PRO split
What is the difference between PrivateVault and PrivateVault PRO?
PrivateVault includes the essential offline encrypted vault features: importing and encrypting files, exporting files when needed, password and biometric unlock, in-app secure image viewer, search, sorting, selection, delete, Activity Logs, auto lock, password changes, vault reset, encrypted backup creation, sharing files directly from the vault, and opening files with another app of your choice. PrivateVault PRO adds advanced tools such as full file viewing (video, audio, PDF, documents, code, and more), Scan-to-PDF, folders, move, rename, starred files, restore, Vault Health, dark theme, Preserve Original, document autosave, Panic Lock, and advanced view modes.
Offline
Is PrivateVault offline?
PrivateVault PRO is a fully offline encrypted vault. PrivateVault (Free) keeps your files encrypted on your device in exactly the same way, but it shows ads, so the Free edition uses network access only to load those ads — never to upload or sync your files. Your files stay on your device unless you choose to export them or create a backup yourself.
No cloud
Does PrivateVault upload my files to cloud storage?
No. Vault files remain local unless you manually export or share them outside the app. This secure, local-only design applies to both PRO and Free versions.
No account
Do I need an online account to use PrivateVault or PrivateVault PRO?
No. The vault is designed for offline use and does not require a cloud account. This applies to both PRO and Free versions.
Backup
Is Backup available in PrivateVault?
Yes. PrivateVault can create a password-protected encrypted backup of your vault data. Creating backups is available in both PRO and Free versions, though restoring backups is exclusive to PrivateVault PRO. Keep your backup password safe because it is required to restore the backup.
Upgrade
How do I move from PrivateVault to PrivateVault PRO?
In PrivateVault, create a password-protected encrypted backup. Then open PrivateVault PRO, choose Restore, select that backup file, and enter the same backup password. This lets you move your vault data to PrivateVault PRO without cloud transfer.
Restore
Can PrivateVault PRO restore a backup created in PrivateVault?
Yes. PrivateVault PRO is designed to restore normal encrypted backup files created by PrivateVault. Note that the restore feature is exclusive to the PrivateVault PRO version. Use the same backup password that was used when creating the backup.
Security
What happens if I forget my backup password?
The backup password is required to restore an encrypted backup. Keep it safe. The app uses no servers for your vault or passwords, so there is no server-side recovery method to reset or retrieve your password. This applies to both PRO and Free versions.
PRO upgrade
Does PrivateVault PRO replace PrivateVault?
PrivateVault PRO is for users who want advanced vault tools. You can start with PrivateVault, create an encrypted backup, and restore it in PrivateVault PRO when you upgrade.
Local processing
Are thumbnails, previews, and search processed locally?
Yes. The app processes thumbnails, indexing, previews, and organisation locally without sending vault content to external servers. This local processing design is active in both PRO and Free versions.
Permissions
Which permissions does the app use?
PrivateVault uses only the permissions needed for the features you use. File and folder import uses Android's system document picker (Storage Access Framework), so no broad media or storage read permissions are requested. Camera and microphone are requested only for in-app capture or scanning. PrivateVault (Free) also uses the INTERNET permission to show ads; PrivateVault PRO requests no network permission.
Camera
When is camera permission requested?
Camera permission is requested only when you use direct camera capture or document scanning features. Note that camera capturing and document scanning features are available in the PrivateVault PRO version.
No internet
Does the vault need INTERNET permission?
PrivateVault PRO requires no internet permission and is fully offline. PrivateVault (Free) includes the INTERNET permission only to show ads; the vault itself still works locally and your files are never uploaded.
Ads
Does the Free version show ads?
Yes. PrivateVault (Free) shows ads through Google AdMob to support development, which is why the Free edition needs network access. Ads are non-personalized, and your encrypted files and vault data are never shared with advertisers. PrivateVault PRO is completely ad-free and fully offline.
No internet
Why do permissions combined with internet access pose a risk to my privacy?
Permissions alone cannot guarantee privacy. While apps may request access to your files, camera, microphone, or location for legitimate reasons, the real risk arises when these permissions are combined with internet access. An app that can access your files and connect to the internet can potentially transfer data outside your device. To the system, this can look like normal activity such as syncing or backup, even if it is not what you intended. PrivateVault PRO removes this entire category of risk because it requests no internet access at all. PrivateVault (Free) connects only to Google's ad service to show ads and never transmits your files or vault data.
