Move a photo vault to a new iPhone

A vault moves with your device backup, and the app needs a way back in. How this works for Backroom, and what to check for any other vault app.

Upgrade day is when vault owners find out how their app works. Prepare before you hand in the old phone.

With Backroom

1. Find your 12-word phrase for each vault. If you lost one, open that vault on the old phone and make a new phrase in Settings.
2. Back up the old iPhone to iCloud or a computer. Your vaults are included in encrypted form.
3. Set up the new iPhone from that backup.
4. Open Backroom, tap Use recovery phrase and type your 12 words.
5. Set a new pattern, and check a few items.
6. Repeat for each vault.

You use your phrase because part of what your pattern relies on stays on the old device. So a copy of the backup alone gets someone nowhere without the phrase.

With another vault app

Ask these questions before you upgrade:

• Does the app say its data transfers in a backup?
• Does it use its own cloud and account?
• Is there an export option?
• Does your subscription carry over?

Test with a few photos if you can, or export everything to a computer first.

Erasing the old phone

Follow our trade-in guide only after the new phone has proved itself. Apple’s Erase All Content and Settings is under Settings, General, Transfer or Reset.