Document vault
Keep scanned IDs, PDFs, bank screenshots, tickets and medical letters in an encrypted document vault behind your PIN or pattern. iPhone and Android.
At a glance
- Stores PDFs, scanned IDs, screenshots and other files alongside photos and videos
- Encrypted on the device, behind the same PIN or pattern as the rest of the vault
- Files leave Photos and Files, so they are out of search, Recents and cloud photo sync
- View documents inside the vault; export only when you choose to
- iPhone and Android
- No folders or tags yet — keep separate vaults in mind as the app grows, and name files clearly before importing
The most sensitive files on most phones are not photos. They are the passport scan from a hotel check-in, the screenshot of a bank transfer, the PDF of a medical report, the photo of a credit card taken “just for now”. They land in Photos or Files because that was the fastest option at the time, and then they stay there — searchable, synced, one swipe away from the holiday album.
TuckVault’s document vault gives those files somewhere to go. Import them, delete the originals, and they exist only as encrypted files behind your PIN or pattern.
What belongs in the document vault
- Identity documents — passport, driving licence, national ID, visas, insurance cards
- Money — bank and payment screenshots, card photos, tax PDFs, payslips, invoices
- Health — lab results, prescriptions, insurance letters, photos taken for a doctor
- Legal — contracts, leases, court letters, screenshots kept as evidence
- Travel — boarding passes, bookings, vaccination certificates
- Everyday — Wi-Fi passwords, serial numbers, warranty receipts, two-factor backup codes
The common thread: a file you need on the phone, that nobody else should find on it.
How it works
- Unlock the vault with your PIN or pattern.
- Import from Photos, Files, or any app’s share sheet. Each file is encrypted with AES encryption as it enters the vault.
- Delete the original from wherever it came from — and from that app’s bin. On iPhone, scans made in Files or Notes often save to iCloud Drive; check there too.
- Open any document inside the vault when you need it. Nothing is written back to your library unless you export it.
Why not Files, Notes or a locked PDF?
| Files / Drive | Locked note | PDF password | TuckVault | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate lock from the phone passcode | No | Optional | Per file | Yes, one lock for everything |
| Out of search and Recents | No | Partly (title shows) | No | Yes |
| Covers photos and screenshots too | Awkward | Yes | No | Yes |
| Syncs to the cloud | Usually | With iCloud Notes | Wherever the file lives | No |
| Encrypted by the app | Depends on the service | Yes | Yes, that file | Yes, AES |
Locked notes are good and free, and for one or two text secrets they are enough. The vault is for when the list of files is longer than the list of excuses.
Honest limits
The vault keeps documents private on a phone that someone else is holding. It does not replace the official copy, it is not a backup service, and it cannot protect a file while the vault is open on the screen. Keep originals where they belong, keep one other private copy of anything irreplaceable, and lock the vault before you hand the phone over.
Lock what's private. Clear what isn't.
TuckVault keeps your private photos, videos and documents behind a PIN or pattern with AES encryption on your device — and cleans up duplicates, large videos and messy contacts on the same phone. Free to download for iPhone and Android.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of documents can I put in the vault?
PDFs, images of documents (scans and photos of IDs, cards, forms), screenshots and other common file types. If you can share it to the app from Files or Photos, you can store it.
Is a locked note or a password-protected PDF enough?
Sometimes. A locked note on iPhone is encrypted and free, but its title still shows and it can use your device passcode. A password on a PDF protects that one file and nothing else. The vault protects every file the same way, with one lock, and keeps them out of the apps that sync and search.
Can I scan documents directly into the vault?
Scan with your phone's camera or the Files/Notes scanner as usual, save the result, import it into the vault, then delete the original. On iPhone, note that the Files scanner saves to iCloud Drive by default — delete the copy there too.
Should I keep my only copy of a passport scan in the vault?
Keep the vault copy for daily use and one other copy somewhere equally private (an encrypted backup, a password manager's document storage). Deleting the app deletes the vault, so irreplaceable documents should never exist in only one place.