How Google Drive Sync Works in Vaulty

Vaulty makes it easy to keep your private content safe across devices by offering free online backup using your own Google Drive account. Here’s how it works, what to expect, and what to avoid.

🔄 How Sync Works

  • Two-way automatic sync: When online backup is enabled and you authorize a Google Drive account, Vaulty automatically syncs your hidden files between devices.
  • Cross-device support: Whether you’re upgrading to a new phone or using multiple devices at once, Vaulty will keep your protected content in sync.
  • No need to manually move files: Vaulty handles all the syncing in the background when your device is connected to the internet and authorized with the same Google account.

🗂 Where Files Are Stored

  • Files are stored in a normal folder in your Google Drive that you can see on drive.google.com:
    My Drive > appdata > Vaulty

  • You can’t open or view the files in Drive because they’re saved in Vaulty’s .vdata format. Don’t delete, move, or rename them.

  • These are your hidden files. Their names are obfuscated for your privacy.

  • Files are tagged with metadata (like names and details) inside the Drive file description so Vaulty can sync changes without re-uploading the full file.

  • Vaulty can’t see files that are uploaded to Drive by hand, so don’t upload or move files into this folder yourself.

⚠️ Important: You can see the My Drive > appdata > Vaulty folder in Drive, but you can’t open or view the files there because they’re in Vaulty’s .vdata format. Don’t delete, move, or rename them.

🧹 What NOT to Do

❌ Do not delete .vdata files from Google Drive

Do not use Google Drive to manage or delete your vault contents. Deleting, moving, renaming, or trashing these files in Drive can make your backup unavailable for restore.

Deleting an item inside Vaulty is different. When you empty Vaulty Trash, or an item’s time in Trash runs out, its Drive backup is deleted too. Online Backup does not keep a separate copy of items you delete in Vaulty. To get an item back, restore it from Vaulty Trash.

✅ If you see Vaulty files in your Google Drive Trash

Please don’t restore them, don’t empty your Google Drive Trash, and don’t uninstall Vaulty or clear its data. Contact us first, and we’ll help from there. In Vaulty, go to Menu > Settings > About and tap Email Us, or email help@vaultyapp.com.

🔒 Privacy

Your backup goes to your own Google Drive, not to Vaulty’s servers. Anyone who can sign in to your Google account can open it. The app also sends limited usage and device information to our analytics and subscription providers, as described in our Privacy Policy.

⚙️ Controlling Sync

  • You can choose whether to enable Drive sync during Vaulty setup.
  • You can sign out of your Drive account in Vaulty settings at any time to stop syncing.
  • If you want to start a backup right away, go to Settings > Online Backup and tap Backup Status, but it’s usually not needed.

📥 What Happens When You Install Vaulty on a New Phone?

  • Set your password, then connect the same Google account you used for Online Backup. During setup, tap Connect Google Drive. If you skipped it, go to Settings > Online Backup. Vaulty starts downloading your backed-up files on its own.
  • Keep Vaulty open, with your phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi, until the download count under Settings > Online Backup finishes.
  • For step-by-step help, see Restore Your Vault on a New Phone.

🆓 Free Online Backup

Vaulty offers Google Drive sync for free, even for users on the ad-supported version of the app. You only need enough storage space in your Google Drive account. If you run out, you can upgrade your Drive storage through Google.

For more information see how Vaulty protects your pictures and videos.

🛟 Need Help?

You can contact Vaulty support directly through the app: go to Menu > Settings > About and tap Email Us. Your message will include diagnostic logs that help us figure out what’s going on. If you can’t open the app, email us at help@vaultyapp.com.