Vaulty For PC Archives

Your Sync account includes a cloud-only storage space called Vault. Vault is typically used to backup files and folders located outside of your Sync folder. Files stored in Vault are not automatically synchronized to your other computers or devices, which makes it ideal for backups or freeing up space.

In this article:

What are the differences between the Sync folder, and Vault?

The Sync folder is a special folder located on your computer, that is backed up to the cloud as you add or make changes to your files. Additionally, files in the Sync folder are automatically synchronized to any other computer you install the Sync desktop app on, making it easy to access the same set of files from multiple computers.

Vault is a separate “cloud only” storage location that does not automatically synchronize. You can manually copy any file or folder, anywhere on your computer (including external drives), to Vault, to create a cloud backup.

How do I access and download files and folders stored in Vault?

Files and folders stored in Vault are accessible from the web panel or mobile apps, and can be downloaded from the cloud, back to your computer easily, anytime.

To access files stored in Vault, from the Sync.com web panel:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click the Vault tab on the top menu bar.
3. Click the (ellipsis) icon beside any file to open the file menu.
4. Select Preview (if available) to view the file. Select Download to transfer the file back to your computer.

To download everything stored in Vault, back to your computer (all at once):

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click the Vault tab on the top menu bar.
3. Select multiple files and folders by checking them , or selecting all from the dropdown arrow at the top left corner of the file listing.
4. Select Copy from the file menu.
5. Check the Sync folder checkbox.
6. Click Copy.

The files you selected will then be copied to the Sync folder, and automatically downloaded to your computer if you have the Sync desktop app installed.

To access files stored in Vault, from your phone or tablet:

1. Install the Sync mobile app on your mobile device.
2. Open the Sync mobile app.
3. On iOS tap the Vault icon on the bottom menu bar. On Android tap the (menu) icon and select Vault.
4. Tap the (ellipsis) icon beside any file to open the file menu.
5. Select Open with … from the file menu.

How do I upload files and folders to Vault?

You can upload any file or folder located virtually anywhere on your computer (including external drives), to Vault, to create a cloud-only backup. To do so you will need to install the Sync desktop app.

Upload to Vault from a Windows or Mac computer:

Show on Windows    Show on Mac

1. Navigate to a file or folder on your computer (outside the Sync folder) using Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder
2. Right click on the file or folder
3. Select Copy to Sync Vault from the file menu
4. At this point the Sync icon in the Windows system tray or Mac menu bar will spin for the duration of the copy. Click the icon to view transfer progress, or to stop the transfer.

Important: Once complete, a transfer report detailing any files that could not be copied will be placed in Vault. To avoid data loss, be sure to review this report. You can upload up to 1 TB at a time.

Upload to Vault using the Sync.com web panel:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click the Vault tab on the top menu bar.
3. Select Upload from the side menu.
4. Click the Choose files button, or drag and drop files or folders directly into the transfer box.

Upload to Vault, from your phone or tablet:

1. Install the Sync mobile app on your mobile device.
2. Open the Sync mobile app.
3. On iOS tap the Vault icon on the bottom menu bar. On Android tap the (menu) icon and select Vault.
4. Tap the + (plus) icon to select files to upload.

What happens if I upload a folder or file that has already been uploaded?

Sync will only upload a file if it is new or has been changed. In the case of folders, Sync will scan the entire folder and only upload new or changed files. This saves bandwidth, and makes subsequent Vault transfers faster.

How are files in Vault organized?

Files uploaded to Vault from Windows Explorer or Mac Finder are organized using the full file path. For example, if you uploaded filename.txt from your desktop, it would be saved to Vault under the full path of:

“Device Name/Drive Letter/Full/File/Path/filename.txt”

This prevents data from being overwritten if you upload file or folders with identical names from different locations, or have multiple computers attached.

How do I move files from the Sync folder to Vault?

If you have files in the Sync folder that you no longer need local access to, you can move them into Vault for safe keeping (and to free up space).

Here’s how to move files from the Sync folder to Vault:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click the (ellipsis) icon beside any file to open the file menu.
3. Select Move.
4. Check the Vault checkbox.
5. Click Move.

