Photos can convey a mix of emotions that we’d never want to forget. They are a great way of reliving memories that we cherish the most. We often share our photos with our friends and family, but sometimes, we might not want others to view our photos. Whether it be sensitive photos, such as personal documents or perhaps an album of photos that you would rather keep confidential, you may feel the need to protect it. It is in such scenarios that putting a password on a photo album comes handy, and this is what we’ll be discussing in this article.
In this blog, we will walk you through various methods of putting a password on a photo album, both on mobile devices and desktops. The steps are easy to understand and execute, even for beginners. Once you are done reading, you should be able to safeguard your personal photos by adding a password on your photo album.
Video Tutorial:
What’s Needed
To put a password on a photo album, you’ll need the following:
- A mobile device (smartphone or tablet) or PC/laptop
- The photo album that you want to protect
- Access to receive messages or emails, depending on the method you choose
What requires your attention is…?
It is crucial to remember your password. Of course, whenever you lock it, you are the only one who can unlock it. Once lost, it is not easy to retrieve the password. Therefore, make sure you remember it or that you write it down somewhere safe.
Method 1: Using the app "Gallery Lock Pro"
The Gallery Lock Pro app is widely used to lock photo albums. It is ideal for those looking to secure their photos on mobile devices for added protection.
Steps:
- Download and install the Gallery Lock Pro app from the Google Play Store/iTunes or App Store.
- Launch the app and tap on the “+” icon on the top right corner of the screen.
- Select the photos or an album that you want to lock.
- Set a password for the gallery and tap on “Confirm”. You’ll then be asked to create a password hint, which should be something that’s easy for you to remember but difficult to guess for someone else who might try to access your gallery.
- Click on “Lock” to complete the locking process.
Pros:
- The app is easy to use, with a user-friendly interface.
- It offers high-quality security, providing options such as fingerprint locking and fake password screens.
Cons:
- The app is not free to use. Users will need to pay $3.99 for its full version.
- Inability to backup the locked photos to cloud storage.
Method 2: Creating a ZIP archive and setting a password on Windows 10
For those who prefer to lock their photo albums on their computer, this method will suit you best. The steps are straightforward and can be done by anyone comfortably.
Steps:
- Select the photos that you want to lock and right-click on them.
- Scroll to “Send to” and click on “Compressed (zipped) folder”.
- Open the ZIP archive file, click on “File”, go to “Add a password”, and type in your password. Save the settings.
- Your photos are now locked with a password.
Pros:
- The method is free and does not require any app installation, making it less complicated.
- ZIP archives can be backed up to cloud storage, enabling you to access your files with ease from any device.
Cons:
- The method is only available to Microsoft Windows 10 users.
- ZIP archives cannot be viewed or edited until unlocked, making viewing a single photo tedious.
Method 3: Creating a password-protected folder on macOS
Similar to the previous method, this process enables users to lock their photos on their computer through the creation of a password-protected folder, a feature made available for macOS users only.
Steps:
- Select the photos that you want to lock and right-click on them.
- Click on “New Folder with Selection” and rename the new folder.
- Right-click on the folder and go to “Compress”.
- Double-click on the compressed folder, which should automatically take you to a newly created folder with a “.zip” extension.
- Right-click on the folder and select “Rename”. Replace the “.zip” extension with “.cpgz”.
- Double-click on the newly renamed file, which should create a new folder with the same name in the same location. You will be asked to enter your password.
- Enter the password, the same process will reverse the folder back to a zip archive, but it will now be password-protected.
Pros:
- The process does not require a third-party app and is built into macOS.
- Like the ZIP archives, the password-protected folders can be backed up to cloud storage.
Cons:
- The process is only available for macOS users.
- Password-protected folders are locked as a single file; thus, viewing a single photo is tedious.
Why Can’t I ‘Put a Password on My Photo Album’?
Here are some reasons why you might be facing difficulties in adding a password to your photo album:
- Your device might not have an inbuilt feature for locking photo albums.
- You might not have the privilege to install third party apps on your device or computer.
- The version of the operating system installed on your device might not be compatible with the app you are using to lock your photos.
Here are a few potential fixes to these problems:
- For devices that lack an inbuilt feature to lock photo albums, we recommend that you take a look at the third-party apps that serve this purpose. These apps offer high-quality security and are relatively affordable or free to use.
- If you don’t have the privilege to install third-party apps, you might consider purchasing a device that allows you to install these apps.
- Ensure to check the compatibility of the app with your device’s operating system before installation.
Implications and Recommendations
Adding a password to a photo album is an excellent practice for those who want to keep their personal photos private and secure. It is crucial to remember your password and ensure that it is stored in a secure location. Practice good password hygiene, change your password regularly, and ensure that your device and its operating system are updated to prevent hacking attempts.
FAQs
Q: Is it possible to remove the password once set?
A: Yes, it is possible to remove the password. For mobile devices, launch the app and go to the settings menu, select the photo or album, and click on “Unlock”. For desktops and laptops, open the ZIP archive or folder, click on “File”, go to “Remove password”, and click on “Ok”.
Q: Can I unlock my locked photos on a different device?
A: If you created a ZIP archive or a password-protected folder, you can transfer the file to a different device securely, provided you remember the password to unlock it. For mobile devices, you can download the app on the new device and complete the login process using the credentials previously created.
Q: Can I lock multiple photo albums using a single app?
A: Yes, with the Gallery Lock Pro app, you can lock multiple albums with different passwords. Similarly, you can create multiple password-protected folders or ZIP archives on desktops and laptops.
Q: Can I still edit my locked photos?
A: Yes, you can still edit your locked photos. All you need to do is to unlock the photo or album temporarily, make changes and then lock them again with a password.
Q: Can I backup my locked photos to cloud storage?
A: For mobile devices, the Gallery Lock Pro app does not offer such services, but for desktops and laptops, password-protected ZIP archives or folders can be backed up to cloud storage.
Conclusion
That’s it! There are various methods to put a password on a photo album, whether you’re using a mobile device or a desktop computer. You can choose the method that best suits your needs and preferences. The process is relatively simple and straightforward if you follow the steps outlined in this article correctly. Remember, it is crucial to protect your personal photos and practice good password hygiene. We hope you’ve learned valuable information from this blog post and you can now enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having a secure photo album.