Back up a folder

Step by step

1. Open the folder

   Draw its pattern on the start screen.

2. Tap Menu › Create backup

   The menu is at the top right. If this folder has no recovery code yet (because it was skipped), Vaultessa makes one first and shows it once. Write it down: the backup can only be opened with it.

3. Choose where to save it

   Vaultessa first shows when this folder was last backed up. Tap Choose where to save and Android's “Save as” screen opens with a name like Personal.vaultessa. Good places:

   • a computer (connect the phone with a USB cable, or upload it)
   • a USB stick or memory card you keep somewhere safe
   • a cloud drive such as Google Drive. The file is encrypted, so a copy there shows nothing without the recovery code.

   To save to Google Drive: in the “Save as” screen, tap the menu (☰) at the top left and choose Drive, pick a folder and tap Save. The Google Drive app needs to be on the phone.

   A backup that's only on the same phone doesn't help if the phone is lost, broken or reset.

4. Wait for “Backup saved”

   Large folders can take a while. When it's done, Vaultessa shows Backup saved.

5. Back up every pattern folder

   Each pattern folder has its own backup file and its own recovery code. Folders inside a folder are included in that folder's backup.

6. Make new backups regularly

   A backup holds what was in the folder when you made it. After adding important files, make a fresh one. If a folder with files hasn't been backed up for a month, Vaultessa reminds you when you open it.