In Google Photos on a supported Android device, open Collections → Locked and set up Locked Folder. Review its backup setting before moving important files. Archive is for organization and does not provide the same viewing restriction. Manufacturer gallery apps may offer different controls.
Start with the gallery app you actually use
Samsung Gallery, Google Photos, and other gallery apps do not share identical menus or privacy features. If you are following Google’s instructions, make sure you are in Google Photos rather than a manufacturer’s gallery.
Check the current help page for your device and account restrictions. A workplace-managed phone may not offer every feature. Renaming an ordinary folder or moving its icon is not equivalent to requiring authentication.
- Open Google Photos and choose Collections, then Locked.
- Complete setup with the device’s supported authentication.
- Decide whether Locked Folder backup fits your privacy and recovery needs.
- Move a test image and verify where other copies remain.
Check both privacy and recovery
Inspect copies in other galleries, earlier edits, and shared conversations. Moving a Google Photos item does not remove a file someone else saved. If backup is off, understand the risk before uninstalling or resetting.
For images you cannot replace, make a deliberate recovery plan. Private storage and safe long-term archiving are related decisions, but neither automatically supplies the other.
If you are moving from Android to iPhone
Octoshield is an iPhone app; there is no Android version offered on this site. On an iPhone, it provides local encrypted storage for accessible files you import, with a separate vault secret.
Export and verify transferable copies while the Android phone still works. Octoshield cannot reach into a locked Android folder, bypass its authentication, or recover files lost during a device reset.
Frequently asked questions
01Can I install Octoshield on Android?+
The app linked on this site is for iPhone. Use the documented Android gallery or Google Photos privacy controls on your Android device.
Official sources & further reading
Lock your private photos behind real AES-256-GCM encryption.
Stop relying on a Hidden album that shares your iPhone lock-screen passcode. Import private photos and videos into Octoshield’s device-bound local vault with your own PIN, passphrase, 3×3 pattern, or safe combination dial.
- AES-256-GCM authenticated encryption in 512 KB chunks
- Encrypted thumbnails & filename catalog index at rest
- 4 lock styles: PIN, Passphrase, 3×3 Pattern, or Safe Dial + Face ID
- 100% on-device storage — zero cloud servers, zero ad SDKs
AES-256-GCM + CleanerLOCAL IPHONE SANDBOX · KEYCHAIN BOUND
iOS menus can vary slightly by iOS version. Octoshield instructions describe the current local app implementation engineered by TengrX. Check the App Store listing for the version available to download.