How to hide any file or folder on Android without root

Do you have sneaky friend who sneak peek into your Gallery and check your own sensitive personal information? Do you want to hide folders on your Android phone to tighten up the security and make your personal data safer than before?

Well this is the post you must read to add a layer of safety to your personal data on your phone, you can hide files, folders and apps on your Android phone without root! let’s start this tutorial!

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This post is going to divided into two parts, First part will tell you how to hide files on your android phone without software and the second part will tell you how to hide your files on your android phone with third party applications both method does not requires root.

Hide files on your Android phone without any app

To hide files on your Android phone without using any third party application there are two ways available, I am going to explain you about both the methods choose the method you like.

Method 1: Using .nomedia file

Hiding your Android files using the .nomedia file is the method 1, this method will work on any Android phone. This method is the best way to hide your images which are downloaded from Whatsapp. You can also hide the whatsapp images using this .nomedia method.

Open file manager on your Android phone
Select create -> New -> File option
Now name the file as .nomedia and save

By saving this file you are telling that there is no media files inside this folder to the media scanner so this will prevent those files from appearing on your gallery app.

This method will help you to hide image and video files only other file formats like pdf won’t be hidden by using the .nomedia file. You can get the hidden files back by deleting the .nomedia file.

However this files will be visible on your file manager and other apps this method only help you to hide the file from the gallery application. To hide a file or folder throughout the entire Android system follow the Method 2 which is described below.

Method 2: Using your file manager

For this method all you need is stock file manager on your phone. To hide a folder and its entire content you have to follow the following steps,

Open file manager on your Android phone
Go to settings and check the show hidden files option
Now rename the folder you want to hide by adding a dot in front of the folder name

For example if your folder name is Images then rename it into .Image

After renaming now go back to settings and uncheck the show hidden folders option

Your folder will be hidden and its content will not be shown on gallery and to other apps installed on your phone. Most of the Android phone’s stock file manager have this option to hide files and folders so this method will work on all Android phones.

Hide files on your Android using applications:

This part of the post will show you how to hide files on Android using the third party applications. The reason why I prefer hiding files without using Android application is that third party application will encrypt your files to ensure high level security which restrict you to open files directly from file manager.

You have to open the application every time when you need to check those files, but they provide high security by allowing you to set passwords, pins and patterns. These apps also allows you to lock down the installed apps on your Android phones!

1. Vault

Vault Android application hides your images, videos and sms on your phone. I am using this app for long time it also hides the call logs apart from the phone files it also helps you to do cloud backup.

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If you enabled the Stealth mode it hide the vault app from app drawer, you can open the vault app by dialling the pass code in caller dial pad, Break-in alerts allows you to capture the picture of person who enters the wrong pass code using the front facing camera.

Download Vault application from Google Play store

2. FotoX

This app is similar to Vault app, if you want an alternative for the vault app this app will work fine. The FotoX app have similar features like Vault app so you won’t miss anything.

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FotoX app has themed little bit higher than the Vault app, thus make this app size larger than the vault application.

Download FotoX Android application from Google Play store

Must read: Top 10 Android hidden features – you must know

Hope you learned how to hide files on Android! Do share this post and don’t forget to leave your comment below in comment box.