We installed, tested and delivered the most private, secret and hider apps out there for Android users, without the need for rooting your device.
Probably one of the pioneers in making hidden apps, Private Photo Vault has been around since the year 2011.
It has more than 10 million+ downloads with over 100,000+ reviews on the Play Store. It supports .mov and .mp4 video formats and comes with its own dedicated in-built media player.
During installation, you will be asked to lock the app with a passcode or a pattern lock. The passcode can support up to a maximum of 16 digits. After which, you will also be asked to provide an optional recovery email address.
Appearance-wise, the app icon hides in a folder-looking image with a padlock key on it. Once you click on it, you will be asked to key in your pin code before gaining access to your vault. You can also create new folders that can be password protected as well.
Encryption used: AES-256 bit encryption algorithm
App Size: Approx. 33MB
Deniability features: Ability to set a decoy vault account. With that, you can have a fake decoy password containing fake photos and videos in that vault. In the event you had to give access, this decoy vault will be helpful.
Notable features:
- Cloud Vault feature allows users to backup their files in the cloud and access them in their new device.
- Break-in feature allows for a front camera snapshot of the intruder with an optional logging of GPS cooridinates.
- Has a Private Camera feature that directly takes photos and save them in the app, without going through the camera roll.
Forgot password? You will be asked to input your recovery email address for the app to reset. Make sure you set up a recovery email address the first time you use Private Photo Vault.
Get it on Google Play Store
Gallery Vault is another privacy protection app for Android users to hide their photos, videos and any other type of files. It has over 10 million+ downloads and over 500,000+ reviews on the Play Store.
During installation, users can choose their lock method; PIN, Pattern or Fingerprint authentication. For passcode, it has to be a minimum of 4 digits to a maximum of 16 digits. You will also be asked to register with a recovery email address (either your Gmail account or another email address).
You can either choose the default “folder-looking” icon for icon appearance or disguise it as a Calculator icon on your phone. You can safely use your vault app with both icons without anyone knowing if they get hold of your device. There are 6 colour themes you can choose from, and there is also a Dark mode available to use.
Encryption used: AES-256 bit encryption
App Size: Approx 15MB
Deniability features: Ability to create a fake vault with a fake password containing fake content, in case you have to provide access to anyone you cannot refuse.
Notable features:
- Enable device migration from old phone to new phone.
- Set a password lock for each individual folders
- Scanning for duplicate files
- Private Camera that takes photos directly into the Vault area.
- Private Web Browser for surfing and downloading of online files.
Forgot password? Launch the app via System Setting->Apps->GalleryVault, key in the wrong password twice, and a Forgot button will show up. Enter your email address (you previously provided upon installation), and you can reset the app.
Get it on Google Play Store
With over 10 million+ downloads and more than 270,000+ reviews, this vault app is popular among Android users.
Once installed, it looks and behaves exactly like a Calculator app. However, the primary function of the actual app remains invisible to the public view. The entry into your vault begins when you enter your correct password into the calculator interface and hit the “=” button.
Encryption used: AES-256 bit encryption algorithm
App Size: Approx 11MB
Deniability features: Ability to set a secondary (fake) vault with a password to store (fake) photos and videos if you had to provide access to the app.
Notable features:
- An in-built private web browser for your internet browsing activities, so that no one can see where you are visiting.
- Uses the front camera to take a photo of the intruder when a wrong password was entered.
- Disguises itself as a Calculator app
Forgot password? Enter 11223344 into the Calculator app and press the “=” button. You can reset your password by providing your answer to your security question, which you had entered upon the app’s installation.
Get it on Google Play Store
During installation, you will choose either PIN code (0-9 digits), Password (alphanumeric) or a Pattern Lock to secure your secret vault. In addition, a mandatory requirement to provide your recovery email will be asked as this will help you retrieve your PIN/password if you forget it.
Appearance-wise, the app is disguised as an “Audio Manager” icon with the primary function of turning your device volume up and down. However, the way to access your hidden app is via long pressing of the Audio Manager title on top of the screen. Then, the Hide It Pro app will launch, asking you to key in your PIN code.
Besides having the default Audio Manager app icon, there are other disguises to choose from, such as the Calculator icon, Currency converter icon, Joke of the Day icon and even a No-icon for the app. If No-icon is chosen, you will access the vault via dialling ## followed by your PIN code.
Encryption used: AES-256 bit encryption
App Size: Approx. 11MB
Deniability features: You can set an “Escape Code” under Settings and use it only when you are being forced to open it. This will grant you access to a fake vault and make it look empty.
Notable features:
- Choose between cloud backup or local backup
- Fingerprint to unlock
- Ability to hide apps inside Hide It Pro
- Private web browser to view and download files on the Internet
- Built-in media player
Forgot password? Launch the app and click on the “Help” button. The passcode reset will be sent to your recovery email address. Make sure you set a correct recovery email address during installation.
Get it on Google Play Store
This secret photo and video hiding app have over 50 million+ downloads till date and over a million reviews on the Play Store.
During installation, you will be asked to provide an email address, which will come in handy as a recovery email address if you forgot your password. After that, you will specify your PIN code, and you will use that every time you login into the app.
