What Are The Permissions For?

Vaulty requires certain permissions to function properly and keep your photos and videos hidden. Below is a breakdown of the permissions we request, why they are needed, and how we handle your privacy.

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📂 Storage Permissions

  1. READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE & WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
    🔹 Purpose: Allows Vaulty to access, hide, and restore your photos and videos.
    🔹 Why Required? These permissions let Vaulty move files from your public gallery to your private vault.

  2. MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE (Android 11+)
    🔹 Purpose: Enables Vaulty to manage hidden files across different folders on newer Android versions.
    🔹 Why Required? Starting from Android 11, Google restricts how apps can access files. This permission ensures Vaulty can still manage hidden content properly.

Vaulty keeps hidden items in its own Vaulty folder. To work, it also reads your device’s photo and video library to show the gallery, searches your device storage for existing Vaulty files (for example on first launch, after you grant storage access, or when you tap Scan), checks that a folder can be used by writing and removing a small test file, and uses its own app storage for temporary files such as camera captures, intruder photos, shared items and Google Drive downloads. Vaulty adds, moves, renames or removes files outside its folder when you hide, unhide, share items to Vaulty, or edit, move, rename or delete items in the gallery. Hiding or sharing an item to Vaulty moves it into Vaulty and removes the original, and if that leaves the original folder empty, Vaulty removes that empty folder. Unhiding puts it back in its original folder or the folder you choose. If Vaulty finds its own hidden files elsewhere on your device, it moves them into the Vaulty folder.

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🌐 Network Permissions

  1. INTERNET & ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE & ACCESS_WIFI_STATE
    🔹 Purpose: These permissions help with:
    ✅ Backing up your hidden files to your Google Drive (if enabled).
    ✅ Showing non-intrusive ads in the free version of Vaulty.
    ✅ Checking for app updates and maintaining a stable connection.
    ✅ Sending limited usage and device information to our analytics and subscription providers, as described in our Privacy Policy

🔹 Privacy Note: Vaulty does not collect or send your private media to any external server.

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📸 Hardware Permissions

  1. CAMERA
    🔹 Purpose: Enables Mugshot, a Vaulty Pro feature that can take a photo with the front camera when someone enters a wrong password. The photo is saved as a hidden item in your main vault on your phone, and it is backed up with your other items if Online Backup is on. The photo’s name in Vaulty, and its details in your Google Drive backup, may include what was typed.
    🔹 Why Required? This feature helps protect your vault from unauthorized access.
    🔹 Optional? Yes. Mugshot needs camera permission and a supported front camera. Turning it on is separate from taking a photo or video with Vaulty’s camera option.

  2. WAKE_LOCK
    🔹 Purpose: Prevents your phone from sleeping while Vaulty is performing critical operations, such as moving files or backing up content.
    🔹 Why Required? Helps background work continue. Network, power, and storage limits can still interrupt a transfer.

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💳 Billing Permission

  1. com.android.vending.BILLING
    🔹 Purpose: Enables in-app purchases for Vaulty Pro.
    🔹 Why Required? This is necessary for in-app payments, which Google Play handles securely.
    🔹 Privacy Note: Vaulty does not store or process your payment information – Google Play handles all transactions.

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🔍 Optional Features & Permissions
Vaulty also declares some hardware features as optional, meaning the app works even if your device doesn’t support them:
✅ Camera & autofocus
✅ Front camera
✅ Fingerprint sensor
✅ Screen portrait mode
✅ WiFi

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🔐 How Vaulty Handles Your Privacy
• No collection of your media: Vaulty does not collect, analyze, or share your hidden media.
• No unnecessary permissions – We only request permissions that are essential for Vaulty to function.
• Full control – You can revoke permissions anytime through your device’s settings.

The app collects limited usage and device information, such as app events and device identifiers, through Google’s Firebase analytics and our subscription provider. See our Privacy Policy.

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📌 Managing Permissions

You can grant or revoke permissions at any time:
1️⃣ Go to Settings > Apps > Vaulty > Permissions.
2️⃣ Adjust the permissions based on your preference.

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Still Have Questions?

If you have any concerns about permissions or privacy, feel free to contact our support team: in Vaulty, go to Menu > Settings > About and tap Email Us. If you can’t open the app, email help@vaultyapp.com.

🔹 Download Vaulty today and take control of your privacy!