These two features get confused because they both involve a PIN or biometric unlock, and both live inside the same privacy-focused apps. But they protect different things, and understanding the difference helps you set up the right one — or both.

App Lock: protects access to an app

App Lock sits in front of an entire app. Try to open a locked app, and you're asked for your PIN or biometrics before it launches. Once you're in, the app works exactly as it normally would. This is useful for messaging apps, banking apps, or your Gallery app as a whole.

Photo Vault: protects a specific file

A Photo Vault works at the file level, not the app level. A photo moved into the vault is encrypted and removed from your regular gallery entirely — it no longer exists in shared storage for any app to find, whether or not that app is locked.

The key difference in practice

Say you lock your Gallery app. That stops someone from opening your default Gallery to browse your camera roll. But if a different gallery app is installed, or a file manager with media access, your photos are still readable there, because the files themselves are unprotected — only one specific app's access was restricted.

A photo moved into a Photo Vault doesn't have this gap, because the file no longer exists anywhere those other apps can look.

So which do you actually need?

  • Just a few specific photos to protect: Photo Vault.
  • An entire app (messaging, banking) that shouldn't open without authentication: App Lock.
  • Both: common, and exactly what Lockilee is built to do — a vault for files, App Lock for apps, in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a photo vault and app lock at the same time?

Yes, they're independent features that work well together — Lockilee includes both in one app.

If I lock my Gallery app, do I still need a photo vault?

Locking the Gallery app restricts who can open it, but any other gallery app or file manager with storage access can still read the same photos. A photo vault protects the file itself, regardless of which app tries to open it.

Which one should I set up first?

If you have specific photos you want private regardless of which app might access them, start with a photo vault. If your main concern is who can open certain apps at all, start with App Lock.

Get both, in one app

Lockilee bundles Photo Vault and App Lock together. Free to start.

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