VaultaryEncrypted photo vault for iPhone
Give private photos a separate encrypted home on your iPhone. Browse, zoom and find them in Vaultary while keeping control of originals and exported copies.
One photo, five boundaries
Keep the photos you want to open deliberately behind separate vault access. Vaultary encrypts photo contents, names and the library index on your iPhone using AES-256-GCM. Browse adjacent photos, open fullscreen and zoom into the detail. The fictional travel photo Coast.jpg shows where that protection begins and ends.
| Stage | What changes | What still needs attention |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Coast.jpg begins in Photos, Files or another source app. | A source original, Recently Deleted item or cloud copy has its own access and retention rules. |
| Encrypted vault | The imported contents, name and index are inside encrypted vault storage. | Importing leaves source-copy cleanup and backup as separate decisions. |
| Unlocked view | Open the photo, move to an adjacent image or zoom in. | Someone viewing your unlocked screen can see the photo. |
| Locked vault | Separate vault access controls the next opening. | A lock cannot recall a prior screenshot or an exported copy. |
| Plaintext export | An exported photo can be used outside the vault. | The exported file and any recipient copy have left vault encryption. Their storage, metadata and sharing route matter again. |
Separate access for your private photos
Keep everyday browsing and your private collection behind different access. Vaultary combines your pattern with a device-held secret to protect the vault key. See how pattern access works and what you need if you replace your iPhone.
If hiding items from ordinary Photos views meets your needs, Apple’s Hidden album may suffice. Compare the access and copy-handling choices in Hidden album or photo vault. Apple’s official Hidden album documentation explains its behavior on supported releases, including iCloud Photos.
Keep control when a photo leaves the vault
- Inspect the photo itself. Start with a replaceable original and open the imported image at the detail you care about. Keep a known readable copy elsewhere.
- Choose the export destination. An exported photo and its recipient copies sit outside vault encryption. Read the location-metadata sharing guide before assuming a sharing route removes location information.
- Delete only after checking your options. Use the export-before-deletion checklist. Open the exported result independently and check your recovery archive before removing an original.
Protect the collection beyond this iPhone
Local browsing keeps your saved photos at hand offline. Device loss still calls for a usable archive and the required recovery token. Read the recovery requirements before making the vault the only home for a photo. Check your own image formats and exported metadata; support for every format or metadata field is not promised. The security model explains the wider device and encryption limits.
Explore your next step
Vaultary is not yet available on the App Store. Join the Vaultary waitlist for availability updates.
Page reviewed November 1, 2026.