No—Samsung Secure Folder cannot be opened as a browsable folder on a PC. To get a file onto your computer, unlock Secure Folder on your Galaxy phone, move the file out using My Files or Gallery, then transfer the exported file over USB or another supported method. Moving it out also removes it from Secure Folder’s protected area.
How to move files from Secure Folder to a Windows PC
1. Move the file out on your Galaxy phone
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Open Secure Folder on the phone and authenticate.
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For documents and other files, open My Files inside Secure Folder. For photos or videos, you can use Gallery.
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Select the item, open More or the relevant menu, and choose Move out of Secure Folder. The precise menu can vary by model and software version. Samsung’s Secure Folder guidance describes this phone-side process.
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The file is now outside Secure Folder. Samsung Knox explains that moving items changes where they are protected: files placed in Secure Folder no longer appear in the regular Gallery, and moving them out returns them to ordinary device storage. Consider where you will store or share the exported copy.
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2. Copy the exported file to Windows over USB
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Unlock the phone and connect it to the PC with a data-capable USB cable. A cable that only charges the phone will not transfer files.
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If prompted on the phone, approve the connection and select Transferring files or MTP from the USB notification.
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In Windows File Explorer, open the Galaxy device and navigate to the folder where the exported file was saved.
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Copy the file to the desired PC folder. If you are unsure where it was saved, check its location on the phone; Samsung’s USB transfer instructions suggest checking file details in Gallery when locating media.
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Samsung’s USB instructions are for Australian device variants, and labels or prompts may differ elsewhere. DeX is not required for this USB transfer.
Can File Explorer, Phone Link, or DeX open Secure Folder directly?
| Method | What it can do | Secure Folder limitation |
|---|---|---|
| File Explorer over USB | Browse ordinary phone storage and copy files that have been exported. | Samsung’s USB workflow does not present Secure Folder as a browsable PC directory; move files out on the phone first. |
| Phone Link | Copy text or images into Secure Folder in supported workflows. | Microsoft says content cannot be copied from Secure Folder onto the PC. See Microsoft’s Phone Link guidance. |
| Samsung DeX | Transfer ordinary files on compatible configurations, including by drag and drop. | Samsung does not document DeX as a way to bypass Secure Folder’s separation. DeX for PC is unsupported on the Galaxy S25 series and models updated to One UI 7 or later, according to Samsung’s DeX support page. |
For a particular phone, check Samsung’s current DeX compatibility information before relying on it. DeX is an optional transfer interface, not a Secure Folder reader.
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What happens to privacy when you export a file?
A file moved out of Secure Folder is no longer inside that protected area. It becomes an ordinary file on the phone, so choose its destination and any sharing or syncing method with that change in mind. Samsung Knox also notes that cloud-synced content may reappear in Gallery after movement; if a synced copy matters, check the relevant sync service separately.
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Can you back up Secure Folder before transferring files?
Availability depends on region and software. Samsung Canada says new Secure Folder backups are no longer supported, although restoring a previous backup may remain possible. Older Knox material describes backup workflows, so it should not be taken as proof that new backups are currently available on every device. Check the current Secure Folder settings and regional Samsung support guidance before relying on backup.
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