How to Hide Photos and Videos From the Gallery on Android
Some photos do not belong in the swipe-through gallery you show people: documents, medical scans, private moments. Android offers a few places to hide them; they differ in what they hide and from whom.
Shagun Verma · · 2 min readThe built-in options
- Google Photos Locked Folder: moves photos behind the device lock. Good for a few items, but it is tied to Google Photos and, depending on settings, can back them up.
- Samsung Secure Folder: a separate, encrypted space for apps and files; Samsung only.
- Android 15 Private Space: a hidden profile for apps; excellent for apps, less convenient for a quick file.
- Files by Google Safe folder: a PIN-protected folder for files; basic, but handy.
A vault that hides files on any Android phone
ShareKeep Vault stores photos, videos and documents in a hidden folder on the phone. Hidden files disappear from the gallery and from file managers, the vault opens with your PIN, and there is no cloud sync of any kind: nothing is uploaded, ever.
- Install ShareKeep Vault and set your PIN.
- Tap Add and pick photos, videos or documents, or share files to the vault from any app.
- Choose whether to move them (removing the visible copy) or keep a copy.
- Open the vault to view, export or delete them later.
Things to know before you hide
- Hidden files live only on this phone. Keep a backup of anything irreplaceable somewhere safe, because losing the phone loses the vault.
- Deleting the vault app deletes its contents; use Delete all data in Settings if you want to wipe it on purpose.
- Google Photos may already have backed up a photo before you hid it; delete it there too if that matters.
Which to use
Use Private Space or Secure Folder if your phone has them and you want to hide whole apps. Use a vault when you want files, not apps, out of sight quickly on any phone, with notes and private downloads in the same place.
Frequently asked questions
Can other apps see the hidden files?
No. They are stored in a private location that galleries and file managers do not index, and the vault itself requires your PIN.
What if I forget the PIN?
There is no cloud account to reset it, so note it somewhere safe. The lack of a reset is part of what keeps the vault private.
Does it encrypt the files?
The files are kept in the app's private storage, which Android protects per app and encrypts with the device, behind the vault's PIN.