How to hide photos on Android 12? Hide files on Android easily using a simple app


We capture hundreds of memories these days instantly, thanks to our smartphones that we can easily carry in our pockets. Those memories stay safely a tap away within our Gallery, however, there's one simple problem. Smartphones being extremely personal gadgets, there can be several photos, videos, and documents that we don't want to show others. 

But, if one gets hands on the Gallery or the file manager, all photos, videos, documents, and other files will be visible, and that can be a serious privacy concern. So, today I will talk about how to hide photos on Android 12 or with a step forward, hide files on Android with the Files app by Google that comes pre-installed with most Android devices these days. 

So, without any further delay, let's get started with how to hide photos on Android 12.

Downloading Files by Google (if not already installed)

If the 'Files by Google' app isn't there on your Android, you can download it with the link.


Now that Files by Google is downloaded and installed, open the app, and tap on the 'Safe folder' icon by scrolling down, all under the 'Browse' tab.


Initializing the Safe Folder on Files by Google 

On opening the ‘Safe folder’ for the very first time, you have to choose a method to safeguard your contents within ‘Safe folder’. You can either choose Pin or Pattern. I will go with a pattern, however, it is totally your personal preference.


Now, draw the pattern and tap ‘Next’.

Draw the pattern again to confirm it, and tap on ‘Next’.


Now, the feature to hide files on Android 12 is ready. Simply, tap on 'Got it'.



How to hide photos on Android 12 with Safe Folder on Files by Google

Now that the 'Safe folder' is ready, you can add files to it, and add photos to it to hide photos on Android 12. 

Hide photos on Android 12, or hide multiple items at once

To add files to the Safe folder, open images, videos, documents or other files within the Files by Google app. Select the items to hide, tap on the triple-dot icon, and then tap on 'Move to Safe Folder'.



Hide one photo or one item on the Safe Folder

If you want to add just one document or any other type of file to the Safe Folder, tap on the triple-dot icon corresponding to the item, and tap on 'Move to Safe Folder'.


Now, draw the pattern and the process to add the items to the Safe Folder will begin. Based on the size of the files, it can be a few seconds to some minutes before you can finally hide photos on Android 12, 

How to see the files hidden with Safe Folder

Simply open the Safe Folder from the Files by Google app. Authenticate by drawing the pattern or pin, and you can find the added items in the Safe folder.

How to remove photos and videos from the Safe Folder

When you want to remove the items out of the Safe Folder, simply open the Safe Folder by drawing the pattern or entering the pin, select the items, tap on the triple-dot icon, and then tap on 'Move out of Safe Folder'. Alternatively, you can tap on the triple-dot icon corresponding to the item, and tap on ‘Move out of Safe Folder’ in the case you want to remove one single item.


So, it's pretty seamless to hide photos on Android by adding it to the Safe Folder, and then removing it from the Safe Folder whenever necessary. 

By removing files from the Safe Folder, they will be restored to the previous location, and now you can move them to a different location or share it with any app of your choice. 

Drawbacks of the Safe Folder feature by Files by Google

While it is extremely straightforward to use the Safe Folder feature on all Android handsets using Files by Google, there are some shortcomings, and here's a few of them. 

Files can only be opened within the Safe Folder

The files added to the Safe Folder can only be opened internally. It means, you cannot open the photos and videos with third-party apps like VLC Media Player, or with an app of your choice, or say, a PDF file with Acrobat Reader or any other PDF reader for the app-specific features. So, what you can do with the files within the Safe Folder is pretty limited. The photo viewer, video player, and the PDF reader apps are extremely simple, and the whole feature is meant for read-only purposes. It means you cannot edit any item within the Safe Folder unless you remove it from the Safe Folder first.

No option to create subfolders

It is not possible to add folders to the Safe Folder, nor you can create a new subfolder within the Safe Folder. So, if you have a folder containing private files, every file needs to be added individually, and you will end up disorganizing everything. If there are multiple files within the Safe Folder, it might turn out difficult to recognize the item that you are looking for, in the crowd.

Well, if you aren't lucky enough to have Android 12 yet, you can still use the Safe Folder feature to hide photos on Android, even if you are running an older version of Android. You just need to have the Files app by Google.

So, that was all about, how to hide photos on Android 12, or any other Android handset capable of running Files by Google. Do you have any questions? Feel free to comment on the same below.


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