PHOTOVAULT

About

Private PhotoVault is a leading photo and video security app, trusted by millions for its double-layer protection with app and album-level password features on iOS and Android. When I began working with them, they had around 300k ratings. Three years later, I continue to support their product, and we are now reaching over 900k 5-star ratings on the App Store.

Role & Collaboration

As the Sole Product Designer, I collaborated with the Founder, PM, and Engineering team to overhaul Private PhotoVault’s mobile app. The redesign included optimizing various app areas, introducing a new dark mode with accessibility features, and enhancing the paywall to reduce churn and increase conversions.

Role
Lead Product Designer
Services
Stakeholder Management
UI Design
UX Research and testing
Animation/Interactions
Design System
WCAG Accessibility
Dev Support & Collaboration
Status

Launched

Length
3 months
Platforms
Mobile App

Mobile Redesign

This UI/UX redesign aimed to make the app more modern, accessible, and user-friendly. I began by analyzing the existing experience and competitors to identify areas for improvement. I refined navigation, optimized key interactions, and ensured WCAG accessibility compliance in both light and dark modes. Additionally, I explored ways to enhance existing systems and worked with the Founder to shape new feature ideas.

Introducing Dark Mode

Going into the dark mode design, I focused heavily on WCAG accessibility standards. I developed a new color palette with slightly saturated values to enhance visual appeal and readability while reducing eye strain. Following Material Design guidelines, I used a dark base color with varying white values for elevation. I documented design decisions to ensure consistency and a smooth developer handoff.

Mobile Redesign Impact

22

Increased in premium conversions post redesign

200

Increase in positive ratings over the first year

15%

Increase in daily active users post redesign (first 30 days)

Paywall Improvements

I conducted competitor research and performed a heuristic evaluation of the paywall to identify key areas contributing to the high churn rate.

Variations for A/B Testing

I worked closely with the PM and Founder to create multiple iterations of the new paywall design for A/B testing. We tested various color schemes, adjusted copy from titles to descriptions, and explored both dark and light modes. My goal was to resolve at least 80% of the issues the client faced with their paywall.

A/B Testing Results

During a one-week A/B test, I explored four paywall variations, focusing on content, copy, and colors. Option 3 was the most effective, outperforming the others by 5%. Overall, the new designs beat the original paywall by 20%, showing the value of data-driven design.

Paywall Proposed Improvements

Option 3 proved to be the most effective in A/B testing, driving the highest engagement and conversion rates. Building on this success, I implemented further improvements to the paywall to address additional use cases, followed by additional rounds of testing to refine the user experience even more.

Paywall Outcome & Impact

15

Increased conversion rates for premium memberships

11

Increased customer retention rate (after offer expired)

30

Increased customer engagement rate from 12.5% before improvements