Calculator vault app: how a fake calculator hides your photos
·Written by the developer of Stash
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A calculator vault app is a photo and file vault that looks and works like an ordinary calculator. You can add and divide with it as usual; typing your secret PIN and pressing = opens a private vault where photos, videos and files are stored behind that PIN, separate from the iPhone passcode. Our pick is Stash: Calculator Photo Vault, which pairs the calculator disguise with AES-256 encryption on the device, a guest PIN and an Intruder Log.
People search for it as a fake calculator app, a secret calculator app or a calculator app to hide photos; it is the same idea. Below: how one works, how Stash's works step by step, how the main calculator vault apps compare, and what such an app cannot do.
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How a calculator vault works
- The first screen is a working calculator. Anyone who opens the app sees a calculator and can use it.
- A PIN typed into the calculator unlocks the vault. In most apps you type the PIN and press = (or another key).
- The vault keeps files in the app's own storage, not in the Photos library, so they do not appear in Photos, in widgets or in iCloud Photos.
- Importing usually copies a file. The original stays in Photos until you delete it, then sits in Recently Deleted for about 30 days.
The point of the disguise is a harmless first impression when the phone is handed around, not invisibility: the app is still installed and still listed in Settings. How these apps are spotted: how to find hidden apps on iPhone.
How Stash's calculator vault works
Stash: Calculator Photo Vault is built around the calculator. What it does, as listed on our product facts page:
- A real calculator. Stash opens as a calculator that really calculates. Your PIN followed by = opens the vault.
- Encryption on the device. Every photo, video, PDF, document and audio file is encrypted with AES-256 before it is saved. The key stays in the iOS Keychain.
- No Stash server. Vault files are never sent to us, so we cannot see, scan or recover them. A recovery key is shown once at setup for a forgotten PIN.
- Guest PIN. A second PIN opens a separate guest vault that holds only the items you put there. If someone asks you to open the app, you can show that one. More on the idea: what is a decoy password.
- Intruder Log. Opt-in. After a wrong PIN, Stash takes a front-camera photo, encrypts it and keeps it in the vault, with the time of the attempt.
- Lockout. 30 seconds after 5 failed attempts, 5 minutes after 10, and 30 minutes after 15 or more.
- Other looks. Instead of a calculator, Stash can look like a step tracker or a puzzle game, with a matching app icon.
- Unlock and organise. Optional Face ID or Touch ID, auto-lock, albums and secure notes.
- Backup only when you start it. Optional encrypted backup to your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive; nothing is uploaded automatically.
Setting it up takes a minute: install Stash, choose your PIN, note the recovery key, then tap + in the vault and import from the gallery or from Files. Delete the originals in Photos afterwards and empty Recently Deleted. Stash runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS 13 or later. Get Stash on the App Store.
Calculator vault apps compared
| Best for | App | Calculator look | Encryption stated by vendor | Decoy PIN | Break-in photo or log |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our pick | Stash: Calculator Photo Vault | Yes, plus step-tracker and puzzle-game looks | AES-256, on device | Yes (guest PIN, Premium) | Yes (opt-in Intruder Log with photo, Premium) |
| Decoy vault plus calculator mode | LockMyPix | Yes (calculator mode) | AES CTR | Yes (fake vault with a separate code) | Yes (intruder selfie) |
| Many backup destinations | Calculator# | Yes | Not named | Not shown (fake error message instead) | Logs invalid attempts ("Hack Monitor") |
| iPhone and Android | Keepsafe | Separate calculator-styled app, Android only | AES-256, on device and in backup (products page) | Not stated | Tracks break-in attempts (Premium); photo not stated |
| Encryption named in detail | Obscura Photo Vault | No (removed in version 1.13.3) | AES-256-GCM, PBKDF2 | Separate vaults | Not stated |
| Built in, nothing to install | Apple Hidden album | No | Not stated | No | No |
Sources: each vendor's own website or App Store listing, read on 8 October 2026 and re-checked on 10 October 2026; links and the full comparison are in best photo vault apps for iPhone. "Not stated" or "not shown" means the vendor's pages do not say; it does not mean the feature is missing.
Competitor details last checked: 2026-10-10, from each vendor's own pages.
Our verdict: we build Stash, and it is our pick of the calculator vault apps here, because it is built around the calculator disguise and combines it with stated AES-256 on-device encryption, a guest PIN and an intruder photo. LockMyPix is the closest alternative with a calculator mode and a decoy vault. If the disguise matters less to you than how precisely the encryption is documented, look at Obscura.
What a calculator vault cannot do
- It does not make the app invisible. The icon is in App Library, and Settings > General > iPhone Storage lists the app with its size. A second calculator holding a lot of data stands out.
- It does not hide purchases or usage. The App Store purchase list and Screen Time show it like any other app.
- It does not protect the originals. Anything still in Photos, Recently Deleted or iCloud Photos is outside the vault.
- It does not cover messages, calls or location. For conversations, see how to hide text messages on iPhone.
- It cannot replace the iPhone passcode. Use a strong device passcode as well; the vault PIN protects the vault, not the phone.
Built-in alternatives without a calculator look are in how to hide photos on iPhone and how to lock photos on iPhone. An overview of all the kinds of privacy apps, ranked: privacy apps by kind.
FAQ
What is a calculator vault app?
A vault app for photos, videos and files whose first screen is a working calculator. Typing a secret PIN, usually followed by =, opens the vault.
Is there a fake calculator app that hides photos on iPhone?
Yes. Stash: Calculator Photo Vault, LockMyPix (in calculator mode) and Calculator# all offer a calculator look on iPhone, per their own pages. Keepsafe's calculator-styled app is for Android only.
How do I open the hidden vault in a calculator app?
In Stash, type your PIN on the calculator and press =. Other apps use their own key combination; check the app's help page.
Can someone tell that my calculator is a vault?
Possibly. The app appears in Settings > General > iPhone Storage with its size and in your App Store purchases, and an iPhone usually also has Apple's Calculator. What they cannot do is open the vault without your PIN.
What happens if I forget my PIN?
In Stash, the recovery key shown once at setup restores access. Without the PIN or that key, the developer cannot open the vault for you, because there is no Stash server that holds your files.
Does a calculator vault app back up to iCloud?
Vault files are not in the Photos library, so iCloud Photos does not upload them. Stash offers an optional encrypted backup to your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive that runs only when you start it.