How to hide files on Android
Photos get all the attention. Documents need hiding too.
The quickest built-in option is Safe folder in Files by Google: open Files, go to Collections and tap Safe folder, then set a PIN or pattern. On Samsung, Secure Folder does the same job with more separation. For files of any type behind encryption and a lock of their own, use a vault app like Dobr.
Safe folder in Files by Google
Files by Google is already on most Android phones, and its Safe folder works with any file type.
- Open Files by Google.
- Scroll to Collections and tap Safe folder.
- Choose a PIN or a pattern. It can be different from your phone's lock.
- To move files in, select them, tap More and choose Move to Safe folder.
Stay in the app until the move finishes, because switching away cancels it. Things to know:
- If you forget the PIN or pattern, Google says the files can't be recovered.
- Files in Safe folder can't be backed up to Google Drive or shared from inside it.
- Google advises against copying Safe folder files to a new phone, so move them out before you switch.
Samsung: Secure Folder
On a Galaxy phone, open My Files, select the files, tap More and choose Move to Secure Folder. Secure Folder has its own lock and its own encrypted storage, and you can hide its icon. Our Secure Folder guide covers setup.
The .nomedia trick
Putting an empty file called .nomedia in a folder stops gallery and music apps from showing what's in it. It only works for photos, videos and audio, and anyone who opens a file manager can still see and open everything. It tidies things away. It doesn't protect them. Our guide on stopping a folder showing in your gallery explains it.
An encrypted vault
Dobr takes any file: PDFs, scans, text files, spreadsheets, as well as photos and videos. Each one is encrypted with AES-256 before it's saved, under a key that comes from your pattern and your phone's secure hardware. The app has no internet permission, so nothing in it can be uploaded. You add files through Android's own file picker, so Dobr never needs access to the rest of your storage, and you can open a file in another app when you need to. The temporary copy is wiped when the vault locks.
Which files are worth hiding
Passport and licence scans, bank letters, medical paperwork, tenancy agreements, recovery codes and anything with a wallet seed phrase on it. Our guides on ID photos and seed phrases go into those in more detail.
Last checked 2026-11-04. Phone menus change between Android versions and brands, so labels on your phone may differ slightly.