a passcode or biometric lock to keep the content safe.
Why Use Samsung Secure Folder?
While anyone can use the Secure Folder, it’s especially useful for those who want their private phone to double as a work phone. Put the information you want separate from the rest of the phone in your Secure Folder. Once it’s set up, all you do is unlock the folder with your passcode or finger to access your files.
Secure Folder may also be a form of parental control for parents with young children. Parents can give the kids their smartphones to play games while preventing the children from accessing certain apps or accidentally deleting important information.
How to Create a Samsung Secure Folder
Unlike vault apps which you have to download to your phone before you can hide things, all you have to do to start using the Secure Folder is activate it.
- Open the Settings app.
- Select Lock screen and security or Biometrics and security > Secure Folder.
- Log in to your Samsung account by tapping Agree, Sign in, or Continue.
TIP: You can create a Samsung account if you don’t yet have one.
- Pick a lock method you want to use, then tap Next. Options include Pattern, PIN, and Password.
TIP: For extra security, make this authentication method different than the passcode you use to unlock your Samsung device.
- Set up the lock method you chose. For example, draw the unlock pattern if you picked that. Tap Continue when you’re done.
TIP: To use a biometrics option like your fingerprint, set a pattern, PIN, or password as a backup.
- After your lock method is set up, a shortcut to Secure Folder appears on the Home screen and Apps screen.
How to Use Samsung Secure Folder
- To open your Secure Folder, simply tap on its shortcut on the Home or Apps screen. You’ll immediately be prompted for the authentication method you chose when you set up the folder.
- Tap the three-dot menu at the top of the folder to find the Add files option. You can put images, videos, audio files, documents, and more into the folder.
- By default, you’ll see apps like Gallery, Contacts, Calendar, My Files, Internet, and Samsung Notes in your Secure Folder. To add more, tap Add apps or the plus sign. You can install apps directly into this folder or copy existing apps into it. Apps you copy into Secure Folder are separate from the existing ones, so you could actually remove the visible ones from Apps screen and still use the hidden copy in the Secure Folder.
How to Access the Secure Folder Settings
You should also get familiar with the Secure Folder settings, which you can access by tapping the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of the folder. From here, you can change the lock type, control notifications, and set up accounts, among other functions. This is also how you can hide the Secure Folder icon from the Apps screen.
How to Use Auto-Lock for Secure Folder
One useful setting is Auto-lock for Secure Folder, which lets you set the time it takes for your folder to lock when you’re done using it. Once it’s locked, you must enter the passcode to get back into it. You can set the folder to lock immediately, when the screen turns off, after a specified number of minutes, or when the phone restarts. For the most secure option, either set it to lock immediately or when the screen turns off.
