Samsung Galaxy phones split app locking between Secure Folder and app pinning

On an iPhone, a user can long-press an app and select Require Face ID, after which the app will not open without a face or fingerprint scan. Samsung phased out a basic app lock option in favor of Secure Folder. Rather than merely gating an app behind a password, Secure Folder creates a separate encrypted area on the phone. Apps placed inside run as isolated copies, with their own data and sign-ins kept apart from the rest of the device. Engadget noted that this differs from Apple's system because iOS locks an app in place, while Secure Folder essentially duplicates it inside a vault.

Because Secure Folder requires extra steps, some users have pushed back over the years, arguing that a lighter-weight lock would be enough for everyday situations such as keeping children out of TikTok. For quick, temporary restrictions, Samsung offers app pinning, which Engadget described as a makeshift version of Apple's screen-lock tools.

To set up Secure Folder, a user opens Settings, then Security and privacy, then More security settings, then Secure Folder. The user signs in with a Samsung Account and chooses a lock type: PIN, password, pattern or biometric scan. The user also decides whether apps can still run in the background when Secure Folder is closed. To add apps, the user taps the plus icon inside Secure Folder and selects them. Apps moved there remain inaccessible until Secure Folder is unlocked. The folder icon can be hidden from the home screen for extra discretion by turning off the Secure Folder app from the quick panel. When the folder is hidden, apps inside will not continue to work in the background or create notifications, so the folder must be unhidden before those apps can be used.

App pinning is intended for situations where full encryption is unnecessary, such as letting a child play one game without opening the Play Store to install another app. To enable it, a user goes to Settings, then Security and privacy, then More security settings, and turns on Allow apps to be pinned. After opening the app, the user taps the Recents button, the three vertical bars at the bottom of the screen, or, with swipe gestures, swipes up from the bottom and holds. Then the user taps the icon above the app and selects Pin this app or Pin to screen. To unpin the app, the user must hold the Recents and Back buttons at the same time.

Engadget reported that pinning does not encrypt anything, so it is not the right choice for financial or private apps. It works only as a fast and temporary lockdown. The publication added that app pinning will work best if children do not yet know how to read, because on-screen directions show how to unpin the app when the bottom buttons are tapped.

For sensitive apps that need real protection, Secure Folder's Knox-backed encryption is the stronger option, even if it takes a few minutes to set up. For quick and low-stakes restrictions, such as keeping a toddler inside a single game, app pinning requires almost no setup.