I lost my password vault on Android because of Safe Browser

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Mathis
Mathis Posts: 6 Observer
edited July 8 in Password Vault

On Android, F-Secure Total "installs" two apps. On is the main app and the other is a shortcut for Safe Browser. I didn't know they were linked so I tried uninstalling the browser, and it worked! But apparently it also uninstalled the main app and I lost the password vault instantly. I didn't have a sync on another device yet either.

Luckily I still had most of my old passwords on another device. I know it's my mistake, but this was scary how easy it was to do out of habit from uninstalling apps. Both the main app and the browser just shows a generic uninstall button, so there was no tell this would delete them both.

Maybe the separate Safe Browser app shouldn't have an option to uninstall at all if this will happen. I can imagine people doing the same mistake and losing hundras of saved items. Even if you have a sync it can be hard to get it working again in if something happens to your other device.

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  • Ukko
    Ukko Posts: 3,899 Superuser

    Hello,

    I do understand your point, but what is your Android version?

    And although I will say right away that I rely on a (very) outdated build of the F-Secure application on an Android version that is no longer supported, but there is the following situation:

    • if I choose to uninstall F-Secure SAFE Browser by tapping it and then "About App" (to proceed with the uninstallation) - there it is possible to see that the context concerns generic F-Secure application (in the title) - so, possible to suspect something if look at it.
    • if I hold SAFE Browser logo and move it "to uninstall" - there is a remark like "Safe Browser is part of the next app: F-Secure whatever-solution; Uninstall it?" (with again main app in the title).

    If newer versions of the app have a different design (like even without mentioned things), then it would be nice to at least have something like it was before. If these are Android-based things, then of course it would be better to present it more clearly. Or reduce possibility to trigger uninstallation within/from Safe Browser.

    However, it is also interesting that it was enough to simply delete the application to lose the Password Vault storage. Most likely, because it is now tied directly to the F-Secure account and "logout" thus affected the loss. Feels like it won't even allow a reinstall then?

    Thanks!

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