The
security of a smartphone is something that should be taken very seriously.
Android and iOS do allow users to add a passcode lock to the lock screen, but many users find it very inconvenient
and would rather risk their data getting into the wrong hands than enter the
PIN or pattern lock every time. Majority of us use email and other messaging
apps on our mobile devices, which contain sensitive data that we wouldn’t want
others to access. What if you could just password protect specific apps such as
Gallery, Messages, etc? The Google Play Store has some decent tools that
password protect specific apps so you don’t have to lock the entire device.
Past the break, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best apps from this genre.
Private
Zone – applock
With
this app’s applock feature, you can create a specific PIN (or an app-specific
PIN) that can then be used to lock down whatever applications you wish to
secure. It's incredibly simple to use. The applications comes with premium
features such as Photo Vault, Video Vault, themes, lock switch, etc. These
features are not available in the basic version, but users can enjoy them for
free if they opt for the ad-enabled version. If ads don’t bother you, just
select “Upgrade to Premium” from the menu and select the ad-enabled version.
Smart
App Protector
Unlike
AppLock, Smart App Protector comes with some extra features, with the most
prominent being the Observer mode, which monitors unlocking of the apps and
upon failed attempts, captures a snapshot of the intruder with the front-facing
camera.
Other
features include multiple unlocking methods (passcode, pattern lock and
gestures), remote control and customizable themes. The remote control feature
allows users to lock or unlock the device using an SMS, but the feature seems
to be kind of buggy, and didn’t work properly during our testing. Everything
else worked like a charm, though.
The
application is free of cost, but comes with advertisements. If you find them
annoying, you can purchase the ad-free version for $2.73 or subscribe for a
yearly payment of $1.79. The premium version also brings complete update
support and removes advertisements from the application.
MaxLock
MaxLock
is an awesome app locker for rooted Android devices only. That’s sad but if you
have a rooted Android device, you get some great features with MaxLock. The app
is based on Xposed Framework, so you obviously need to have Xposed installed on
your device. MaxLock is a totally free and ad-free app that unlike many app
lockers out there, gives performance and battery the priority. The locking
methods include fingerprint, PIN, pattern and knock code. The open-source app
includes ton of customization options, fake crash feature, a MasterSwitch to
disable it easily, ability to remove thumbnail of apps in the recents window,
and more.
There’s
a Premium version of the app as well, which you can get via a donation. It
brings features like I.Mod (grace period for delay in re-locking), logs of
failed unlock attempts, and ability to backup/restore locked apps list.
FingerSecurity
FingerSecurity
is one of the best app lockers for Android, thanks to its sheer number of
features.
The
feature-rich app lets you lock apps via fingerprint and you can enable the
improved protection features to make sure that parts of the app and the app’s
data isn’t visible in the recents screen. There’s also the advanced security
option to prevent uninstalls. The app also lets you set a time out, which is
the delay in re-locking apps, along with options to theme the fingerprint
indicator, and more.
The
app is available in a free version but it’s fairly limited. However, you can
get the Premium version, which brings more theming options, like the ability to
change background of the lock page. It also brings options to set safe
locations, detect intruders, set up a fake crash, and more. Overall, the app
definitely packs in a ton of features but in my usage, I did face a few hiccups
in performance, so that’s something you should keep in mind.
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