Google Photos New Feature : Lock pictures and videos in non-Pixels Devices

    Now you can lock pictures and videos in non-Pixels Devices, Google Photos New Feature starts rolling out. Previously, this feature was exclusive to Google Pixel smartphones.

    According to Android Police, this feature is available in the Google Photos app on select Google OnePlus and Samsung Android smartphones. Note that Google’s Locked Folder feature was introduced in May to keep confidential photos away from the original frame. What is this feature and how you can use Google’s Locked Folder feature to hide your private photos and videos:

    What is the function of Google photos locked folder?

    Google Photos New Feature

    With the “Locked Folder” Google Photos new feature, you can select specific photos or videos and save them in a password-protected folder that even applications that have access to your regular photos and internal storage can’t read. It also prevents uploading sensitive photos or videos to the cloud from your Android device. The photos and videos in the locked Google Photos folder are saved locally on your device.

    Add photos and videos to the locked folder

    Google hasn’t officially announced the release of the locked folder feature in Google Photos for all Android devices. Based on the observations, it can be assumed that the update will be rolled out gradually. The feature is rumored to appear in Google Photos for iPhone early next year. To add photos and videos to the Google Blocked Folder feature on your smartphone:

    • First, download the Google Photos app from the Play Store and install it if it is not available on your smartphone.
    • Then go to the Library section in the lower right corner and then click on Utilities.
    • If the Google Blocked Folder feature is available on your smartphone, tap Set up Blocked Folder.
    • For new users, Google Photos displays a welcome page explaining what this feature really is about.
    • Press “Settings” to continue
    • Now use the screen lock option of your current devices
    • Once the process is complete, you can move the existing photos or videos to a locked folder by clicking the Move Items option.

    Then you can see all the photos and videos on your device. After selecting the photos and videos you want to transfer to locked photos, you will receive a message stating that the transferred items will no longer be backed up or shared. Then you can confirm the files you want to transfer by selecting the Move option.

    This way, all selected photos and videos are securely locked. Nobody can access or share multimedia content without entering the smartphone password or biometric authentication. Also, media files in the locked folder cannot be backed up or shared via Google Photos until they are successfully removed from the locked folder. That said, if you delete the Google Photos app from your smartphone, all your files will be transferred to a locked folder.

    How to access these photos and videos in the Google Photos locked folder?

    To access the locked photos and videos,

    • Launch the Google Photos app
    • Select Library
    • Select Utilities
    • Scroll down to the locked folder
    • Verify Yourself and click Confirm

    All your locked files will be displayed on the screen in Google Photos.