Android 15’s New Private Space Feature in Action

Setting a strong screen lock on your smartphone is crucial for protecting your data, but for added security, you might consider enabling additional measures, especially if you need to lend your phone to someone else. Samsung's Secure Folder feature provides an encrypted storage space for files and apps, offering an extra layer of protection. However, it's exclusive to Galaxy devices.For users of stock Android devices, Secure Folder-like functionality has been lacking. However, with the upcoming Android 15 update, this is expected to change.

Android 15 will introduce a similar feature to Secure Folder, providing encrypted storage for files and apps, thus enhancing security for users across various Android devices.That sounds like an exciting development! Private Space in Android 15 appears to be Google's answer to Samsung's Secure Folder, providing users with a secure and encrypted storage area for their files and apps. While Google hasn't officially announced this feature yet, it's great to hear that there's an early glimpse available. I'd love to learn more about it.It's fascinating to hear about your discovery of the Private Space feature back in December! It seems Google has been quietly working on this feature, even though it wasn't fully functional at the time of your activation.

Placeholder assets and a note indicating ongoing development suggest that Google is fine-tuning Private Space before its official release. It'll be exciting to see how the feature evolves and what it offers users once it's ready for prime time.It's impressive to hear about the significant progress Google has made on the Private Space feature since its initial discovery! From polishing the user experience for setup to adding new privacy features and improving home screen integration, it sounds like Google is committed to enhancing the functionality and usability of Private Space.

It's understandable that you couldn't fully enable the updated version of Private Space when you initially shared the changes, but it's great that you were able to get it up and running on your Pixel 8 Pro running the latest Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 release after a bit more tinkering. This suggests that Google is actively refining and fine-tuning the feature before its official release, ensuring that it meets users' expectations and needs.Setting up Private Space on your device involves navigating to Settings > Security & privacy and tapping on Private Space. Android prompts you to authenticate yourself before initiating the setup process, ensuring that only the primary user can create it.

During setup, you have the option to sign into a Google account to facilitate downloading apps to Private Space. While Google suggests creating a separate account dedicated to Private Space to keep your data and history isolated, you can choose to use your existing account if you prefer. Additionally, you can use your existing screen lock or create a new one for Private Space. Creating a separate screen lock adds an extra layer of security, ensuring that even if someone bypasses your device's main screen lock, they won't automatically gain access to Private Space.

Once the setup is complete, you can access Private Space by returning to your home screen, opening the app drawer, and scrolling down. You'll notice a small strip labeled "Private" with a lock icon. Tapping the lock icon prompts Android to request input for the screen lock you specifically set for Private Space. After unlocking it, the strip expands to display the apps installed within Private Space. This setup ensures that your sensitive data and apps remain protected and separate from the rest of your device's content.In Private Space, a selection of apps is preloaded, including Google Camera, Chrome, Contacts, Drive, Files, Photos, and the Play Store.

To install additional apps, you can tap the "install apps" button or long-press on an app in the primary profile and select "install in private." Both options open the Play Store app within Private Space, allowing you to browse and install any app of your choice.When using apps installed in Private Space, a lock icon is displayed in the status bar to prevent accidental data access. This lock icon also appears in notifications from Private Space apps. By default, notifications are minimized on the lock screen to avoid revealing sensitive content when the device is locked. However, you can adjust this setting by navigating to Settings > Security & privacy > Private Space and toggling "sensitive notifications on lock screen."

Furthermore, in the Private Space settings, you can configure options such as automatically locking Private Space, changing the screen lock used for it, hiding Private Space from the app list when locked, or deleting it entirely. If you choose to hide Private Space when locked, it won't appear in the app list, making it less noticeable to others. However, launching it becomes more challenging. To access it when hidden, you'll need to search for "private space" and tap on the chip that appears. This ensures that your Private Space remains secure and discreet while still accessible when needed.

It's important to note that in Android 15, all settings, statistics, and intent redirections to Private Space are hidden while it's locked. For example, if you want to adjust location settings for Private Space, view storage usage, share a file with a private app, or open a file in a private app, you'll need to unlock it first.This ensures that other users can't access your Private Space apps unless it's already unlocked.

Although the Private Space feature isn't live yet in the latest Android 15 Developer Preview 2 release, it's functional in the Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 release that you enabled it on. Given its functionality, it's likely to be included in one of the upcoming Android 15 beta releases. It's possible that Google may announce it at the upcoming I/O developer conference, which begins on May 14. Keep an eye out for any official announcements regarding the availability of the feature.