Secure Notes for Android: Lock and Encrypt Private Notes

Quick answer: Secure Notes for Android is a private notes app that stores every note, photo and voice note in an AES-256 encrypted vault on your phone. You open it with a PIN, a password or your fingerprint, screenshots are blocked by default, and there is no account and no cloud. It is free on Android 8.0 and later, with an optional Pro subscription.

How do I lock notes on Android?

1. Install Secure Notes from Google Play.
2. Set a PIN or password of at least 4 characters. A digits-only code gets a number pad.
3. Write down the 12 recovery words the app shows you and keep them somewhere safe.
4. Turn on fingerprint unlock if your phone supports it.
5. Add a separate lock to any note or folder that needs one more step.

Google Keep cannot lock a single note, so on most Android phones a dedicated vault app is the simplest route. The app locks again as soon as you leave it; with Pro you can choose a short delay instead.

Does Secure Notes encrypt notes on Android?

Yes, and this is where the Android app differs from the iPhone app. On Android the app encrypts the whole vault itself:

• Vault: notes are stored in a SQLCipher database, encrypted with AES-256.
• Key protection: the vault key is wrapped with a key derived from your PIN using Argon2id, a password hashing function built to slow down guessing.
• Fingerprint unlock: goes through the Android Keystore, using StrongBox hardware where the phone has it.
• Photos and voice notes: encrypted separately with Google Tink.

On iPhone and iPad, by contrast, Secure Notes relies on iOS Data Protection plus the app lock and does not add its own encryption layer to notes. Both apps are described side by side, including what each one does not protect, on our security page.

Can it block screenshots and the recent apps preview?

Yes. Screenshot and screen recording blocking (Android's FLAG_SECURE) is on by default, which also blanks the app in the recent apps screen. Android lets apps do this; iOS does not, which is why the iPhone app can only hide its app switcher preview.

What else does the Android app do?

• Decoy vault (Pro): a second PIN opens a separate, harmless vault, for moments when someone makes you unlock the app.
• Encrypted backups (Pro): export a password-encrypted backup file to move your notes to a new phone.
• 12 recovery words from the BIP-39 English list unlock the vault if you forget your PIN. The app does not store them.
• Voice notes, photos, folders, tags and 16 themes. On-device voice transcription is Pro.
• No account and no sign-up.

Does it sync with the cloud or with my iPhone?

No. The Android vault stays on the phone, and nothing is synced to a server. That is the point for many people, but it means a lost phone without a backup is lost notes, so export an encrypted backup (Pro) and keep it somewhere safe. The Android app does not sync with the iPhone app, and the backup formats are different.

What data does the app collect?

Note content is never sent to PixelPort or to any analytics provider. The app uses PostHog for product analytics, Firebase Crashlytics for crash reports and RevenueCat for purchases. It does not use the Android advertising ID. Details are in the security model and the about page.

Is Secure Notes for Android free?

Yes. The free app includes the encrypted vault, PIN and fingerprint lock and screenshot blocking, with up to 10 folders and 3 themes. Pro is a monthly or annual subscription and adds the decoy vault, encrypted backups, auto-lock delays, unlimited folders, attachments and themes, and voice notes up to 10 minutes. There is no lifetime purchase on Android.

Who is it for?

People who keep things on their phone that would hurt to leak: ID numbers, recovery codes, seed phrases, journals, medical or legal notes. If you are deciding where those belong, read where to store 2FA backup codes and how to store a crypto recovery phrase. On an iPhone instead? See Secure Notes for iPhone.