right here's the way to stop friends browsing via your private files

Robert Zak 2015-03-19T00:00:01Z1 week ago Robert Zak A tech aficionado when you consider that he first picked up a NES controller, Robert has written about technology, videogames, and movie throughout a number websites and magazines, together with Den of Geek, Gamasutra, and Computeractive. At AndroidPIT, he'll be bringing you the latest Android news and experiences from the front line in the UK.

we've all had that heart-stopping second the place we casually let a chum (or neighborhood of them) grasp our cell to display them some thing, then understand that they're simply a couple of swipes faraway from seeing data and folders we in reality do not want them to see (we will can help you make a decision what these things can be). right here, we exhibit you a way to maintain your phone deepest, lock apps, and disguise folders when or not it's in someone else palms. 

here's how to hold you cell private it, even in a person elses fingers. / © ANDROIDPIT 'Pin' a particular app to the display

if you are handing your telephone around a roomful of chums, or strangers, or - worst of all - toddlers, then you definitely often best desire them to entry the app that you simply need to exhibit them. on the grounds that the Android Lollipop replace, that you would be able to 'pin' apps to the screen, which potential that whoever's using your mobile can best use one app, until you make a decision otherwise. here's a way to do it:

permit 'screen pinning' by means of going to Settings > security > screen pinning then switching it on.

Navigate to the app you are looking to lock your machine to.

tap the fresh Apps button, then faucet the eco-friendly pin icon that seems to your app's card.

faucet birth, or or tick the 'Ask for PIN before unpinning' box when you are super-cautious.

you might be all set! To unpin the app, cling the returned and up to date Apps buttons at the equal time (and enter your PIN if required).

Android Lollipop's new 'pin reveal' function locks americans to handiest use one app, except you decide in any other case. / © ANDROIDPIT 'Pin' a specific photograph to the display

in case you let your chums leaf through your pictures, then you definitely may be only a single swipe left or appropriate far from a lifetime of embarrassment as the occur upon a photograph not meant for his or her eyes. photograph Pinner is a grossly under-liked app which means that you can apply Lollipop's 'Pin' characteristic (see old tip) to an individual photograph. when you've downloaded the app, it continues to be hidden away within the 'Share' menu of your photographs. to make use of it:

once you've put in photograph Pinner, go to the photograph you are looking to exhibit your chums, then Share > photo Pinner.

tap the green pin icon, then beginning to pin the monitor to that one photo.

photo Pinner seems in the 'Share' menu, and locks the screen to cease individuals multiple image. / © ANDROIDPIT cover photograph albums using your default Gallery app

The simplest - if not precisely the most bulletproof - method of hiding photographs to your cellphone is to use the basic 'conceal albums' feature on your Gallery app. where you discover this function varies between contraptions, but listed here are examples of a way to do it on recent HTC and Samsung gadgets.

For TouchWiz (Galaxy S5, Galaxy observe four)

Gallery >Albums > choose album > long-tap the album > Menu button > hide gadgets

For feel UI (HTC One M7, HTC One M8) 

Gallery > Settings (three-dot icon) > reveal/conceal albums > untick the field for the album you want to conceal

Most Android phones allow you to conceal albums within the Gallery. right here's me doing it on my HTC One M8. / © ANDROIDPIT Make complete folders invisible for your mobile

if you want to offer you photos, info, or anything that further stage of protection, you could make entire folders invisible to apps - and americans - with this simple trick. First, down load strong Explorer - a magnificent file supervisor app that means that you can create your own info.

Open solid Explorer, then navigate to and open the folder you need to disguise (or create a new one).

within the folder, faucet New at the backside left, then File.

name the file .nomedia and tap ok. this will inform all apps for your machine (apart from your file manager) to ignore the folder - hiding it across your entire machine.

If the folder is still turning up (i.e. in Gallery), then close the app through which or not it's performing and clear its cache (Settings > Apps). however, rename the folder in strong Explorer (lengthy-tap the folder, then tap Rename).

Create a '.nomedia' file within the folder that you wish to cover from other apps on your cellphone, and from americans. / © ANDROIDPIT

i hope you appreciated our assistance for the way to retain your mobile private while someone else is using it. let us know within the comments if in case you have some other concepts.

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