Free
Pattern unlock
Draw at least 6 dots on a 5×5 grid, with at least one change of direction.
Private vault for iPhone and iPad
Hide photos and files behind a pattern only you know
Hidegrid is an encrypted vault for your photos, videos and documents. Draw your pattern to open it. Everything is encrypted on your device, and there is no account to create.
Coming soon to the App Store How the encryption works
Free to start: 3 vaults, each with 100 photos and 10 videos.
- 600,000
- PBKDF2 iterations
- AES-256-GCM
- Encryption for files and names
- 5×5
- Dot grid, min. 6 dots
- 0
- Accounts to create
What is Hidegrid?
Hidegrid is an iOS app that keeps private photos, videos and files in encrypted vaults. You unlock a vault by drawing a pattern on a 5×5 grid. The pattern is turned into an encryption key on your device, and files and their names are encrypted with AES-256-GCM. There is no sign-up and no Hidegrid server that holds your files.
How Hidegrid protects a photo
-
Draw your pattern
You create a pattern on a 5×5 grid when you set up a vault.
-
A key is derived on your device
Hidegrid runs your pattern through PBKDF2 with 600,000 iterations to make a 256-bit key. The pattern itself is never stored.
-
Files are encrypted
Each photo, video and file, plus its name and details, is encrypted with AES-256-GCM before it is saved.
Built around three ideas
Your pattern is the key
The pattern you draw is not just a lock screen. It is used to derive the key that decrypts your vault. Without the pattern or your recovery phrase, the files cannot be read.
Nothing leaves unencrypted
Photos, videos, files, file names and folder names are encrypted before they are written to storage. Backups to iCloud stay encrypted with your key.
No account, no tracking
You do not give us an email address or a phone number. Hidegrid works offline and has no ads.
Everything a private vault needs
Free
Multiple vaults
Keep separate vaults for separate parts of your life, each with its own pattern.
Free
Secure camera
Take photos and videos straight into a vault. Nothing is saved to your Camera Roll.
Free
Import from Photos and Files
Move pictures, videos, PDFs and other files into a vault in a few taps.
Free
Folders and search
Organise with nested folders and find items fast with search inside the unlocked vault.
Free
Recovery phrase
Nine words that let you get back into a vault if you forget the pattern.
Free
Encrypted iCloud backup
Back up a vault to your own iCloud. Apple stores only encrypted data.
Pro
Duress pattern
A second pattern that silently erases a vault if you are forced to open it.
Pro Coming in a free update
iPhone and iPad sync
Keep the same vaults on your iPhone and iPad.
Pro Coming in a free update
Shared vaults
Share a vault with someone you trust and choose when access ends.
Pro
Disguise icon
Swap the Hidegrid icon for a neutral one on your Home Screen.
Start free. Upgrade when you need more.
Free
Free
3 vaults with 100 photos and 10 videos in each, unlimited other files, plus pattern unlock, secure camera, recovery phrase and encrypted iCloud backup.
Pro
Pro
Unlimited items, duress pattern and disguise icons. iPhone and iPad sync and shared vaults are coming in a free update.
How Hidegrid compares
Clear, side-by-side comparisons with other vault apps and with the hidden folders built into iOS and Android.
| Feature | Hidegrid | the iPhone Hidden album | Keepsafe | Private Photo Vault |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How you unlock | Pattern on a 5×5 grid | Face ID, Touch ID or device passcode | PIN; Face ID or Touch ID | PIN, password or pattern; Face ID |
| Encryption details published | Yes: AES-256-GCM, key from PBKDF2 with 600,000 iterations | iCloud Photos is end-to-end encrypted only with Advanced Data Protection on | Says "military-grade encryption"; algorithm not named | Says "AES encrypted"; cloud files encrypted before upload |
| Account needed | No | Uses your Apple Account | Needed for Private Cloud | Not for on-device use; needed for Cloud Vault |
Quick answers
Is Hidegrid free?
Yes. The free plan includes 3 vaults, each holding up to 100 photos and 10 videos, and other files are unlimited. Pro removes the limits and adds the duress pattern and disguise icons. Sync and shared vaults come to Pro in a free update.
Do I need an account?
No. Hidegrid does not ask for an email, phone number or sign-in. Your vaults live on your device and, if you turn it on, in your own iCloud.
What happens if I forget my pattern?
Use the nine-word recovery phrase you saved when you created the vault. Without the pattern or the phrase, nobody, including us, can open the vault.
Does it work on iPad?
Yes. Hidegrid runs on iPhone and iPad. Keeping your vaults in sync between them comes to Pro in a free update.
Keep private things private
Download Hidegrid and set up your first vault in under a minute.
Coming soon to the App StoreFree to start. No account needed.