Samsung Galaxy: lock screen options and Secure Folder basics

A strong lock keeps strangers out of your photos, messages and banking apps. Secure Folder adds a separate locked area for private items.

Choosing a lock

1. Open Settings and tap Lock screen (on some versions Lock screen and AOD).
2. Tap Screen lock type. You will need to enter your current lock.
3. Choose Pattern, PIN or Password. A six-digit PIN or longer is safer than a pattern.
4. Add fingerprint or face unlock if you like, under Settings, Security and privacy, Biometrics. A PIN is still needed as a backup.

Do not use dates of birth, 1234 or 0000. Write your PIN down and keep it somewhere safe at home. If you forget it, the phone may need a reset and you could lose data.

What Secure Folder is

Secure Folder is a locked area built into many Galaxy phones. It keeps chosen apps, photos and files separate from the rest of the phone, protected by its own lock. Samsung says it uses Knox security to do this.

Setting it up

1. Use the search box at the top of Settings and type Secure Folder.
2. Sign in with your Samsung account and choose a lock for the folder.
3. Open Secure Folder from the apps screen, then tap Add files or Add apps to move things in.

Be careful

• Items in Secure Folder are not in the normal Gallery. If you forget its lock or uninstall Secure Folder, you may lose what is inside.
• Back it up from inside the folder: open Secure Folder, tap the three dots, then Settings, Back up and restore. Wording differs slightly by model and One UI version.
• Secure Folder is not available on every model.

When to get more help

Ask for help if you are locked out, if you have forgotten your Secure Folder lock, or before wiping a phone that uses Secure Folder.