Samsung announced in June 2017 that they were killing off My Knox, replacing it with Samsung Secure Folder that ships with the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus and Galaxy Note8 smartphones.
Secure Folder is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.
Updated @ 2017-12-22 : Revamped the article, adding a migration guide, and a final email from Samsung.
Updated @ 2017-11-16 : Added a new email from Samsung with a confirmed end-of-service date for My Knox.
Originally posted @ 2017-06-07
Samsung Kills My Knox
In early June 2017, Samsung announced that they’re killing My Knox, and replacing it with Secure Folder. The end-of-life date was set for 19 December 2017.
Beginning 20 December 2017, the My Knox app would no longer be available to download from the Google Play Store. The My Knox portal will also be disabled – you won’t be able to login.
Samsung replaced My Knox with their new Secure Folder solution. They promise that it is a superior solution.
Samsung Secure Folder
Samsung Secure Folder is a new security solution that leverages the defense-grade Samsung Knox security platform to create a private, encrypted space on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone running on Android 7.0 Nougat or better.
It is available in the Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus and Galaxy Note8 smartphones, but can be downloaded and installed in the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones that have been upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.
As no Mobile Device Management (MDM) is required, it is suitable for both personal and business usage. Here are additional details :
It can also be used alongside Knox Workspace, enabling two Knox container solutions at the same time.
This allows users to have access to both a dedicated work environment (Knox Workspace), as well as a secure personal area (Secure Folder).
[adrotate group=”1″]How To Migrate From My Knox To Secure Folder
Fortunately, Samsung made it easy to migrate your private data from My Knox to Secure Folder. Here are the steps :
if you are worried about the dangers of backing up your encrypted data to the cloud (it is encrypted!), you can use this alternative method :
Samsung My Knox Termination Chronology
In early June 2017, Samsung sent out this email to all registered Samsung users :
First Samsung warning about terminating My KnoxMy Knox will no longer be available on new Samsung devices in 2017. You may continue your secure space experience by setting up Secure Folder, available now from Galaxy Apps.
Secure Folder runs on Android N OS or higher versions only. It leverages the defence-grade Samsung Knox security platform to create a private, encrypted space on your Samsung Galaxy phone. Applications and data moved toSecure Folderare partitioned separately on the device and gain an additional layer of security and privacy.
To seamlessly transfer your private content between solutions, please back up your My Knox data and restore it to Secure Folder. To back up your My Knox data, go toMy Knox settings > Backup and restore. Remember, a Samsung account is required to use this feature.
You can restore the backup data after setting up Secure Folder. Go toSecure Folder settings > Backup and restore > Restore.
You may use My Knox until its end-of-service date (which will be announced soon). However, be aware that we will not be actively maintaining the service or adding new features.
This was followed by this email on 15 November 2017, revealing its end-of-service date as 19 December 2017.
Samsung confirms end-of-life date for the My Knox serviceDear customers,
Thank you for using My Knox.
As previously announced, we will end support for My Knox on 19th December 2017. You will not be able to download My Knox from any app store after the end-of-service date.
You may use My Knox on your mobile device until you uninstall the application. However, you will be unable to log in to the My Knox portal to remotely manage your device (e.g. to reset your My Knox password or unlock My Knox).
If you have a phone that runs the Android N OS, we recommend transferring your private data in My Knox toSecure Folder, available at Google Play or Galaxy Apps, and on new Samsung phones such as the Galaxy Note 8. We also recommend backing up your My Knox data first, and restoring the data after you set up Secure Folder.
To back up My Knox data, go to My Knox Settings > Backup and restore > Back up My Knox data. Please note that a Samsung account is required to use the My Knox backup and restore feature.
If your phone does not support Secure Folder, then please back up the content to outside My Knox (e.g. using the Move to Personal mode feature).
For more information regarding My Knox termination, please visit My Knox FAQ .
We hope you have enjoyed your experience with My Knox. Samsung is committed to continuous innovation to provide you with the highest-quality products and services.
This final email was sent on 20 December 2017, noting that My Knox is now terminated :
The final Samsung email on the termination of the My Knox serviceDear customers,
Thank you for using My Knox.
As previously announced, we will terminate the My Knox service on 19th December 2017. You will not be able to download My Knox from any app store from then on. You will also be unable to log in to the My Knox portal to remotely manage your device.
You may use My Knox on your mobile device until you uninstall the application. However we highly recommend you to back up your data or move it to outside My Knox.
If your phone supports Secure Folder, we recommend transferring your private data in My Knox to Secure Folder, available at Google Play or Galaxy Apps, and on new Samsung phones such as the Galaxy Note 8. We also recommend backing up your My Knox data first, and restoring the data after you set up Secure Folder.
To back up My Knox data, go to My Knox Settings > Backup and restore > Back up My Knox data. Please note that a Samsung account is required to use the My Knox backup and restore feature.
However, if your phone does not support Secure Folder, then please back up the content to outside My Knox (e.g. using the Move to Personal mode feature).
We hope you have enjoyed your experience with My Knox. Thank you for using our service.
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