Important: When you move a file from the Sync folder to Vault, it will be deleted from your computer, and stored in the cloud only (until you download it back to your computer).

How do I confirm that a file is stored in Vault?

Sync provides a number of ways to audit confirm what is stored in Vault.

View the Vault transfer report:

When you upload files or folders to Vault directly from your computer, a transfer report detailing any files that could not be copied will be placed in the Vault. To avoid data loss, be sure to review this report, each time you copy something new to the Vault. Here’s how:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click the Vault tab on the top menu bar.
3. There will be a separate sync-vault-report-123456.txt file for every Copy to Sync Vault action you have initiated. Click on the report name to view it.
4. The report will detail the status of every file copied.

Important: If you do not see a report file, it means the Vault copy did not complete successfully. You should try copying again, or contact support for assistance.

To prevent syncing problems across different operating systems and platforms, a subset of incompatible characters are not supported by Sync. Files named with these characters may be skipped (not uploaded), and will be listed in the Vault report as being skipped. The easiest solution would be to rename the file without these characters, and copying again.

Export full Vault file listing:

If you have the Sync desktop app installed, you can export a full listing of all files stored in Vault, which makes auditing easier. Here’s how:

1. Click the Sync icon on the Windows system tray or the Mac menu bar.
2. Click the Settings icon (cog).
3. Select Preferences.
4. Select the Account tab.
5. Click Generate beside export, to get a listing of all files.

A .CSV file will download to your computer, which you can open, to search for specific files and verify your files stored in Vault.

View Vault storage quota usage:

Files in the Vault count towards your overall storage quota. View your storage space usage as follows:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click your Username on the top menu bar.
3. Select Settings.

How do I use Vault to free up space on my computer, phone or tablet?

You can use Vault to free up space by storing files in the cloud-only and removing them from your computer or device. Files and folders stored in Vault are accessible from the web panel or mobile apps, and can be downloaded from the cloud, back to your computer or devices anytime.

Free up space after uploading files or folders to Vault:

1. Upload your files or folders to Vault directly from your computer, phone or tablet by following these instructions.
2. Confirm that your files uploaded to the Vault successfully by following these instructions.
3. Once you have confirmed your files were uploaded to Vault successfully, you can proceed to delete them from your computer, phone or tablet to free up space.

Free up space by moving files from the Sync folder to Vault:

If your files are already in the Sync folder you can move them to Vault and they will automatically be removed from the Sync folder on computers you’ve installed the desktop app on (freeing up space). Move files from your Sync folder to Vault by following these instructions.

You may have sensitive files stored in your computer that you don't want anyone else to access. The Vault is a good way to protect them from prying eyes.

The Vault creates a virtual safe for your files in your hard drive. You can have as many vaults as you need, each one of them with their own folder structure – just like Windows Explorer. The program supports four encryption algorithms (Blowfish, AES, Serpent and Twofish) and four types of hash functions (MD5 128, Sha 256, Sha 384 and Sha 512).

The Vault doesn't require installation. When you run it for the first time you'll be asked to set a master password – which you should never forget. Then you're ready to start creating vaults, adding folders to them and dragging and dropping any files you want to protect into the program's interface. You also have the option to check the encryption performance of each algorithm and hash combination with a built-in test.

Generally speaking The Vault is a handy application but it may not be easy to understand for those who are not familiar with computer security. The fact that the program doesn't include any documentation doesn't help either.

The Vault lets you create encrypted virtual safes in your hard drive to store and protect sensitive data, though it may not be very intuitive for beginners.

Modern technology has evolved to a great extent, allowing us to capture and watch videos as well as photos. However, a modern day smartphone is a lot more than just a photo viewer, you need the best vault app to maximize productivity. It also consists of important documents and information that are otherwise private to you. Keeping this in mind, it makes sense for the customers to safeguard the data on their devices by investing in a dedicated app to keep all your data safe, photos and documents alike.

Naturally, there are quite a bit of these apps that help you hide sensitive content on your devices. Taking this into account, we’ve decided to sort through some of the best vault apps that are available for Android smartphones today. So without waiting any further, let’s have a look.

