How to store private files securely on iPhone

You can securely store private files on iPhone in the Files app, in a locked Files app or locked notes, in iCloud Drive with Advanced Data Protection, or in a vault app with its own passcode. Which one is right depends on the file and on who you want to keep out. Start by knowing what your iPhone already protects.

What your iPhone already does

When your iPhone has a passcode, its storage is encrypted, and the passcode is part of what unlocks it. That protects your files well against a stranger who finds a locked phone. It does not help once someone can unlock the phone: then every file in Files is open to them. The steps below add a second layer for the files that need it.

Which files deserve a second layer

• Identity documents: passport and ID scans, birth certificates.
• Financial records: tax returns, bank statements.
• Health records: test results, prescriptions, insurance letters.
• Legal and work documents: contracts, confidential client files.
• Personal items: a journal, letters, voice memos.

Built-in options

The Files app

Files keeps documents On My iPhone or in iCloud Drive. You cannot set a password on a single file or folder. Anyone who can unlock your phone can browse it.

Lock the Files app

In iOS 18 and later, touch and hold the Files icon and tap Require Face ID. Files then asks for Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode every time. This is the simplest upgrade for documents. If you are looking for something like Samsung's Secure Folder, read does iPhone have a Secure Folder.

Locked notes

Notes can lock individual notes with your passcode or a separate Notes password. Good for text and a few images; impractical for PDFs, spreadsheets and audio, and some attachment types cannot be locked.

iCloud Drive and Advanced Data Protection

iCloud Drive syncs files across your devices. With Advanced Data Protection turned on, Apple uses end-to-end encryption for iCloud Drive, so only your trusted devices hold the keys. The files still appear on every device signed in to your account.

A vault app for files

A vault app gives private files their own storage and their own code. Look for:

• Any file type, not only photos.
• A separate passcode from your device lock.
• Encryption on the device, with the details stated plainly.
• No upload to the developer, and backups only when you choose them.
• A recovery option for a forgotten PIN.

Stash for private files

Stash is our app. It opens as a working calculator; your secret PIN opens the vault. You can import photos, videos, PDFs, documents and audio files, sort them into albums and keep secure notes. Every item is encrypted on the device with AES-256, and the key stays in the iOS Keychain; the developer has no copy and cannot open your files. Backup to your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive is optional and encrypted.

How to move a file into a vault

1. Set up the vault and save the recovery key it shows you.
2. Import the file from Files or Photos.
3. Check that it opens in the vault.
4. Delete the original in Files or Photos, then empty Recently Deleted.

FAQ

Are files on my iPhone encrypted?

Yes, with a passcode set, iPhone storage is encrypted. A second layer matters when someone else can unlock the phone.

Can I password protect a PDF on iPhone?

Not inside the Files app itself. Lock the Files app with Face ID, put the PDF in a vault app, or protect the PDF with a password in an app that supports it.

What is the most secure option?

A strong device passcode first, always. On top of that, a locked Files app is free and simple; a vault app adds a separate code and keeps files out of Files and Photos.