iPhone privacy guide
How to play protected NAS videos on iPhone
Screening Room is a private media player for protected videos stored on NAS locations and compatible providers exposed through the iOS Files system—without importing them into a separate on-device vault.
Your NAS or storage provider must first be available through Files or a compatible iOS file provider. Screening Room does not create a NAS connection by itself, and a network file may need to download completely before encryption or playback.
What you need before private NAS playback
Start by confirming that you can browse the NAS location in Files on the same iPhone. The connection, account permissions, remote access, and network path are managed by iOS, your NAS, or the provider app that exposes the location.
- The NAS or provider location appears and opens in Files.
- Your iPhone has permission to read the protected
.eflfile. - The file is fully available rather than waiting on a failed or paused download.
- Screening Room is installed and your app password or recovery information is available.
- Your connection is stable enough to transfer the complete file when required.
How to play protected NAS videos on iPhone
- Open the NAS location in Files. Verify that you can browse the folder and see the protected
.eflfile. - Select the file through Screening Room. Use the iOS file picker to navigate to the NAS or compatible provider location.
- Allow the file to become available. If the provider needs to download or stage the file locally, wait for that process to finish.
- Unlock private playback. Authenticate with Face ID or your app password before the protected video opens.
- Keep the network stable. Availability and playback preparation depend on the provider, file size, connection, and iOS.
Private media player for iOS Files providers
Screening Room works at the file-selection layer provided by iOS. If a NAS app, cloud drive, or other storage provider exposes a compatible location through Files, you can select supported protected media there without building a second library inside Screening Room.
This also means compatibility is not determined by a list of NAS brands. The important question is whether the location and complete file are available through the iOS file picker in a way Screening Room can access.
Protect an ordinary video already stored on your NAS
If the NAS video is not yet protected, select it from the available Files location and encrypt it on your iPhone. Screening Room creates an encrypted .efl file, and you choose where that protected output is saved.
Saving back to a NAS or network provider can involve both a download of the source and an upload of the protected result. Verify that the .efl file opens correctly before deciding whether to keep, move, or delete the original unencrypted video.
NAS playback is not always direct streaming
A file provider may download, cache, or stage a network file on the iPhone before Screening Room can open it. Large protected videos can therefore take time and may require enough free device storage for provider-managed temporary data.
- Use a reliable local network or remote connection.
- Wait for provider progress indicators to finish.
- Check available iPhone storage when a large file repeatedly fails.
- Retry from Files first if the NAS location has disconnected.
- Keep an independent backup of important protected media.
What encryption protects on shared storage
The .efl format protects the video content for private playback through Screening Room. It does not hide the file's existence, filename, folder, size, dates, or access activity from the NAS, provider, administrators, or people who can browse the share.
Someone with write access to the NAS may still rename, move, copy, replace, or delete the encrypted file. Encryption is not a substitute for NAS permissions, secure remote access, account protection, transport security, version history, or backups.
Privacy boundaries to understand
Ordinary encryption, decryption, and playback happen on your iPhone and do not automatically upload media to developer-controlled servers. Your NAS or storage provider still handles its own connections and file transfers under its own settings and policies.
Every .efl file contains developer-managed escrow recovery data as described in the Privacy Policy. Screening Room does not describe the format as zero-knowledge or end-to-end encrypted. Protect your app password, recovery code, NAS credentials, files, and backups.
Why this differs from copying NAS videos into a vault
A traditional vault often asks you to import a NAS video into an app-managed library on the iPhone. Screening Room lets the protected file remain part of your existing NAS or provider organization and opens it through a private player when it is available.
If preserving your current storage layout matters, read the full video vault vs storage-in-place encryption comparison.
Common questions
Does Screening Room connect directly to every NAS?
No. The NAS or provider location must be available through Files or a compatible iOS file provider before Screening Room can select a file from it.
Can Screening Room stream a protected NAS video without downloading it?
Do not assume direct streaming. The provider or iOS may need to download or stage the complete file before playback, depending on the connection and provider behavior.
Can I encrypt a video that is already on my NAS?
Yes, when the source is accessible through a compatible Files location. The source may need to download, and the protected .efl output may need to upload to the destination you select.
Does the protected video have to be imported into an iPhone vault?
No. Screening Room does not require a separate app-managed media library. Provider-managed downloads or temporary local files may still be required to open network media.
Why does my NAS file appear but fail to open?
Confirm that the NAS connection still works in Files, the complete file has downloaded, the iPhone has enough free space, and you have permission to read it. See Support & FAQ if the problem continues.
Private playback for the storage you already use
Download Screening Room on iPhone and protect up to three files for free. A one-time Pro purchase removes the file limit, with no subscription.
Download on the App Store