A shared phone passcode needn’t open every library.

Before the next handoff

1. Review Photos, Files, recent downloads and already-open apps for the copies you intend to keep private.
2. End the unlocked vault session and confirm the app returns to protected access.
3. Keep the separate vault credential private; choose the biometric flow you understand rather than assuming every biometric option works the same way.
4. If you only need to show a single photo, consider the short, supervised Guided Access workflow.

See the one-photo handoff plan

Know which credential protects which copy

Apple’s Hidden album removes photos from ordinary library views and is locked by default on supported software. It uses system authentication. That is useful built-in protection, but it is not an independently chosen vault pattern.

Write down your access plan in plain language: device passcode, vault credential and recovery material. Keep each where it belongs. A distinct vault pattern is useful only if you avoid reusing an obvious shape or disclosing it during ordinary phone use.

Separate access to the files you import

Vaultary combines the chosen pattern with a device-held secret to protect access to a random vault master key. The imported contents, their names and the library index use authenticated encryption. The local library works without a company account.

You can also choose a manual credential followed by a biometric check on supported devices. Read the Face ID access choices to distinguish this additional step from convenience unlock.

Account for the original photos

An encrypted imported copy does not change the access settings on a source original. Review the Photos library, Recently Deleted, existing downloads and cloud-synced copies you control. Preserve a usable backup before deleting anything important.

See the separate-access guide for a fuller credential and copy inventory. If another person has access to an already unlocked vault, the readable screen itself is available to them; lock the vault after use.

Keep recovery independent

Retain a usable encrypted archive and its required recovery token outside the only iPhone they protect. The pattern depends on a device-held secret, so the gesture alone is not a portable recovery credential. Plan the recovery route before you rely on the vault for irreplaceable files.