Follow the copies
System camera path: camera → Photos or Gallery → optional cloud backup → vault import → optional deletion from library and trash.
Private camera path: camera permission → active vault → encrypted app-managed content → optional encrypted backup or explicit export.
The second path is shorter, but it also removes the ordinary gallery’s recovery and sync safety net.
| Question | System camera | Private vault camera |
|---|---|---|
| Public gallery item created by the intended workflow | Usually | No |
| Gallery cloud backup may run automatically | Yes, if enabled | Not for the vault-only copy |
| Full native camera feature set | Usually | App-dependent |
| Requires later import and cleanup | Yes, for vault storage | No |
| Needs a separate vault recovery plan | Only after import | Immediately |
Example: Tomas photographs a signed work document. With the system camera, Google Photos backs it up before he imports it, leaving a cloud copy he did not intend. With direct vault capture, he avoids the gallery copy—but must create a portable encrypted backup himself if the document is irreplaceable.
Metadata still matters
A camera may record time, device details, orientation, and location depending on platform settings. A vault can encrypt its managed metadata at rest, but an exported image may expose embedded metadata again. Inspect the export before sending it and see remove location data before sharing.
NullVault availability
Direct photo and video capture is available in NullVault for iOS and Android. Captures are encrypted into the active vault and are not intentionally saved to the public gallery unless you export them. Operating-system permissions and capture behavior still differ by platform.
What neither camera prevents
Neither path defeats a compromised operating system, malicious accessibility service, physical camera pointed at the screen, or a recipient who preserves an exported copy. “Not saved to the gallery” means the intended app workflow avoids that destination; it is not a claim of forensic invisibility or guaranteed physical erasure.
Guide reviewed: 28 August 2026.