A recovery phrase: the way back in that only you hold
Forget your pattern and a 24-word recovery phrase gets you back into your vault. VaultShield shows it once and never stores it, so it stays in your hands, not ours.
How it works
How you'll use it
- 1
Write it down at setup
Right after you create your vault, VaultShield shows 24 words, once. Write them down in order and confirm you have before you continue.
- 2
Keep it offline
Store it somewhere safe and offline, like on paper at home. Don't screenshot it or keep it in notes, email or a cloud drive.
- 3
Forgot your pattern? Use it
Enter the 24 words from the lock screen to get back in, then choose a new pattern.
- 4
Replace it if you need to
Think someone has seen it? Regenerate it in Settings after entering your pattern. The old phrase stops working.
What you get
Built to stay in your hands
Shown once, never stored
The 24 words encode your vault key. VaultShield shows them once and keeps no copy, on your iPhone or anywhere else.
Can't be copied
There's no copy button, so the phrase never lands in your clipboard or a synced note by accident.
Hidden when you look away
The words disappear while VaultShield is in the background, and screen capture is blocked while they're shown.
Replace it any time
Regenerate the phrase in Settings. VaultShield replaces the vault's key, and the old phrase stops working.
Restores your backup
With encrypted iCloud backup on, your phrase is what restores the vault on a new iPhone.
No account to reset
There's no email reset and no support override. That's what keeps anyone else from talking their way in.
Good to know
What it doesn’t do
We’d rather you know the limits now than find them later.
Anyone with it can open your vault
The phrase works without your pattern or Face ID. Treat it like a house key: offline, out of sight, never shared.
Lose both, lose the vault
If you forget your pattern and lose the phrase, nobody can open the vault, including us. We keep no copy to fall back on.
It restores your key, not your files
Deleting the app deletes the vault on that iPhone. Without the encrypted iCloud backup, the phrase can't bring those photos back.
Locked folders have their own phrase
Your vault phrase doesn't open locked folders. They use a separate 24-word phrase, shown when you lock your first folder.
FAQ
Common questions
No. It's shown once and never stored, so there's no copy anywhere to send. That's also why nobody else can get it from us.
No. If you've lost it or think someone has seen it, regenerate a new one in Settings after entering your pattern. The old phrase stops working.
Only with the encrypted iCloud backup turned on. Restore the backup on the new iPhone with your phrase. Without a backup, a new iPhone starts with an empty vault.
No. Locked folders use a separate 24-word phrase. Your vault phrase can't open them, and their phrase can't open the vault.
Somewhere offline and safe, like on paper in a place only you can get to. Avoid screenshots, notes apps, email and cloud drives.