App permissions control what an app can access (e.g. camera, contacts). Secure Folder, by contrast, isolates entire apps and data within a separately encrypted container with its own access protection. The two concepts complement each other but address different security concerns.
Security & privacy
Secure Folder: Definition & explanation
In a nutshell
Secure Folder is an encrypted, isolated space on Samsung smartphones for private apps, photos and files. Built on Knox, it requires its own separate unlock method from the rest of the device.
How does Secure Folder work?
Secure Folder is a Samsung feature built on the Knox security platform. Technically, it creates a separate, encrypted container on the device that functions like an independent user profile. Apps installed there run isolated from the main system—duplicate installations of the same app (e.g. WhatsApp) with separate data are possible. Access requires its own PIN, pattern, or biometric method such as fingerprint, independent of the device's regular lock screen. Even if someone unlocks the phone, the folder's contents stay hidden and protected. Users typically move sensitive photos, private chats, documents, or banking apps here. The folder can also be hidden from the home screen so its existence isn't immediately obvious. During a factory reset or account switch, Secure Folder must be backed up separately, as it's not automatically included in standard backups. The feature is available on Samsung devices with Android and a Samsung account, not identically across all Android manufacturers.
Advantages of Secure Folder
- Encrypted, isolated data area
- Separate unlock independent of lock screen
- Duplicate app installs with separate data possible
- Folder can be hidden from view
- Built on certified Knox security
Disadvantages of Secure Folder
- Only available on Samsung devices
- Requires a Samsung account
- Not included in standard cloud backup
- Potential data loss with account issues
- Extra management overhead
Frequently asked questions
No, Secure Folder is an exclusive Samsung feature built on the Knox platform. Other Android manufacturers offer similar but separate solutions under different names, such as private spaces or app-locked folders.
Content in Secure Folder must be manually backed up using its built-in backup function and restored on the new device. Without this backup, the data is lost when switching or resetting devices, since it's not part of the standard Samsung Cloud backup.
Guides with Secure Folder
No linked guides for this term yet.