How to Delete Secure Folder

Delete, uninstall, hide, or remove the shortcut: what each option does

If you want Secure Folder gone, first decide what “gone” means. Samsung gives you a few different ways to get it out of sight, and they don’t all affect your files.

• Hide Secure Folder: Removes it from places such as the quick panel and can hide its Home screen shortcuts and contents. Your Secure Folder and its data stay on the phone.
• Remove the shortcut: Takes the app icon off your app screen or Home screen. Secure Folder itself remains installed.
• Delete Secure Folder data: Removes the files and apps stored inside the folder. Treat this as permanent unless you have a backup you can use.
• Uninstall Secure Folder: Removes the Secure Folder feature from the phone through Samsung’s Settings. The uninstall flow also includes an option related to deleting Secure Folder backup data.

Hiding is the right choice if you simply don’t want to see Secure Folder while using your phone. Uninstalling is the right choice if you no longer need the protected space and have checked everything stored inside it.

Before you tap Uninstall, look through the folder for photos, documents, downloads, or app data you may still want.

Back up or move anything you want to keep before deletion

Deleting Secure Folder can remove the files and apps stored inside it. Don’t start the uninstall process until you’ve checked the contents.

Open Secure Folder and review:

• Photos and videos
• Downloaded documents
• Notes or other files
• Apps installed only inside Secure Folder
• App data you may need later
• Any files that were copied into the folder instead of the normal phone storage

Move files you want to keep out of Secure Folder, or use the backup choices shown on your phone. The exact options can vary by Samsung phone and One UI version, which is Samsung’s Android software layer.

Also pay attention to the uninstall screen. It includes a choice to delete Secure Folder backup data. Read that option before confirming. If you select it, backup data connected with Secure Folder may also be removed.

The available instructions don’t spell out a complete recovery process for every type of Secure Folder content. That’s why checking and moving important files first is safer than assuming you’ll be able to recover them later.

How to delete Secure Folder from Samsung Settings

The main Samsung path starts in the Settings app. Menu names can differ a little between Galaxy models and One UI versions, but the flow usually stays close to this:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Lock screen and security.
3. Select Secure Folder.
4. Unlock Secure Folder if your phone asks for your PIN, password, pattern, or other security method.
5. Open the Secure Folder settings menu.
6. Scroll to the bottom.
7. Tap Uninstall.
8. Review the warning and the option for deleting Secure Folder backup data.
9. Tap OK to confirm.

On some Galaxy phones, Secure Folder may appear under a slightly different security heading. You might see Biometrics and security or find Secure Folder by using the search box in Settings.

Try this if you don’t see the path above:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap the search icon.
3. Search for Secure Folder.
4. Open the matching Settings result.
5. Look for Uninstall inside the Secure Folder settings.

The key detail is to open Secure Folder’s own settings, rather than only removing its icon from the app screen. Removing an icon does not uninstall the feature.

How to confirm the uninstall and handle Secure Folder backup data

After you tap Uninstall, Samsung shows a confirmation screen. Read it instead of tapping through quickly.

Look for the setting that controls Secure Folder backup data. If you no longer need that backup, you can choose the option to delete it as part of the uninstall. If you may need the backup later, leave that option unselected when the screen allows it.

Then tap OK to finish.

The result should be different from hiding Secure Folder. Hiding only keeps the feature out of view. The Settings uninstall flow is the one to use when you want Secure Folder removed from the device.

If the uninstall button is missing, check these points:

• You may be looking at the regular app screen instead of Secure Folder settings.
• Your phone may use a different Settings label because of its One UI version.
• Search for Secure Folder in Settings and open that result.
• Restart the phone and check the Settings path again if the menu does not load properly.

You may also see suggestions to open the Play Store, visit the area for managing installed apps, select Secure Folder, and uninstall its latest update. Treat that as a version-specific workaround, not the main removal method. Removing an update is not the same thing as deleting Secure Folder data, and it is not a password bypass.

How to remove Secure Folder from the app screen without deleting it

You don’t need to uninstall Secure Folder just because you dislike its icon or notifications. Samsung provides a hiding option for that situation.

The wording varies by phone, but start here:

1. Open Settings.
2. Search for Secure Folder, or open it through the lock-screen and security settings.
3. Open the Secure Folder settings.
4. Turn off the option that shows Secure Folder on the app screen or Home screen.
5. Confirm the change if your phone asks.

Secure Folder can also be hidden from the quick panel. This can remove its quick-panel control and hide related Home screen shortcuts and contents from normal view.

If you only want to remove the shortcut, look for a setting such as Show Secure Folder on Apps screen or a similar display option. Turn it off rather than choosing Uninstall.

Your protected files remain inside Secure Folder when you hide it. You can make it visible again later through the same settings area. This is the better choice if you’re troubleshooting a pop-up, cleaning up your app screen, or taking a break from the feature without losing its contents.

How to delete Secure Folder on Galaxy S23, S24, and other models

The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S24 use the same general Samsung approach: open Settings, find the Secure Folder security settings, scroll down, and choose Uninstall. The names and placement of the menus can change with the phone’s One UI version.

For a Galaxy S23 or S24, try:

1. Settings
2. Lock screen and security or Biometrics and security
3. Secure Folder
4. Secure Folder settings
5. Uninstall
6. OK

If those labels don’t match your screen, use Settings search. Search results are often faster than checking every security menu by hand.

Older Galaxy phones and Galaxy tablets may place Secure Folder in a slightly different part of Settings. The search term is still the same: Secure Folder. Once you open its settings, look for the uninstall control near the bottom.

Don’t assume that instructions for an S23 will look pixel-for-pixel the same on an S24. Samsung can move menu labels and controls between One UI releases. Focus on the action you need: open Secure Folder’s Settings page, then choose the uninstall option rather than merely hiding the shortcut.

Can you delete Secure Folder without the password?

There isn’t a supported password-free deletion method established by the available instructions.

If your phone asks you to unlock Secure Folder, use the correct PIN, password, pattern, or other sign-in method connected with the folder. Don’t treat a Play Store suggestion about uninstalling the latest update as a way around that security check. It is a version-dependent workaround and does not establish that Secure Folder can be deleted without its password.

If you’ve forgotten the password, avoid random removal apps or unofficial guides that promise to bypass the lock. They may not remove the protected data, and they could make it harder to recover anything you still need.

Instead, open Settings and search for Secure Folder. Follow the normal Samsung settings flow and pay close attention to any recovery or reset choices your phone actually shows. If you can’t access the settings or the phone keeps rejecting your credentials, Samsung support is the safer next step.

The most important point is simple: don’t count on deleting Secure Folder without authentication, and don’t assume that uninstalling an update will preserve or recover its contents.

What to check if Secure Folder keeps appearing when you open your phone

If Secure Folder keeps showing up, you probably want it hidden rather than deleted. Start with the non-destructive option.

Open Secure Folder’s settings and turn off its display on the app screen or Home screen. Then hide it from the quick panel if that option is available. This removes the usual shortcuts while leaving your files in place.

If you still see a shortcut, check both the app screen and Home screen. A shortcut can remain in one location even after you change a setting for another. Also look for Secure Folder’s quick-panel control and remove or hide it there.

If your goal is only to stop seeing Secure Folder, choose the hide option. If you’ve moved or backed up everything you need, use the Settings path and confirm Uninstall instead.