Photo vault apps: what to check

A photo vault promises privacy, yet many of them upload your photos to their own servers. Here is what to check before putting anything personal in one.

1. Where are the photos stored?

Read the App Privacy section on the App Store page. If the app lists data collected, or sells cloud backup, your photos can leave your phone. A vault that stores on the device only has nothing to leak from a server.

2. Does it need an account?

An email and a password mean your vault is tied to an identity and to a server. No account means nothing to breach.

3. Is the vault in your backups?

If the vault is included in iCloud backup, a copy of your private photos sits in your iCloud account. A private vault should leave itself out.

4. When does it lock?

Open the vault, switch to another app, come back. If the photos are still on screen, the lock is decoration. It should ask for the passcode every time, and hide its content in the app switcher.

5. What does it really cost?

Many vaults are free with ads, or push a weekly subscription. Look for a one-time price if you plan to keep it.

How Lockal answers

• Storage: on the iPhone only, excluded from backups.
• Account: none. Data collected: none.
• Lock: at once when you leave, and after two minutes without a touch.
• Price: 3 photos free, then weekly, monthly, or a one-time lifetime purchase.

The trade-off is real: with no cloud copy, a forgotten passcode or a lost iPhone means the photos are gone.