How to set up a decoy vault on iPhone
Short answer
In MaxVault, add a second vault with its own passcode and fill it with harmless photos. Then go to Settings → Security → Panic Action and choose Switch to Vault. Flipping your phone face down or swiping down with three fingers instantly switches to the decoy. Entering the decoy's passcode at launch opens it too.
What a decoy vault is for
If someone grabs your phone, or pressures you to "just open it", a decoy vault lets you show something without showing everything. MaxVault supports separate vaults, each with its own passcode and its own folders. The one you set up first is your Primary vault; any others are secondary.
Step 1: Create the decoy vault
- In MaxVault, open the Vaults control in the File Manager.
- Tap Add New Vault and give it an ordinary name.
- Set a passcode for it. Each vault must use a different passcode.
- Add some everyday photos so it looks lived-in.
Now, whichever passcode you enter when MaxVault opens decides which vault appears.
Step 2: Set up Panic Action
- Go to Settings → Security → Panic Action.
- Choose what should happen:
- Switch to Vault: jump straight to your decoy vault (you need a secondary vault and a passcode on the Primary vault first).
- Open Safari, Open Photos, Open Mail or Open Messages: leave MaxVault for an ordinary app.
- Trigger it by placing your phone face down or with a three-finger swipe down.
Tips
- Practise the gesture once so it's instinctive.
- Keep the decoy's passcode easy to remember and different from your real one.
- Combine with break-in photos to see who tried to get past it.
See all of MaxVault's Security features.