How to Hide the Most Private Apps and Files on Your Samsung Galaxy
While your phone is usually well protected from thieves thanks to what you’ve set up on your lock screen — whether it’s a fingerprint, face scan, or PIN — there may still be times when someone else gains access to your device, including anything you don’t want them to see. But if you have a Samsung Galaxy, there’s a good way to protect your most sensitive apps and files, even when the phone itself is unlocked.
Maybe your phone was stolen by a thief who watched you enter your PIN. Maybe your friend is just looking through photos from your last vacation. No matter the scenario, Galaxy phones come with a digital vault called Secure Folder, where you can hide specific apps, photos, and files behind an extra layer of security. That way, anyone who gains access to your phone won’t be able to find what you’ve hidden. All the data inside your Secure Folder is also encrypted with Samsung’s powerful Knox technology.
With One UI 8 , which is currently in beta, this Secure Folder is more useful than ever. You can now hide the Secure Folder shortcut itself — so anyone snooping on you can’t see it, let alone anything inside it — and protect it with biometrics different from the ones you use to access your phone.
So, for example, you can let your kids play games on your phone using a fingerprint scan, but they will still be blocked from accessing the secure folder. What’s more, apps can now be completely hidden inside the folder, whereas previously one instance of these apps would be locked away and another in the regular app drawer.
How to Set Up Secure Folder on Samsung Galaxy
To get started with Secure Folder on your Galaxy phone, you’ll first need to have a Samsung account and be signed in to it on your phone. Once you’ve got that covered, open Settings, then go to Security and privacy > More security settings > Secure Folder . Agree to the feature’s terms and necessary permissions to continue.
You’ll then be asked to choose a lock type for your secure folder: PIN , password , pattern , or any other biometric options you have on your phone. Select any of these options and follow the on-screen instructions to set them up; this way, the folder will be protected from anyone who isn’t you.
The next screen lets you choose whether Secure Folder apps can run in the background when the folder is closed. For maximum security, make sure apps are closed when Secure Folder is closed, which will prevent them from sending notifications or appearing in sharing dialogs when you’re not actually in the folder.
Your Secure Folder will then appear on your screen and be ready to use. You’ll immediately see a few Samsung apps, like Contacts and Gallery: these are separate from the versions of these apps outside of Secure Folder, so you can use them as a completely different contact list and a completely different gallery of photos and videos.
Tap the lock icon to close Secure Folder and return to the rest of your phone. You can get back by following the new keyboard shortcut that appears on the home screen and in the app drawer. To make changes to Secure Folder’s configuration, go back to Security & Privacy > Additional security settings > Secure Folder in Settings (this page will now require identity verification, just like the folder itself).
With Secure Folder active, the Settings screen changes to allow you to control notifications, app settings, and even Galaxy AI features. It’s a bit like having a separate, isolated phone on the same device, with its own set of related settings. If you ever want to remove Secure Folder and its contents, select More settings > Uninstall .
How to add apps and files to a secure folder
Once you’re inside the Secure Folder, you can tap the + (plus) button to add apps to it. Select an app from your phone or search for it in the Play Store or Galaxy Store. If you download a new app, it will only appear in the Secure Folder; if you select an app already on your phone, you’ll get a new copy of it inside the folder.
If you add an app that’s already on your phone to Secure Folder and no longer want it to appear outside Secure Folder, you’ll need to delete the original instance. Find it in the list of apps, long-press its icon, then select Delete . You can also do this for some Samsung apps that are initially placed in Secure Folder.
Remember that Secure Folder is a completely separate space, so you’ll need to sign in to your various app accounts from there again — you can even use different accounts for apps inside Secure Folder if you want. The same goes for the Google Play Store: you’ll be prompted to sign in with a Google account, which doesn’t have to be the same Google account you use for the rest of your phone.
To add files to the secure folder, tap the three dots in the upper-right corner of the app bar, then select Add files . You’ll be able to select files and decide whether to copy or move them to the secure folder: If you choose the copy option, the original versions of the files will remain in place outside the folder.
Files you move or copy will appear in the appropriate app (like Gallery for photos), as well as in the My Files app in your Secure Folder. You can manage these files as you normally would, and you’ll still have all the sharing options available if you need to send them somewhere else.
Tap the three dots and select Customize to change the color and icon used for Secure Folder. If you’ve updated to One UI 8, you’ll find a new Hide Secure Folder option in the same menu. Enabling this option hides the folder from the home screen and app drawer, so the only way to get to it is via a tile in the Quick Settings panel (swipe down from the top-right corner of the display to find it).