Works with Note5 too: The method mentioned below works well with a Samsung Galaxy Note5 too, as it has a pretty similar variant of TouchWiz UI as the S6 edge+.
Getting Started
First things first, the Private Mode is simply a name given to that mode where a user can hide media on their Samsung phones. Anything that is private or you don’t want others to see. It could be a bunch of files or even folders, it works fine for all. To get started, you can navigate to Settings -> Privacy and safety -> Private Mode. When you toggle the switch to enable it, you will be asked to choose your method of securing the mode. Sure, there are the more traditional PIN and pattern locks, but I strongly recommend you use your own fingerprints. In fact, it’d be best if you set up the fingerprint scanner authentication for as many things as you like. Once done, you will see a new icon in the status bar at the top of your Galaxy S6 edge+. This indicates that you are now in the Private Mode and can now choose the media that you wish to hide. The quickest way to check that out is by going to your gallery and selecting a few files or an entire folder, then tap More on the top-right corner of the screen and select Move to Private. There is no limitation on the kind of file and the number of files, you can move to Private Mode. But, if you move a large number at the same time, it might take up some time. So, be patient.
No Limitation on Files
The best part of this handy feature is that you can hide as many files as can be accessed from My files as you like. And of course, being a default file manager of sorts, this is where you can find all the files that you won’t otherwise find in the Gallery app of the Samsung device. The only point to keep in mind here, is that you can hide all these files as long as you are in the Private Mode and not otherwise. If you forgot to move a particular file to Private Mode then you need to go back to the Settings menu and follow the steps I’d laid out earlier.
Don’t Keep Phone in Private Mode
This should go without saying, but I’ll say it nonetheless. If you don’t want people browsing through your phone, then it’d be best to exit out of Private Mode once you’ve hidden the files you wanted to. Because, as long as you’re in this mode, the phone assumes you still want to hide more files here and the hidden files will still be visible. In fact, it’d be best to select the Auto disable option from the aforementioned Private Mode menu in Settings. This will ensure you are out of the Private Mode the next time you unlock the phone and in my real world testing, it worked like a gem every time. Even if you want to move files to private after exiting the Private Mode, you can do that, but the phone will ask for the security authentication that you had chosen earlier.
Android Adoption?
There are plenty of 3rd party apps that can do something similar, but why would a user want to do that if Android can build such features right into their OS. Since Google isn’t moving ahead on that front, it’s great to see the likes of Samsung leading the pack here. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
