Joe Maring / Android Authority
I have a whole host of images in Google Photos that I don’t want anyone to see. These include those not-so-appealing images of that weird rash I had to send to my doctor, a few unflattering selfies that I still want to keep, and several fitness progress photos I’m not yet ready to share.
All these images are safely tucked away in the Locked Folder within my Google Photos account, which means they don’t show up in my feed and won’t pop up in a feature like Memories. It also gives me peace of mind if I ever hand my phone to a friend to show them vacation photos, as one swipe too many can be the start of an embarrassing conversation.
Locked Folder is one of my most-used Google Photos features, but it is very basic. Too basic. So basic, that I’m just thinking of ditching it altogether.
Do you use the Locked Folder feature? 49 votes Yes 35 % No 47 % I didn't even know it existed. 18 %
I want more, Google
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Here’s what the Locked Folder feature allows me to do: I can move images in from my main Photos feed, and I can move them back out. I can also delete them. That’s it.
I can’t search for images. I can’t create albums. I can’t sort or organize my hundreds of images in any way, shape, or form. I can’t find any image I’m looking for without manually scrolling through hundreds of thumbnails. It’s exhausting.
The feature is too bare-bones, and I’m not a fan. While I can live without the ability to edit images, create videos, and all those extra features Photos has, basic image management and search should be present. Without it, Locked Folder is just a dumping ground for images. This isn’t a problem until you have hundreds or thousands of pictures tucked away, at which point the feature loses much of its benefit for me.
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