Private Spaces in Android 15 adds the ability to hide apps and notifications

Google plans to release Android 15 later this year, and it’s packed with useful new features. One of the most anticipated new features in the upcoming update is Private Spaces. This is a feature that allows you to install apps into a separate locked profile that you can hide at any time. When we first documented this feature last year, it was not yet fully implemented. Although the Private Spaces feature is not yet publicly available, we are now able to share details about its setup process and functionality.

The release of Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 earlier this week revealed details about the upcoming Private Spaces feature within the OS. First, the setup flow has been improved to include more information about features and recommendations for creating a new Google Account specifically for your private space.

The initial setup page informs users that they do not need to install and download Google Play Store themselves, as it is already preinstalled when they create a private space. It also tells users that Private Spaces cannot be transferred to another device and will need to be set up again when they get a new device. Finally, the page also tells users that anyone who connects their device to their PC or installs harmful apps may be able to access their private space. This last part may be the reason why Android 15 tries to verify his identity when connecting to his PC.

The second setup page instructs users to create a Google Account to keep their data private. This is important because otherwise certain actions or data performed by the user may be leaked outside of the private space. This includes “synced photos, files, and emails,” such as “app download history and recommendations,” “browsing history, bookmarks, and saved passwords,” and “suggested content related to your private activity.” , contacts, calendar events, and other data. Space app. ”

Finally, you’ll be asked if you want to use your existing screen lock or choose a new one to unlock your private space. If you choose a new lock, you can create a new PIN/pattern/password or enroll your fingerprint to unlock your space (you’ll still need to substantiate your PIN/pattern/password) .

After you set up your private space, you can access its settings by visiting: Settings > Security & Privacy > Private Space. Here you can choose when Private Spaces automatically lock, change the screen lock used to unlock Private Spaces, and hide Private Spaces from the app list when they are locked. or have sensitive notifications appear on your lock screen when your private space is locked. Please make sure your space is unlocked or delete your private space.

When I first documented the Private Spaces feature in December, the “Automatically lock Private Spaces” and “Show sensitive notifications on lock screen” settings did not exist. These features simply give you more control over the visibility of your private space, as the confidentiality of your content is entirely dependent on you.

There’s one other notable change since we last talked about the Private Spaces feature. The Pixel Launcher app adds support for quickly installing apps in private spaces. You will now be able to install apps in the private profile used for your private space by tapping the button on your primary profile.

<string name="install_private_system_shortcut_label">Install in private</string>

This feature is not yet available in the latest Android 15 Developer Preview 2 or Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 releases, but may be available in stable Android 15 releases. Unlike the Clone Apps feature, which didn’t see the light of day in the stable Android 14 release for Pixel phones, the Private Spaces feature is heavily integrated with the Pixel Launcher app and may be intended as a feature for Pixel users. It is suggested that there is. user. However, there’s no guarantee that Google will actually roll it out in the coming months, so we’ll have to wait and see. However, I hope so. That way, Pixel users won’t have to download third-party app lockers to enjoy features that other he OEMs have offered for years.