PIN & pattern lock
Lock your vault with a PIN or a drawn pattern that is separate from your phone passcode, so handing over an unlocked phone never hands over the vault.
At a glance
- Choose a numeric PIN or draw a pattern on a grid
- Independent of your phone's passcode, Face ID, Touch ID or fingerprint
- The vault locks when you leave the app
- Change the PIN or pattern any time from the vault settings
- No biometric unlock, decoy PIN or wrong-attempt alerts yet; the lock is deliberately simple and separate
Every hiding feature built into a phone shares one weakness: it opens with the same thing that opens the phone. The iPhone Hidden Album asks for Face ID and falls back to your passcode. Google Photos’ Locked Folder uses the screen lock. Samsung’s Secure Folder can have its own lock, but most people set it to match. So the moment someone has your passcode — a partner, a parent, a kid, a repair technician — they have everything.
TuckVault’s vault has its own lock. You choose a PIN or draw a pattern when you first open the vault, and from then on that is the only thing that opens it. Your phone passcode, Face ID and fingerprint do not.
Choosing a lock
PIN. Four or more digits. Good when other people are often near your screen, because a PIN is harder to pick up by watching than a pattern is.
Pattern. Draw a shape across the grid. Faster to enter one-handed and easier for many people to remember. Avoid obvious shapes (an L, a Z, your initial) and anything you also use for the phone itself.
Whichever you choose, the rule is the same: it must not be your phone passcode. Anyone who knows one would then know both, and the whole point of a separate lock disappears.
What the lock protects
- The vault’s contents, every time the app is opened or brought back from the background.
- Photos, videos and documents equally — one lock for everything in the vault.
- Against someone who has your unlocked phone or knows your passcode, which is the scenario built-in hidden albums do not cover.
What it does not protect
- A vault that is open on screen while someone else holds the phone. Lock it before you hand the phone over.
- A PIN or pattern that is shared, written on the case, or guessable from your phone passcode.
- The files, if the app is deleted. The lock controls access; it is not a backup.
PIN & pattern vs the built-in locks
| Hidden Album (iPhone) | Locked Folder (Google Photos) | Secure Folder (Samsung) | TuckVault | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lock | Face ID → device passcode | Device screen lock | Own lock, or same as device | Own PIN or pattern |
| Opens with your phone passcode | Yes | Yes | If set to match (common) | No |
| Works across iPhone and Android | iPhone | Android, iOS app | Samsung only | Both |
If you are weighing these up, TuckVault vs Apple Hidden Album, vs Google Photos Locked Folder and vs Samsung Secure Folder cover each one in detail.
Lock what's private. Clear what isn't.
TuckVault keeps your private photos, videos and documents behind a PIN or pattern with AES encryption on your device — and cleans up duplicates, large videos and messy contacts on the same phone. Free to download for iPhone and Android.
Frequently asked questions
PIN or pattern — which is safer?
A PIN is harder to copy by watching you unlock the phone, because it leaves no smudge trail and the numbers are small. A pattern is faster and easier to remember. Either is fine as long as it is not something the person you are hiding from already knows. The important thing is that it is not your phone passcode.
Why doesn't TuckVault use Face ID to open the vault?
Face ID and fingerprint are tied to the phone and to whoever the phone trusts. The people most likely to open your vault are people your phone already trusts — a partner with a registered fingerprint, a child who knows the passcode. A separate PIN or pattern is a lock those people do not have.
What if I forget it?
The lock is separate from your phone's on purpose, so the phone's reset flows cannot recover it. Choose something memorable, write it down somewhere private if you need to, and check the recovery options in the vault settings when you set it up.
Can I change my PIN later?
Yes, from the vault settings, after entering the current one.