Permissions
How does Android's Privacy Dashboard compare to true encryption and offline storage?
Android's privacy indicators and Privacy Dashboard are useful, but they primarily show when access to a resource (like files, camera, or location) occurs — not always why or how the data is used afterward. Once an app has a permission, it is difficult for the system to distinguish between expected behavior and unwanted data transfer. True on-device encryption, like that used in PrivateVault, ensures your files are secured mathematically on your device. PrivateVault PRO has no internet connection at all, and PrivateVault (Free) connects only to load ads — your encrypted files are never transferred off your device.
Encryption
How are files protected?
Files are stored in encrypted form inside the vault. The app uses AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2 key derivation, SHA-256 integrity hashing, protected vault sessions, and chunk-level authentication. All encryption and decryption happens locally on your device. This complete security is available in both PRO and Free versions.
Encryption
What specific encryption algorithms and modes are used?
PrivateVault and PrivateVault PRO use AES-256 (Advanced Encryption Standard with 256-bit keys), a symmetric encryption algorithm widely trusted by governments, financial institutions, and security professionals worldwide. It is applied using secure modes such as AES-GCM (Galois/Counter Mode), which provides both confidentiality and integrity. This ensures that if any encrypted file is modified or tampered with without authorization, the system detects it and rejects the data as invalid.
Encryption
How are encryption keys derived and hardened?
Encryption keys are derived from your password using secure, hardened key derivation functions such as PBKDF2 or Argon2. These methods convert your password or authentication input into a strong cryptographic key, resisting brute-force and dictionary attacks through techniques like salting and multiple hashing iterations. This ensures that even weak passwords are significantly hardened before being used for encryption. All keys are generated and stored securely on your device, and are never transmitted over a network.
Password
Does the app support long vault passwords?
Yes. The vault design supports strong passwords up to 127 characters. This is supported in both PRO and Free versions.
Screenshots
Are screenshots blocked?
Yes. Screenshot and screen-recording protection is enabled for sensitive vault screens in the release build. This is active in both PRO and Free versions.
Integrity
How does PrivateVault reduce corruption risk?
The app includes integrity validation, transactional writes, metadata recovery, chunk checks, restore validation, and corruption-resistant encrypted file handling. This is active in both PRO and Free versions.
Import
Can I import many file types?
Yes. PrivateVault supports importing common media, documents, code files, and other user-selected files into the encrypted vault. Note that invalid or corrupted files may not be encrypted, but most valid files can be imported. Importing files is available in both PRO and Free versions.
Export
Can I export decrypted files?
Yes. Files can be exported in decrypted form only when you explicitly choose to export them to a selected location. Exporting files is available in both PRO and Free versions.
Share
Can I share files directly from the vault?
Yes. PrivateVault lets you share files directly from the vault using the standard Android share sheet. The file is temporarily decrypted in memory for sharing and is never written to a persistent external location without your action. File sharing is available in both the free PrivateVault and PrivateVault PRO versions.
Open with app
Can I open a vault file with another app?
Yes. You can open files from the vault with any compatible app installed on your device using the standard Android "Open with" feature. The file is temporarily decrypted and handed off securely. This feature is available in both the free PrivateVault and PrivateVault PRO versions.
Documents
Can I view Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files?
Viewing is currently limited to PDF and text/code files, which can be viewed (and some can be edited). Viewing/editing of other types of office documents is not supported yet even in the PRO version, but may be implemented in a future update. These viewing features are available in the PrivateVault PRO version.
Password files
Can I open password-protected PDFs?
Yes. Opening supported password-protected PDFs inside the vault is available in the PrivateVault PRO version, with session isolation. Passwords are not stored.
Code files
Can I view and edit code files?
Yes. Code viewing and plain-text editing of common code formats (such as JavaScript, TypeScript, C, C++, Java, PHP, Python, Kotlin, Swift, HTML, CSS, JSON, XML, YAML, and more) is available in the PrivateVault PRO version.
Images
Can I view images in the free version?
Yes. The free version of PrivateVault includes an in-app secure image viewer. You can view, zoom, and pan images directly inside the encrypted vault without needing to export them. Images are decrypted only in memory for display and never written outside the vault. The secure image viewer is the only in-app file viewer available in the free version; all other file types (video, audio, PDF, documents, code, etc.) require PrivateVault PRO.
