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Lock Apps on a Samsung Phone with Secure Folder

Samsung Secure Folder protects a separate copy of an app behind a lock. Learn how to set it up and how it differs from hiding icons or pinning an app.
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To lock apps on Samsung devices, use Secure Folder: add an app to the protected space and set a separate PIN, pattern, password, or supported biometric lock. It protects a separate copy of the app, not the copy already installed outside the folder.

Set up Secure Folder and add an app

  1. Open Settings and go to Security and privacy > More security settings > Secure Folder. This is the path in Samsung’s UK guide, updated March 10, 2026; labels can differ by model and software version. If you cannot find it, search Settings for “Secure Folder” and check whether your model supports the feature. Samsung’s Secure Folder guide

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  2. Sign in to or create a Samsung Account if prompted, then follow the setup prompts and choose a lock method. Available biometric options depend on the device. Samsung UK Support

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  3. Open Secure Folder, authenticate, tap Add apps or the plus control, and select an app. Samsung says this creates an independent copy with its own data, settings, and sign-in. You may need to sign in again or configure the app separately inside the folder. Samsung Mexico Support

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Keep using the app inside Secure Folder for the protected copy. Adding it does not move or lock the ordinary app outside the folder, so that instance can still be opened normally.

Secure Folder, hiding apps, and app pinning: what’s different?

Option What it does Does it protect app contents?
Secure Folder Places a separate app instance in a space that requires authentication. Yes, for the copy inside the folder; its data and sign-in are separate. Samsung Mexico Support
Hide apps Removes app icons from the Home or Apps screen. No. Hiding an icon is a visibility setting, not a lock on the app’s contents. Samsung India Support
App pinning Keeps one app on screen while someone temporarily uses your phone. It does not create a separate protected app copy or offer the same privacy workflow as Secure Folder. Samsung US Support

Hide the Secure Folder icon

Secure Folder has a separate control for hiding its own icon. In Samsung’s Mexico guide, updated October 2, 2026, the control is called Hide Secure Folder in One UI 8; earlier releases called it Encrypt. The name and location can vary, so follow the wording shown on your device. That guide also says hiding the folder suppresses the stored apps from display and notifications. Samsung Mexico Support

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Hiding Secure Folder is not the same as hiding the ordinary app icon outside it. To remove that separate icon from the launcher, use Samsung’s hide-app setting; this changes visibility, not access protection. Samsung India Support

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