FireLock - Free Secret Folder and Data Vault to Hide and Lock Photo & Video for iOS

FireLock is a straightforward app that lets you keep photos and videos in a passcode-protected vault on your device. It doesn't have a ton of features, but if you need to keep images and videos away from prying eyes, it might be exactly what you're looking for.

Pros

Ease of use: FireLock is one of those apps that doesn't need tutorials or instructions; everything is pretty self-explanatory. The first time you launch the app it prompts you to set a four- or five-digit passcode, and from there it looks very much like the iOS Camera Roll. You can either import existing images from elsewhere on your device, or use the in-app camera to create new ones.

Security: The only way to view the media stored inside of FireLock is to enter the passcode, ensuring that your private images and videos stay private. There was no trace of the photos or videos stored within FireLock elsewhere on our iPhone.

Cons

Video bait and switch: At first glance, it seems as though FireLock stores both photos and videos, which we thought was great. We shot a short video from within the app, and it appeared in the album with our images. However, when we went to play it, we got a message stating that this was a premium feature, and we'd have to upgrade to enable it. Sneaky!

Less than discreet: FireLock's icon looks like a safe with flames licking the bottom, and touching the icon brings up the passcode entry screen. Although there's no indication of what's stored inside FireLock, it will be obvious to anyone nosing around on your device that you have something to hide. Depending on what you're hiding and from whom, this may or may not be a problem.

Bottom Line

If you have sensitive images or videos stored on your iOS device, it makes sense to protect yourself. FireLock is an easy, no-hassle way to accomplish this, though you'll have to pay for an upgrade if you want to be able to store and play videos with it.