Under the Settings, you can still choose to add an extra layer of security via fingerprint unlock if you wish to.
It has a Private Cloud feature that can accommodate a maximum of 10,000 items and is helpful for device migration, e.g. switching over to a new phone.
The default icon image is a simple alphabet “K”. Users can also disguise the icon as a virus scanner icon or a calculator icon under the Settings menu.
Encryption used: AES-256 bit encryption
App Size: Approx. 20MB
Deniability features: Create a second PIN or pattern that opens to a decoy Keepsafe vault.
Notable features:
- Take direct photos into the secret vault
- Enable “Lock screen timeout” if you want the app to stay unlocked for 30 seconds each time
- Enable “Facedown lock” feature to automatically close and lock the app when you place the phone facing downwards
- Break-in alerts feature to secretly take a front camera snapshot of the intruder whenever a wrong PIN is entered
Forgot password? Launch the app and click on the “Forgot PIN” button on the top. Enter your verified recovery email address, and your account will be reset.
Get it on Google Play Store
Vault has over more than 100 million+ downloads from the Play Store and more than a million reviews.
During installation, you will provide a passcode with a minimum of 4 digits, up to a maximum of 15 digits. After which, there are optional unlock methods available with Fingerprint access.
The vault shared several similar features compared to the rest of the apps out in the market, such as direct importing of photos and videos, embedded media player, and the ability to password-lock the main app itself.
In addition, the Vault app has a unique feature called the Stealth mode. Enabling this will make the app icon disappear from the phone’s app screen. To gain access back to your vault in Stealth mode, you enter “##<your-password>” from your phone dialer and press the “Send” or “Call” button.
Encryption used: Not known
App Size: Approx 21MB
Deniability features: Create multiple vaults with different passwords for storing files. You can select anyone to be a fake vault.
Notable features:
- Cloud backup
- Private Web Browser
- Data Transfer via cross-device synchronization
- Break-in alerts with a front camera snapshot of the intruder whenever a wrong password is entered
Forgot password? Click on “Forgot Password” at the login interface and enter your recovery email address.
Get it on Google Play Store
LOCKit has over 10 million+ downloads and over 500,000+ reviews in the Play Store.
During installation, you will be asked to provide your swipe lock pattern. After which, you have to provide your answer to your security question. This is important if you forgot your app password.
There are two (2) types of lock mode, namely PIN and Pattern. The app also has a common feature called Intruder Selfie. This allows the app to take a snapshot of the person who keyed in the wrong password.
Some features include advanced security features such as a random keyboard and invisible pattern so that no one can understand your password by simply looking at your gesture.
Encryption used: AES-CBC encryption with 256-bit keys
App Size: Approx. 12MB
Deniability features: It has a disguise mode that prevents others from attacking your password. The disguises are either a fake “force close” message or a fake “Fingerprint” screen.
Notable features:
- App-Lock features so that you can lock your other apps such as Whatsapp, Facebook, etc.
- Lock selected incoming calls
- Lock notifications preview messages
Forgot password? Answer the security question to gain access back to your app.
Get it on Google Play Store
LockMyPix has gathered over 10 million+ downloads and over 200,000+ reviews in the Play Store since they started in the year 2013.
The company strive to build a privacy-focused app. Therefore, all the users’ data are not sent to any servers, and they do not collect any private information.
The app can be accessed via fingerprint, face unlock, password, pin code or pattern swipe. In addition, it has a dark mode to choose from, and users can change the theme easily under the Settings.
When importing photos and videos into the vault, you can choose to remove them entirely from the phone’s album or keep a copy there.
There is an Invisible mode that can hide the whole app from your phone’s screen menu. In addition, there is also the option of cloud backup or local manual backup.
Encryption used: AES CTR encryption
App Size: Approx. 13MB
Deniability features: Create a decoy fake vault to be ready if someone forces you to open your vault. The fake vault will open a completely different vault.
Notable features:
- Unlimited folders and sub-folders
- SD memory card support so users do not have to use their internal storage
- Intruder selfie mode
- In-built media player
Forgot password? Recover it via the recovery email address you provided during the app installation.
Get it on Google Play Store
XGallery has over 10 million+ downloads and over 200,000+ reviews on the Play Store.
This is a typical Gallery app with a twist. It can also be used to create a private vault area for your sensitive photos and videos.
So essentially, you can see both your public album and your private folder. The difference is you need the password to access your private album.
During the creation of your private album, you will provide your PIN and your recovery email address in case you need to forget the password. After which, you can set to unlock your private album each time via fingerprint as well.
Something unique about this app, besides having the same ability to hide photos and videos, this app can also edit and manage your photos through tools such as cropping, rotating, resizing and applying filters.
It has a dark mode and a video compressor feature as well.
Encryption used: Not Known
App Size: Approx. 11MB
Deniability features: Cannot create a decoy vault or private album. However, the XGallery interface will reveal the presence of a private album (although you need the password to access it).
Notable features:
- Recover deleted photos and videos
- Cleaning up of similar files to free up space
- Smart Gallery features with editing tools
Forgot password?
Get it on Google Play Store
