Google is launching a new feature called Safe Folder, which allows you to PIN protect files on Android devices.
Safe Folder is being rolled out as a beta feature for Files by Google, an app that has thus far largely been used to clear unwanted files from your device, not store new ones.
Safe Folder will allow users to store images, video, audio and other files in a private folder that is protected by a four-digit PIN. Google claims the folder is locked as soon as you switch away from the app, meaning people can’t pick up the device after you and start scanning through your files.
Google says the feature is primarily aimed at users in cultures where device sharing is common. “In many places around the world, sharing a personal device with spouses, siblings or children is often a cultural expectation, especially for women,” says a Google blog post, announcing the new feature. “Sharing a device can be beneficial, but it comes with the risk that others might access your personal files.”
Even in cultures where device sharing is less common, the facility will have its advantages – providing a lockable store for sensitive documents or simply a way to stop kids from accidentally deleting your vital files if you hand them the phone to play a game, for instance.
Google is far from the first company to offer such a feature. My colleague Davey Winder recently wrote about the Samsung Secure Folder app, which performs a similar job.
The Safe Folder facility will start rolling out in the Files for Google app from today, although Google warns it could be weeks before the feature is available for all.
