Encrypted albums: Maximum privacy vs Recoverable
AES-256 on device, what each security level means, recovery, and Remove encryption…
What it is
Encrypted / Locked album encrypts photos on your device with AES-256 before upload. You choose a security level per album: Maximum privacy or Recoverable encryption. Encrypted albums are for private storage only — sharing and monetization aren’t available while encrypted.
Why it helps
Maximum privacy is for content you accept you alone can unlock. Recoverable encryption keeps AES-256 on device but lets account recovery restore access if you lose the passphrase — with the tradeoff that it is not zero-knowledge.
How to use it
- 1
Open Album lock (or Open full lock settings) on the album.
- 2
Under Encrypted / Locked album, tap Turn on encryption.
- 3
Choose Maximum privacy or Recoverable encryption and acknowledge each point for that level.
- 4
Use my vault PIN as the encryption passphrase, or enter a custom Encryption passphrase and Confirm passphrase.
- 5
To reverse later: unlock the album → Remove encryption… → Un-encrypt album after acknowledging the warnings.
Details
Maximum privacy
We cannot recover or view. Lose your passphrase → photos are gone. Photos are encrypted on your device; FWDLink stores ciphertext only for this album. FWDLink and its employees cannot view or decrypt this album’s photos. You are responsible for keeping your passphrase or vault PIN safe.
Recoverable encryption
Still AES-256 on device, but FWDLink holds an escrow key so account recovery can restore access. This album is not zero-knowledge. Recovery uses strong verification: email OTP, and phone OTP when phone verification is enabled. Use Forgot passphrase? Recover with email on the unlock screen.
Remove encryption…
Photos are decrypted on this device and re-uploaded in normal form. After this, FWDLink stores them like any other album. Standard features (sharing, thumbnails, moderation) may apply again. Explicit content remains subject to platform rules before any share or monetization.
Troubleshooting
- Unlock this encrypted album before uploading photos
- Enter the passphrase (or vault PIN) on Unlock album, then upload. New photos must be encrypted with the same album key while encryption is on.
- Escrow could not be stored
- If recoverable escrow fails, try again from album settings or recreate as Maximum privacy.
Related guides
- How Album lock worksRequire unlock to open, Encrypted / Locked album, and Open full lock settings — what each control does.
- Forgot PIN, can’t unlock, and recoveryReset vault PIN with account password; recover Recoverable encryption with email OTP.
- Sharing from the vault: what’s allowedPassword / private share vs why monetization and share are blocked on encrypted albums.
- Privacy & content rules for vault usersPractical rules: vault is private storage; public/shared explicit content is not allowed platform-wide.
Try it on your page
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