Samsung has officially rolled out the Secure Folder app for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones to provide users with more options to protect valuable information.
The feature originally launched on the controversial Galaxy Note 7 before making its way to the internationally available Galaxy A line of devices. With its arrival on the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, Secure Folder is now once again available in the United States.
How Does The Samsung Secure Folder Work?
The Secure Folder feature of Samsung utilizes the company's Knox security platform to provide users with a private and encrypted space inside their smartphones.
Once the app is installed, users will be able to move data and apps into the Secure Folder, where they are sandboxed separately within the device and are given additional privacy and security.
For users to access and manage the data and apps stored in the Secure Folder, they would need to bypass authentication methods that include a PIN number, a pattern, a password, or biometrics such as fingerprint verification. With these authentication methods in place to protect the Secure Folder, users can further protect their valuable information from malicious attacks.
Once the app is installed, users will see a new Move to Secure Folder option for documents. Alternatively, there is also an Add Files option within the app.
Users will also be able to change the appearance of the Secure Folder app, replacing the icon and name for added protection. The Secure Folder icon can even be hidden from the home screen through the Quick Panel.
Applications For The Secure Folder
Data that users will be able to protect with Samsung's Secure Folder feature include images and documents that may hold sensitive or valuable information. Users will also be able to store apps within the Secure Folder, or make copies of the apps and access them within the Secure Folder through alternate profiles.
All the information held by apps protected by the feature such as pictures, browsing history, and notes remain within the Secure Folder, and will not be available to a version of the same apps outside the Secure Folder. This is important for apps such as those related to banking services, to ensure that the information stored within them are not easily accessible.
Users will also be able to use the Secure Folder to transfer sensitive data between devices, as the app supports a cloud-based backup and restore feature. The backup data of the Secure Folder is different from the regular backup files, and can only be restored from within the Secure Folder app once it is installed in the new smartphone by the original user.
Download Secure Folder Now For Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge
The Secure Folder feature is now available through Galaxy Apps for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. However, the smartphones will need to have upgraded to at least Android 7.0 Nougat to support the app, which might prevent some users from accessing the feature immediately.
AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile have already released the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Verizon is still working on the update, with no timeframe revealed yet on when it will be launched.
