When Google announced Android 15, many of us expected the usual refinements and camera tweaks, but the search giant quietly dropped a feature that fundamentally changed how I interact with my Pixel: Private Space.
This isn’t just about hiding a few photos; it creates a true sandboxed environment that leverages the OS’s multi-user framework to offer the privacy of a second phone, but with the convenience of one.
This is the single Pixel feature that turned my device from a single smartphone into a finely tuned productivity and privacy machine.
Private Space was basic at launch
I will be honest. When Private Space landed with Android 15 last year, it was technically brilliant, but practically incomplete.
Yes, the core security model — the idea of a fully sandboxed, isolated user profile — was a genius move, instantly rendering all those third-party lockers obsolete.
However, there was a glaring flaw that kept me from fully adopting it: I couldn’t easily move my existing files to it.
If I wanted to secure a sensitive PDF, a photo of my ID, or a confidential document, the process was absurd.
I had to manually use the share sheet from the main profile, select the Private tab, and then choose a file manager, which only copied the file. I then had to go back and manually delete the original to ensure it was truly private.
For a power user, that kind of tedious, multistep workflow simply kills adoption. It was a high-security vault with no convenient loading deck.
Google finally fixed this glaring omission in a recent update. Now, I have a dedicated Add files option right inside the Private Space app.
With a couple of taps, I can select up to 100 files, up to 2GB of data, and seamlessly move or copy them from the main gallery or file manager directly into the encrypted, isolated profile.
This simple workflow change was the missing piece. It elevated my Private Space setup in no time.
Private Space covers the basics
This is why I consider Private Space a fundamental Pixel feature, not just another random app from Google. It doesn’t live as a standalone icon cluttering my home screen; it’s flawlessly integrated into the Pixel UI.
For me, the seamlessness begins with access.
When I open my app drawer, I see my regular apps, and at the bottom, there is a separate section for Private Space. It’s always there, a visible entry point when I need it, but it’s always locked.
The security options are precisely what a power user requires.
I set Private Space to automatically lock the moment I lock my phone. This means the sensitive apps — my banking client, my password manager, and private documents — are instantly shut down and rendered inaccessible the second the screen goes dark.
But the real power move is the ability to hide it entirely.
For maximum protection, I can go into the settings and choose to hide the Private Space entry from the app drawer. When I do this, it becomes practically invisible.
The only way to reveal the locked section is to use the main Pixel search bar and type ‘Private’ (I wish there were a way to change this keyword, as it’s too obvious).
Only then does the entry appear, requiring my separate authentication to unlock.
The security and privacy power-up
First and foremost, Private Space serves as my financial fortress.
I installed all my sensitive applications — my primary banking app, my various investment and share market trackers, and my detailed expense manager — exclusively within Private Space.
I made sure to give it a unique PIN and a separate biometric scan. Even if a thief somehow got past my main lock screen, they would hit a dead end, unable to access any apps that contain my identity and money.
Private Space is also my secret weapon for quarantining data-hungry apps. I run the few intensive games I enjoy playing — the ones with loud, distracting notifications and in-app purchases — inside the Private Space.
When Private Space is locked, these games are completely shut down. They don’t send notifications, they don’t consume background battery, and they don’t tempt me to waste five minutes during a focused work session.
My main app drawer stays clean and safe. The games are not visible to my kid, eliminating the chance of them accidentally opening a game, messing up my progress, or initiating a surprise transaction.
Secret weapon hiding inside your Google Pixel
The conversation around the Pixel’s best features usually centers on computational photography or AI tricks, but for the true power user, the most impactful change arrived quietly with Android 15’s Private Space.
However, it’s far from perfect. I would love to see the ability to transfer apps from the main profile to Private Space with a simple tap. It should also offer an option to send media directly from Google Photos.
So what are you waiting for? Set up a Private Space on your Pixel, sign in with a secondary Google account, and set up a secure environment in no time.
