File Vault Pro by Waveclues ("we," "our," or "us") is deeply committed to protecting your privacy and security. This policy outlines our practices regarding the collection, use and handling of your data.
Because File Vault Pro is designed from the ground up as a zero-trust, offline-only security application, our data policy is incredibly simple: we do not collect, transmit or share any of your personal data.
1. Data collection and transmission
File Vault Pro operates entirely offline. The application does not include the Android INTERNET permission. As a result, it is technically impossible for the application to transmit analytics, crash reports, telemetry, or any of your files or passwords to us or to any third party.
2. Permissions we request, and why
To function properly, File Vault Pro requests specific on-device permissions. All data accessed through them stays encrypted on your device.
- Camera (android.permission.CAMERA): used exclusively for the intruder-selfie feature, which captures a photo on the second wrong passcode entry. It is opt-in: the permission is requested only when you switch the feature on in Settings, never at startup, and no photo is taken while the setting is off. Photos are encrypted and stored inside the app's own private storage, readable only inside an unlocked vault, and are never transmitted off the device.
- Biometrics (android.permission.USE_BIOMETRIC / android.permission.USE_FINGERPRINT): lets you unlock your vault with your device's fingerprint or face scanner. Authentication is handled entirely by the Android OS; the app receives only a cryptographic success or failure signal and has no access to your raw biometric data.
- Network state (android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE): required by the internal media player (Media3) to optimise local video playback. It is never used to connect to the internet, which the absence of the INTERNET permission makes impossible in any case.
3. Data encryption and storage
Every file you import into File Vault Pro is encrypted with AES-256-GCM.
- Your passcode: processed with the Argon2id key-derivation function to encrypt your vault key. The passcode itself is never stored on the device or anywhere else - not even as a hash - which is also why a forgotten passcode cannot be recovered.
- Your files: encrypted files live in the app-private directory, where other apps cannot reach them. Their names and metadata - size, date added and file type - are encrypted too, under the same vault key, as are folder names; the app's database holds no plaintext copy of them.
- Backups: Android's own automatic cloud backup is switched off for this app, so your vault is never copied to a Google account. Any backup is one you make yourself, encrypted, to a destination you choose.
4. Files you take out yourself
Exporting a file, or using "Open with" or Share, writes an unencrypted copy outside the vault, at your instruction and after a warning. File Vault Pro cannot protect that copy once it leaves; your vault copy stays encrypted.
5. Deleting your data
Settings → Erase vault schedules a permanent wipe of everything - files, metadata, the failed-attempt log with its photos, and the keys themselves - 24 hours out. Any successful unlock, or the explicit "Cancel erase", calls it off; the same option is offered on the lock screen if you have forgotten your passcode. Failed-attempt entries can also be set to auto-delete after a retention period you choose. Uninstalling the app removes everything it holds - so export or back up anything you want to keep first.
6. Third-party services
File Vault Pro does not integrate with any third-party advertising network, analytics tracker or cloud backup service.
7. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Since the app does not connect to the internet, we cannot notify you inside it dynamically. Any change will be reflected in the policy linked from our Google Play listing and in the app's update notes.
8. Contact
Questions or concerns about this policy: support@waveclues.com, the support address listed on our Google Play page.