Video
Can videos play in portrait and landscape?
Yes. The video player supports dynamic rotation according to device rotation without forcing horizontal orientation. Video playback is available in PrivateVault PRO only.
Scanner
Can I scan documents with the camera?
Yes. Camera document scanning with basic crop is available in the PrivateVault PRO version.
APK files
Can APK files be run inside the app?
No. APK files can be inspected in read-only mode, but they cannot be executed or installed. Note that APK file inspection is available in the PrivateVault PRO version.
Performance
Is PrivateVault optimised for budget phones?
Yes. The app is optimized well to handle most of its processes in most low-budget Android devices too, but some features may be limited according to available RAM and processor. This optimization is active in both PRO and Free versions.
Data safety
Can encryption damage my files?
No. Encryption itself does not randomly damage files. PrivateVault uses encryption as a mathematical process — when the original file, password, encryption key, and saved encrypted data are all correct, the file can be safely unlocked again. The real risk is an interrupted or incomplete file-writing process, not encryption itself.
Data safety
What can cause file corruption during encryption?
Corruption can occur if the app is interrupted while writing a file. Common causes include: phone powering off or battery dying, storage running out, app being force-stopped or crashing, app data or vault files being deleted, cleaner apps or file managers modifying data, storage errors (SD card or internal), or a file being overwritten unsafely. In short, corruption happens when files are only partly written or altered outside the app.
Data safety
Why does a small error break the whole file?
PrivateVault uses authenticated encryption, which checks data integrity before opening a file. If even one byte is damaged, the app may refuse to open the file. This is a safety feature to prevent showing corrupted or unsafe data — it is designed to protect you, not a flaw.
Data safety
Are encrypted files more likely to corrupt?
No. Regular files may still open partially when damaged. Encrypted files cannot — if data is incomplete, they usually cannot be recovered. Encryption makes damage easier to detect, not more likely to occur.
Data safety
Can PrivateVault recover a file if encryption was interrupted?
In many cases, if the original file is still available, the safest solution is to import or encrypt it again. However, if the original was deleted and only a partially written encrypted file remains, recovery may not be possible. Authenticated encryption is designed to reject incomplete or modified data. This is why safe writing, verification, and avoiding early deletion of originals are very important.
Data safety
What should I do while encrypting large files?
For best safety during large imports: keep your phone charged, do not force-close the app, avoid restarting the phone during encryption, make sure enough storage is available, avoid using aggressive cleaner or booster apps, do not manually edit or move PrivateVault's internal app files, and wait until the operation clearly finishes. No app can safely finish writing data if the device shuts down or storage becomes unavailable at the wrong moment.
Data safety
Can low storage cause corruption?
Yes. If storage runs out, files may not be fully written and cannot be decrypted. Always ensure enough free space before importing or encrypting files, especially large ones.
Data safety
Can changing my password corrupt my files?
Changing a password should not damage files if the operation completes correctly. The risk is similar to encryption: if the app must update encryption metadata or re-protect keys and the process is interrupted, access problems can occur. Password-related operations should be completed carefully, without force-closing the app or shutting down the device.
Data safety
Can I open or edit PrivateVault files using another file manager?
No. You should not manually open, rename, move, clean, edit, or delete PrivateVault's internal encrypted files. External file managers or cleaner apps may not understand the vault structure and may accidentally remove files or metadata needed for decryption. Use PrivateVault's built-in import, export, delete, backup, and restore options instead.
Data safety
Why can't a file be opened even if it exists?
The file may exist but be incomplete or altered. PrivateVault verifies data before opening. If verification fails, it blocks access to prevent showing corrupted or unsafe content. This strict behavior is part of secure authenticated encryption.
Data safety
Is PrivateVault Free less safe than PRO?
No. Both versions use the same encryption. PRO adds extra features like better file viewing and file management tools — not stronger encryption. Your files are equally protected in both versions.
Data safety
What is most important to understand about file safety?
Encryption does not destroy files. The real risks are interruptions during writing, storage issues, or manual changes to vault files outside the app. PrivateVault detects damaged data and blocks unsafe access. This strict behavior is part of secure encryption and is designed to protect your data at all times.