Samsung just pulled a head-scratcher with One UI 8. They’ve axed the automatic lock option for Secure Folder, and users are rightfully miffed about it.
Here’s what’s gone: you used to be able to set Secure Folder to lock itself the moment you left an app inside it. Simple, fast, secure. Now that option’s been wiped from existence. Your choices are to either lock your entire phone’s screen, wait for the timeout, or manually hit those three dots and tap “lock and exit” every time you’re done.
Over on Samsung’s community forums, user fndang kicked off a thread that’s pulled in over 340 views since Thursday. They stated, “I’d rather not have to lock and unlock my phone each time I want it to lock, or I also don’t want to have to tap the 3 dots and hit lock and exit everytime.”
Samsung’s response? Community ambassador GaryB82 confirmed the feature got the boot in version 8.0. Their advice was basically “submit feedback in the Members app if you want it back.” Cool, thanks for that.
This wasn’t some surprise either. People spotted the change during beta testing and posted about it on Reddit’s r/oneui community. Samsung saw the complaints and shipped it anyway. Over on r/GalaxyS25Ultra, user donBrkr called it a “PITA” just 13 days ago, and honestly, that’s putting it mildly.
Some folks are defending the change, arguing that locking your screen does the job just fine. User realaud on the forums asked, “How many people have access to your phone, that this is an issue?”
But that misses the point entirely. It’s not about other people grabbing your phone at home. User Azazel_Ax noted: “If you get stolen while your phone/secure folder is unlocked, secure apps can be accessed without restriction.” They specifically mentioned areas where thieves target banking and fintech apps, not the phone itself.
That’s the real concern here. You finish checking your banking app in Secure Folder, switch to something else without locking your screen, and boom — if someone swipes your phone in that window, they’ve got access to everything. The old auto-lock closed that gap instantly.
For now, users are stuck manually locking or hoping Samsung reverses course. Given the volume of complaints across forums and Reddit, they might actually listen. But don’t hold your breath.
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Dwayne Cubbins
1338 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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