Best Vault Apps to Hide Photos and Files

1) Vault-Hide

This is a great app that is designed to help you hide all sensitive data from your smartphone or tablet. You can protect your contents with a standard PIN/Password combination, which can be instrumental in hiding things from your friends and family. If you’re usually forgetful of your passwords, the app will help you recover the password via email, which is a handy feature to have. The app has over a 100 million users worldwide, which speaks volumes about the popularity of this offering. In addition to hiding photos and documents, Vault-Hide also allows you to hide sensitive apps from prying eyes.

You can also synchronize your data on the cloud which can be handy when you’re shifting to a new device. You can also create multiple vaults on this app and even display fake vaults to deceive those who use your phone regularly. It’s a free app on the Google Play Store, but comes with ads and in-app purchases.

Download it now: here

2) Hide it Pro

This app has been the mainstay among vault apps on the Play Store, having been around for quite some time. Hide It Pro comes with a fairly decent user interface and the ability to hide your photos, videos, as well as documents. The app is disguised as a fully functional Audio Manager, which can easily skip the eyes of those around you, reducing suspicion in the process. The app also allows you to have a cloud backup of all the files in your vault for an additional fee (via in-app purchases).

You can use a standard passcode/pin or even the fingerprint scanner on your phone to authenticate the vault. If you’re still too concerned about someone bumping into your hidden files, there’s also an option to completely hide the icon from your app drawer. All your files are encrypted, which is a necessary security layer for apps like this. It also comes with its own video player, allowing you to play files from the vault directly. Moreover, the app won’t appear on your recent apps list. Hide it Pro is a free download on the Play Store. It has ads and in-app purchases. You will need a smartphone or tablet running Android 4.1 or higher to use this app.

Download it now: here

3) Keepsafe Photo Vault

This is a sophisticated vault app meant primarily for photos and videos. While you can copy the files onto the vault, the files can be chosen to be deleted from the main gallery, away from public view while still being accessible in the vault. The app also supports a safe lock feature, allowing you to immediately lock the vault when you put the phone down on its face. Much like other vault apps, Keepsafe doesn’t appear on your recent apps list.

The developer offers a cloud storage service that lets you sync your hidden files between multiple devices of your choice, which will require an in-app purchase. You can also choose to send photos to your contacts from the app, with the ability to set a timer for the duration of the photo’s visibility. Kind of like Snapchat and Instagram’s disappearing messages. Packed with features like these, Keepsafe is a pretty decent application, and is free to download. There are ads and in-app purchases on board. The app is compatible with devices running Android 4.4 and higher. With over 50 million installs, Keepsafe is massively popular with Android users.

Download it now: here

4) Vaulty

This app is designed specifically to hide photos and videos. Operating the app is quite simple. You simply have to open the app, select the folders or individual photos and videos to hide, and tap the lock icon to hide them from plain sight. You can also hide photos and videos as you’re viewing them by simply tapping the share button and choosing Vaulty.

In terms of security, the app comes with the ability to take pictures when someone is trying to enter the wrong password multiple times. This can be crucial in times of device theft and can help you identify and potentially apprehend the culprit. Sadly, the app doesn’t allow you to hide documents and other files, limiting itself to just photos and videos. But if that’s not much of a problem, Vaulty is a good app to have on your smartphone or tablet. This is a free download on the Play Store and comes with ads and in-app purchases.

Download it now: here

5) Gallery Vault

This app can help you hide and encrypt all hidden media like photos and videos, keeping them safe from those around you as well as cyberattacks. There are some handy features here that can help you keep sensitive data away from prying eyes. When you’re viewing a photo or video on the app and you realize there’s someone approaching you, the app closes itself when you rapidly shake your phone.

Gallery Vault also has break-in alerts, informing you when someone is trying to open the app without your knowledge. The app also supports fingerprint authentication for authentication, although this feature is only limited to Samsung devices as of now. Gallery Vault is filled with features and is a free download on the Google Play Store. The best vault app supported by ads and in-app purchases.

Download it now: here