After months of development, testing and refinement, MicutVault is now officially live on Google Play.
MicutVault is an Android privacy vault built around a simple idea:
A private vault should not only protect what is inside it. It should also be discreet before you even open it.
That idea eventually became an app with 9 disguise modes, local-first storage, encrypted backup, configurable lockout protection and optional intruder detection.
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tsi.micutvault
Official product page:
https://tsidevstudio.com/apps/micutvault
Why I Built MicutVault
There are already many Android vault apps.
Most of them follow a familiar pattern:
- Open the vault app
- Enter a PIN
- Access hidden content
I wanted to experiment with something different.
Instead of focusing only on what happens after the vault opens, I wanted the app itself to be able to blend into the device.
That became one of MicutVault's core features.
9 Disguise Modes
MicutVault currently supports:
- Calculator
- Notes
- Books
- Files
- Calendar
- Clock
- Tasks
- Scanner
- Recorder
The idea is to let users choose an appearance that feels natural on their own phone.
The Calculator mode was the first one I built.
It is not just a static fake screen — it works as a real calculator.
Normal expressions behave like normal calculator input.
When the input is a valid 6–12 digit PIN and the user presses =, MicutVault attempts to authenticate and open the private vault.
That distinction mattered to me because a disguise should be useful, not just decorative.
What the Vault Supports
The current Production version protects:
- Photos
- Videos
- Audio
- Private notes
Other functionality includes:
- Main PIN protection
- Optional biometric unlock
- Inactivity auto-lock
- Optional intruder detection
- Failed unlock tracking
- Configurable lockout duration
- 30-day encrypted Trash
- Encrypted backup and restore
- Photo sorting
- Zoom
- Slideshows
More details:
https://tsidevstudio.com/apps/micutvault
Local-First by Design
A major constraint throughout development was keeping MicutVault local-first.
The current release has:
- No account
- No ads
- No analytics
- No mandatory cloud
- No subscription
I deliberately avoided building the product around a backend account system or mandatory cloud storage.
That decision made some flows harder to implement, but it kept the app aligned with its original privacy model.
Official privacy policy:
https://tsidevstudio.com/privacy/micutvault
Handling Failed Unlock Attempts
MicutVault includes configurable lockout protection after repeated incorrect PIN attempts.
Available lockout periods include:
- 10 minutes
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 1 hour
- 1 day
Intruder detection is optional.
If the user enables it and grants the required Android camera permission, MicutVault can record a failed access event and capture an intruder photo after repeated incorrect attempts.
The feature is intentionally opt-in.
Encrypted Trash and Backup
Private content should not become less private just because it was deleted.
MicutVault includes an encrypted 30-day Trash so accidentally deleted content can be recovered before permanent removal.
The app also supports encrypted backup and restore without requiring mandatory cloud storage.
This was important because recovery and privacy should not be mutually exclusive.
Google Play Closed Testing
Before MicutVault could reach Production, it had to complete Google Play's closed-testing requirement.
The app was tested by more than 12 testers for at least 14 days.
That stage turned out to be useful because it forced me to stop adding features and focus on the existing product:
- first-time setup
- PIN creation
- navigation
- disguise flows
- biometric unlock
- import and viewing
- general stability
Instead of asking:
What else can I add?
the question became:
Does what I already built work reliably?
After the required testing period, I applied for Production access and Google approved the app.
Why I Did Not Add Billing Before Launch
I already had plans for a Free + Lifetime model.
But adding Google Play Billing immediately before Production would have introduced an entirely new flow after the app had already completed closed testing.
So I decided to release the same build that had been tested.
That means the current public Production release is completely free.
All current features are available.
There is:
- no subscription
- no temporary trial
- no advertising
A future update is planned to introduce a Free + Lifetime model with a one-time purchase.
That update will be implemented and tested separately.
MicutVault Is Now Live
MicutVault is now publicly available on Google Play.
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tsi.micutvault
Official MicutVault page:
https://tsidevstudio.com/apps/micutvault
Privacy Policy:
https://tsidevstudio.com/privacy/micutvault
TSI Dev Studio:
https://tsidevstudio.com
What I Want to Learn Next
Now that the app is public, I want to see how real users interact with the product.
In particular:
- Are 9 disguise modes useful or excessive?
- Is the calculator access concept immediately understandable?
- Which security features do users actually enable?
- Which parts of the setup flow create friction?
- Which features should remain free when the Lifetime model arrives?
That real-world feedback will shape the next update much more than assumptions made during development.
One Question for Other Android Developers
If you were building a privacy vault:
Would you keep all 9 disguise modes, or simplify the product around only a few disguises?
I'd be interested in hearing how other developers would approach that tradeoff.
MicutVault
Private. Local. Discreet.
Built by TSI Dev Studio.
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