Answers to common questions, and how to reach us.
Email: support@radioactivecoding.com
Please include your phone model and Android version, and describe what happened. Never send us your PIN, recovery code or files. We will never ask for them.
Frequently asked questions
- I forgot my PIN.
- Use Forgot PIN? Use recovery code on the unlock screen. See Backup & recovery.
- I lost my recovery code and my PIN.
- We are sorry, but there is no way to recover the files. We do not store keys or have an account for you. This is why we ask you to keep the code safe.
- I got a new phone. How do I move my vault?
- Use the direct phone-to-phone transfer, or restore an encrypted backup file with your recovery code. Steps are on the Backup & recovery page.
- Are my files uploaded anywhere?
- No. They stay on your phone unless you export, share, back up, archive or transfer them yourself, and then only to a place you choose. Read the privacy policy.
- Why does the app show ads?
- The free version shows a banner ad from Google AdMob. You can remove ads with Ciphergrove Pro or the ad-free subscription, both in the app. Ads never receive your files or file names.
- What is Ciphergrove Pro?
- A subscription through Google Play that removes ads and adds power features: archiving files to your server and advanced backup. Everything that keeps your files safe and private stays free, and nothing you stored is ever locked if you stop. Read the Pro page.
- How do I cancel the subscription?
- Open Google Play, tap your profile picture, then Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions, choose Ciphergrove, and cancel. Billing is handled by Google Play.
- What is the second vault?
- A second PIN opens a separate vault with its own key, database, files, recovery code and backups. Set it up in Settings. Inside it you see only that vault, and nothing shows that another one exists. It is a full vault, so keep its recovery code safe too.
- What is panic wipe?
- Settings, Security, Panic wipe lets you set one wipe PIN for the whole app, an optional limit of wrong PINs, and a Wipe now button. Typing the wipe PIN on the lock screen, or reaching the limit, erases every vault and opens an empty one. It also clears files kept on an SD card and saved server logins. There is no undo and your recovery code can’t bring the files back, so make a backup first. It is only offered from the first vault.
- Can I back up to my NAS, an SD card or a USB drive?
- Yes. Settings, Backup & restore, Back up to my own server. A NAS or server can be reached over WebDAV (https), SFTP or a Windows share (SMB); an SD card or USB drive is picked as a folder. The backup is encrypted before it leaves the phone, and you still need your recovery code to restore it. It can also run by itself when you unlock the vault.
- What does Archive to server do?
- It moves the encrypted copy of the files you select to your server (or an SD card or USB folder) and frees the space on the phone. Each file is checked before the phone’s copy is removed. In the gallery the file stays, dimmed and marked as archived; tap it to retrieve it. Archived files are not in backup files, transfers or exports, so the server then holds the only copy. Back that up too.
- The app says the SD card was not found.
- Your vault’s files are on an SD card that is not in the phone. Put the card back and they open again. Nothing is lost. Do not use that card in another phone while the vault is on it, and note that formatting the card or uninstalling the app removes the files.
- What happened to my decoy vault?
- Older versions had a decoy vault. It is now an ordinary second vault, with the same key and files. It gets its own recovery code the next time you open it (keep that code safe), and it follows the second vault’s rules. That includes panic wipe: a wipe erases it along with the first vault. Backup to a server and archive are offered from the first vault only.
- What does a photo reveal?
- Photos often carry hidden details such as where and when they were taken and which camera or app saved them. Open a photo’s info in Ciphergrove to see them. Read more.
- Can I change the language?
- Ciphergrove follows your phone’s language. On Android 13 and newer you can pick a language for the app in your phone’s settings.
- How do I delete everything?
- Uninstall the app, or clear its data in your phone’s settings. Because nothing is stored with us, that removes everything on the phone. Backups and archived files you sent to your own server, SD card or USB drive stay where you put them, so delete them there too.
Reporting a security problem
If you think you have found a security issue in Ciphergrove, please email support@radioactivecoding.com with the subject “Security”. Describe what you found and how to reproduce it. Please don’t share details publicly until we have had a reasonable chance to fix it. We will acknowledge your message and keep you informed.