The 'Locked Folder' feature in Google Photos doesn't back up the files saved in this specific gallery to the cloud account. So if you break your smartphone or somehow lose the data on the device, you will also permanently lose the data saved in the 'Locked Folder' as well.
Opening your Locked Folder requires authentication in the form of re-unlocking your phone (hence the name), making it a great way to keep all your private photos private. There's one big flaw, though: photos in your Locked Folder aren't backed up to the cloud, meaning that if you lose your device, you lose the photos.
Items in Locked Folder won't appear in the Photos grid, memories, search or albums and won't be available to other apps on your device that have access to your photos and videos. Important: This feature is only available on Android 6 and later. People who have access to the device screen lock can unlock Locked Folder.
In order to view the content inside the 'Locked Folder', users need to unlock the smartphone again. The pictures saved in this folder show up into the Photos' Utilities menu on the phone. The feature was launched by Google almost two years ago.
The only difference to the end user is that "Safe folder" can be used to store all types of media (documents, archives, files, photos, videos), while "Locked folder" can only be used to store photos/videos.
Folder lock is very secure since it uses on-the-fly 256-bit AES encryption. It also embraces zero-knowledge privacy and possess client-side encryption.
Right-click on the folder. Select Properties from the menu. On the dialog that appears, click the General tab. Click the Advanced button, then select Encrypt content to secure data.
Google Photos first rolled out the Locked Folder to Pixel phones before bringing it to other Android devices at the end of 2021, and is now working on adding cloud backup.
The locked folder feature is only available on Android devices for now and you have to be on Android 6 or higher. Copies and edits of content in the locked folder will not automatically be moved to the locked folder, you have to add them manually. If you are deleting Google Photos, these items will be deleted.
Learn more. Unfortunately, clearing the storage of the Google Photos app, uninstalling the app, or factory resetting the Android device permanently removes the photos in the Locked Folder.
Use a Secure Cloud Storage Service
If you do not want the hassle, you can automate the encryption process by uploading the photos to a good cloud storage service. A couple of secure cloud storage services offer end-to-end encryption and privacy-respecting features.
If you've moved photos or other files to the Locked Folder, these photos will not appear in the Photos grid, memories, or album. Moreover, apps on your phones that have access to the album also cannot access these images.
Does iCloud backup hidden photos? If you sync with iCloud Photos, all photos are synced across all devices -- including hidden photos.
Learn what happens to photos you've deleted
If you delete an item from your Android 11 and up device without it being backed up, it will stay in your trash for 30 days. If you see a photo or video in Google Photos that you think you deleted, it might be on a removable memory card.
Encryption keeps data private and secure while in transit. When you store your photos, the data you create moves between your device, Google services, and our data centers. We protect this data with multiple layers of security, including leading encryption technology like HTTPS and encryption at rest.
Open your files app and you should see a folder with a lock. Tap on the folder, enter your pin and then view the private photos. Also, use the files app to add photos to the private "safe folder" and to keep them out of google photos and completely private.
If you're inactive in Google Photos for 2 years or more, your content may be deleted. Learn about the Google Photos inactivity policy. If you're over your storage limit for 2 years or more, your content may be deleted.
How long do I have until my content gets deleted? If your account is subject to this policy change, we'll attempt to give you ample notice (at least three months) before your content may be deleted. Your content will be eligible for deletion when you have been over your storage quota for 2 years.
With Secure Folder, you can have: No risk of hacking with encrypted content based on KNOX. Only one time authentication for Secure Folder in order to set up and use several Apps. Separate accounts for the same App.
The Locked Folder will not only keep people who are using your phone from accessing the content stored in that folder without knowing your passcode but will also prevent that content from syncing to the cloud.