Pattern lock for photos: a 5×5 grid only you know
Your vault opens with a pattern drawn on a 5×5 grid. It's separate from your phone's screen lock, so people who know your phone PIN still can't get in.
Sealcloak uses its own pattern on a 5×5 grid, at least 6 dots long. The pattern is never stored: it's turned into the key that unlocks your vault. Fingerprint or face unlock is optional, and the pattern always keeps working.
Why 5×5 instead of the usual 3×3
A 3×3 grid, like most phone lock screens, has a small number of possible patterns, and many people pick the same few shapes. A 5×5 grid has 25 dots, so there are vastly more patterns to choose from, and a 6-dot minimum stops the shortest, easiest-to-guess shapes. The setup screen shows how strong your pattern is as you draw it.
Separate from your phone's lock, on purpose
Most built-in private albums open with the same PIN that unlocks your phone. The people most likely to look are often the ones who already know it. Sealcloak's pattern is its own, and each vault can have a different one.
Keep them locked, offline
Sealcloak encrypts your photos, videos and files on your phone. No account, no cloud, no internet permission.
What happens after wrong patterns
The first 4 wrong patterns in a row are free. After that, the app makes you wait before the next try, and the wait grows each time. Changing the phone's clock doesn't skip it. If you want, you can also turn on intruder photos and, with Pro, erase after wrong patterns.
Fingerprint or face, if you want it
Turn on fingerprint unlock in Settings to open the vault with your fingerprint or face instead of drawing. Android checks the biometric; the app never sees your fingerprint. Your pattern always keeps working, and it's still what protects the files.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a PIN instead of a pattern?
No. Each vault opens with its own pattern, plus optional fingerprint or face unlock. A pattern on a 5×5 grid has far more combinations than a typical 4-digit PIN.
What if I forget my pattern?
Tap Forgot your pattern? and enter the 9-word recovery phrase you saved at setup, then draw a new pattern. Without the phrase, nobody can open the vault, including us.
Can someone see my pattern from the smudges on the screen?
Smudge and shoulder-surfing attacks are possible with any pattern. Wipe the screen now and then, draw it out of sight, or use fingerprint unlock in public.
Is the pattern stored on my phone?
No. The pattern is turned into a key with Argon2id, a deliberately slow function, and only the result is used to unlock your vault's key. The pattern itself isn't saved anywhere.
Gallery lock on Android: every way to lock your photos
Built-in private albums, Google Photos Locked Folder, Private space or a vault app, and what each one really protects.
How Sealcloak encrypts your photos and files
AES-256-GCM on the phone, a random key per vault, unlocked by your pattern.
Hidden vaults: separate vaults, each with its own pattern
Separate vaults with their own patterns. Nothing shows how many exist.