Pattern Lock That Encrypts Your Photos
Draw a pattern to open your vault. The pattern turns into the encryption key on your iPhone, so nothing that could unlock your photos is stored anywhere.
Your pattern is the key
Most photo lockers check your PIN against a saved copy, then show files that were never encrypted. Hidlet works differently. When you draw your pattern, the app turns it into an encryption key on your iPhone, and that key decrypts your vault. No copy of the pattern or the key is saved.
Your photos, videos and files are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before they are written to storage. Someone who copies the app’s files off your phone gets scrambled data, not pictures.
Why a pattern instead of a PIN
A pattern on a 5×5 grid has far more possible shapes than a four-digit PIN, and it is easier to remember than a long password. It is also harder to read over your shoulder when you draw it quickly.
Longer patterns with several changes of direction are much harder to guess than short, straight ones. Hidlet asks for a minimum length so the weakest patterns are not allowed.
What it does not protect against
Encryption protects your files at rest. While your vault is open on screen, anyone holding your phone can see what you see, so lock the vault when you hand your phone over. Hidlet locks itself when you leave the app.
Frequently asked questions
What if I forget my pattern?
Use your recovery phrase to open the vault and set a new pattern. Without the pattern or the phrase, nobody can open it, including us.
Is the pattern stored on Hidlet’s servers?
No. Hidlet has no account system and no copy of your pattern or key anywhere.