How to set up a locked folder in Google Photos on Android (and why you should)

Do you know that Google Pictures on Android presents the choice to create a locked folder? Why would you even need this? Possibly you need to take footage of your private paperwork, like vaccination playing cards or your diver’s license, to maintain readily available or perhaps there are photos or movies you might have that you just’d quite nobody else see. 

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For such photos, you’ll be able to arrange a locked folder in Google Pictures on Android and tuck these paperwork and different photos away for safekeeping. When you do that, the one approach to view the photographs is by way of your default display screen unlock authentication (such because the fingerprint scanner). 

There’s, in fact, a caveat to utilizing a locked folder. Any photograph or video saved inside that folder just isn’t backed as much as your cloud account. So select the pictures and movies you need to lock up properly. Or, higher but, be sure to have a duplicate of that folder saved in a secure (suppose “encrypted”) folder in your native machine.

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I’ll exhibit methods to arrange a locked folder in Google Pictures on Android 12 operating on a Pixel 6 Professional. This course of ought to work in a similar way, irrespective of the system, as long as you are any model of Android, equal to or newer than 12.

How you can create the locked folder

Open Google Pictures in your Android system. From the primary window, faucet Utilities.

Within the ensuing window, faucet Arrange Locked Folder.

From this level on, Android doesn’t enable taking screenshots (as a result of that is thought-about a delicate space), so simply observe alongside carefully with the directions (don’t fret, it is simple). 

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On the following display screen, faucet Arrange on the backside proper nook of the show. You’ll then be prompted to authenticate, utilizing your default methodology (corresponding to fingerprint, facial scan, PIN, or sample). After efficiently authenticating, you will be greeted with a window that claims Nothing right here but and a Transfer objects button. Faucet Transfer objects to open the file picker, the place you’ll be able to choose any of the pictures (or movies) you need to add to your locked folder.

Faucet to pick out the picture(s) you need to transfer into the Locked Folder after which faucet Transfer on the high proper of the show.

You may once more be prompted to authenticate your self. After that, Android will current you with one final warning indicating:

• Associated pictures (together with copies and edited variations) won’t be moved.
• Gadgets will likely be deleted if Google Pictures is uninstalled.

Faucet Proceed after which Transfer (when prompted) and Pictures will create the Locked Folder and add the chosen pictures. 

How you can entry the Locked Folder

Now that you’ve got created the Locked Folder and added pictures/movies, how do you entry it? Easy. Open Google Pictures, faucet Utilities, and scroll to the underside of the web page, the place you will see the Locked Folder entry.

Faucet that entry and, when you efficiently authenticate your self, you will be offered with the entire pictures and movies you’ve got added to the Locked Folder.

Use this function properly and it’ll maintain prying eyes away out of your extra delicate photos. I extremely advocate utilizing this function to anybody who retains pictures of issues like driver’s license, bank cards, vaccination playing cards, and different such objects. The additional safety would possibly stop somebody from stumbling upon any info you do not need them to see.