SITUATIONS · 3 NOVEMBER 2026

Before you hand your iPhone in for repair

Repair shops sometimes ask for your passcode to test the phone after a repair. Before you say yes, it is worth thinking about what that passcode opens.

1. Back up first

Repairs can end with a replacement device or an erased one. Make a full backup to iCloud or a computer before you go.

If you use Vaultage, make an encrypted backup too. The vault is deliberately left out of iCloud and computer backups, so a normal backup does not include it. In Vaultage, open Settings → Create encrypted backup, choose a backup password, and save the file somewhere other than the phone. Full steps.

2. Decide about your passcode

Your passcode opens almost everything on the phone: Photos, the Hidden album, Messages, Mail, and Files. Options:

• Ask whether they need it. Many repairs can be tested without it.
• Erase the phone first and restore from your backup afterwards. This is the most private option.
• Change your passcode temporarily to one you do not use anywhere else, and change it back afterwards.

3. Protect what the passcode opens

If you do share the passcode, anything that relies on it is visible: the Hidden album, locked notes that use the device passcode, and apps locked with Face ID. A vault with its own credential stays locked; knowing your phone passcode does not open Vaultage.

4. After the repair

• Change your passcode if you shared it.
• Check Settings → Face ID & Passcode for an alternate appearance you did not add.
• Check that Find My is on and your Apple Account is signed in.
• Open your vault to confirm it is still there.