Kryptis Private Vault

Scenarios

Before an iPhone repair: what to do with private photos if they ask for your passcode

If a repair shop has your passcode, they have Photos, the Hidden album, Files and every app that opens with Face ID. Move private material into a vault with its own passcode, make sure Face ID is off for it, and decide whether the phone even needs the vault on it while it is away.

Updated September 6, 2026 · 2 min read

The direct answer

Before the repair, move private photos and files into Kryptis, delete the originals from Photos and Recently Deleted, turn Face ID unlock off for the vault, and make an encrypted backup somewhere other than the phone. If the phone will be out of your sight for days, consider restoring the vault only after it comes back.

What a passcode opens

  • Photos, the Hidden album and Recently Deleted.
  • Files and iCloud Drive.
  • Notes locked with the device passcode.
  • Any app that unlocks with Face ID, because the passcode is the fallback.

A vault with its own passcode is the exception. With Face ID off, the device passcode does not open it.

What to do now

  1. Import private items into Kryptis. Delete originals from Photos, then empty Recently Deleted.
  2. In Kryptis, make sure Face ID Unlock is off in Passcode Settings and Auto-Lock is short.
  3. Settings, Create Encrypted Backup, with the extra lock. Save it to iCloud Drive or a computer.
  4. If you would rather the vault not be on the phone at all, use Self-Destruct Mode after confirming the backup restores, then restore when the phone is back.
  5. Sign out of anything you can live without for a few days.

When the phone comes back

  • Check Intruder Alerts for attempts on the vault while it was away.
  • Change the device passcode.
  • Restore the vault from the backup if you erased it.

What not to rely on

The Hidden album, locked notes, or a promise that nobody will look. Give the shop the passcode it needs and nothing else worth reading.

Frequently asked questions

Can a repair shop open my Kryptis vault with the device passcode?

Not if Face ID unlock is off for the vault. The vault passcode is separate from the device passcode.

Should I erase the vault before a repair?

Only after confirming your encrypted backup restores. Self-Destruct Mode erases the local vault; the backup elsewhere is untouched.

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Kryptis is on its way to the App Store.

Coming soon to theApp Store

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