The Google Photos Locked Folders feature will soon arrive on Android and iOS, giving users the chance to secure their most sensitive snaps from prying eyes.
The feature was originally announced for Pixel phones back in May at Google I/O, but will be available on Android devices “soon”, while iOS users will get it at the beginning of 2022.
The idea is for Google Photos users to stash their most sacred pictures and videos behind a passcode or fingerprint. So, if you’re scrolling through your feed in the company of friends, family or colleagues, you won’t stumble upon something you’d rather them not see.
In a blog post on Google’s security developments today, the company writes: “Back in May, our Photos team introduced Locked Folder on Pixel – a passcode-protected space where you can save photos and videos separately, so they won’t show up as you scroll through Google Photos or any other apps on your device. We’re excited to share that this feature is coming to Google Photos on Android soon, and to iOS early next year.”
It’s not the only feature Google Photos users can expect in the coming months. Google looks to be testing a new More Like This feature that would enable users to surface similar photos and videos.
As Android Police points out, this is sure to come in handy for users who’re searching for a specific photo, but can’t find the one you’re looking for. Google already offers ways to surface photos by performing text searches for people, places, items, pets, locations and more.
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Google adding new and useful features is always welcome, but especially within its Photos app. The way the company handled its decision to end unlimited free back-ups left a sour taste with many users earlier this year, so it’s important that the company continues to add value, now its effectively a product users are going to have to pay for once they’ve used up their 15GB of free storage that comes with all Google accounts.
It’s not live for all users yet, but we’d expect the More Like This button to roll out soon.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
