Android Photo Vault: Encrypted Copies, Originals and Exports

Encrypted copy versus hidden original: what changes?

A hidden folder, a private gallery view, and an encrypted file copy are not the same thing. Hiding may change where something is displayed; encryption changes how a protected copy is stored. The relevant question is which copy a particular app controls.

In Photo & File Vault, importing a file through Android's document picker creates an encrypted copy in the app's private storage. The original remains in its source folder. If that original is visible to another gallery app or already synchronized elsewhere, simply importing it into the vault does not remove those other copies.

The current implementation encrypts file contents and filenames. It can still expose limited local metadata, including space labels, lock types, encrypted sizes, or timing. The implementation has not been independently security-audited and does not claim protection from a compromised device.

A careful checklist before importing a private photo

1. Find the original file and note where it is stored before opening the vault. Check whether your normal gallery or a backup provider can still access the original.
2. Use Photo & File Vault's Android document picker to choose a supported local file. Its current implementation does not support third-party cloud document providers.
3. Confirm that the imported copy is accessible inside the vault using the intended lock. Do not delete the original until you have decided whether you need another recoverable copy.
4. Review any device or gallery backup settings separately. Importing is not a command to delete existing copies from other locations.

These are safe planning steps, not a guarantee that an imported file has been deleted elsewhere. Consider using a non-sensitive sample file while learning the flow. Do not send a private photo or unlock secret to support just to demonstrate how import works.

What if the PIN, password or pattern is forgotten?

The app supports local password, PIN, or pattern locking, with additional locks available for individual files. Unlock secrets are not sent to Wonderworld Labs, and there is no developer recovery key or password-reset service.

A lost unlock secret can therefore mean permanent loss of access to protected copies. Keeping a secret somewhere you control is important, but leaving it with the protected file or disclosing it to an untrusted person defeats the purpose of the lock.

Automatic Android app backup and device-transfer backup are disabled for the vault. Do not assume signing into a Google account or reinstalling on a different phone will restore its contents.

Exports are readable files, not encrypted vault backups

Exporting from Photo & File Vault creates an unencrypted file at a local destination you choose. That file may be accessible to other applications and may be picked up by a separate device-backup tool. The vault's encryption does not follow an exported copy.

If you need a readable copy before changing phones, choose a trusted destination, check the file, and protect it according to its sensitivity. The current app does not promise encrypted backup or recovery. Removing the app can remove access to everything left only in its private storage.

Deleting an encrypted copy inside the vault does not delete the original or previously exported files. Likewise, file deletion does not guarantee physical erasure from flash storage. Manage each location separately.

Choose the right protection for your needs

A vault is useful when you need a separate locally encrypted copy and understand its unlock and export limits. It is not a substitute for a complete backup strategy, device security updates, or safely managing originals.

Before relying on any Android vault, look for plain answers to four questions: where the original remains, what the app encrypts, how exports leave the vault, and whether a lost password can be recovered. The official Photo & File Vault policy answers these questions for this specific release.

Questions and answers

Does importing a photo into the vault delete the original?

No. Importing creates an encrypted local copy. The original remains at its source until you manage it separately.

Can Wonderworld Labs reset a forgotten vault password?

No. The current app provides no password recovery or developer-held key. Losing an unlock secret can permanently prevent access.

Are files exported from Photo & File Vault encrypted?

No. Exports are unencrypted copies at a local destination you choose. Protect those copies separately.

Will the vault restore my photos on a new Android phone?

Do not assume so. Automatic app backup and device-transfer backup are disabled, and the current release does not offer an encrypted backup or recovery feature.