FILES · UPDATED 3 NOVEMBER 2026

How to keep files private on iPhone

Private documents multiply quietly: a scan in Files, an attachment in Mail, a photo of the paper in your camera roll, and a copy in a cloud drive. Keeping a file private starts with knowing where its copies are, then putting the one you need behind a lock.

The short answer

The Files app has no per-folder password. Your options are to lock the whole Files app with Face ID, to keep a document as an attachment in a locked note, or to move it into an encrypted vault app with its own password. Whatever you choose, delete the other copies.

Step 1: find the copies

Before locking anything, check where the file already lives:

Files: On My iPhone, iCloud Drive, Downloads, and any connected cloud providers.
Photos: pictures of paper documents, screenshots of PDFs, and scans.
Mail and messaging apps: attachments you sent or received.
Cloud drives: anything synced from a computer.
Recent shares: links you shared, and who can still open them.

Removing a file from one place does not remove it from a synced service or from someone you sent it to.

Step 2: choose how to lock it

Lock the Files app with Face ID

On iOS 18 and later, touch and hold the Files icon and choose Require Face ID. Opening Files then needs Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. It is quick, but it locks every file, not just the private ones, and your device passcode still opens it.

Keep it in a locked note

Notes can scan documents and attach files, and a note can be locked with your device passcode or a separate notes password. It works well for a handful of documents. See Vaultage vs locked notes for where it falls short.

Use an encrypted file vault

A vault app stores a separate encrypted copy behind its own credential, so knowing your iPhone passcode is not enough to open it. This suits documents you would not want anyone else to see: ID scans, medical records, contracts, financial statements.

In Vaultage, tap the + button, then Import files, and pick the document from the Files app. It is encrypted on your device and stored exactly as it was. Photos, videos, and files share one vault, and text recognised in photos and supported files is searchable once the vault is unlocked.

Check link permissions before sending documents from a cloud drive.
Avoid putting sensitive files in folders shared with family or work accounts.
Use a strong iPhone passcode and Face ID.
When you need to send a document from a vault, remember that exporting creates a normal, unencrypted copy wherever you send it.

Step 4: decide about the originals

After moving a document to a vault, decide whether the other copies need to exist. If you delete them, empty the Recently Deleted folder in Files too. Keep in mind that Vaultage is excluded from iCloud backups, so make an encrypted backup for anything you cannot afford to lose.

FAQ

Can I put a password on a folder in the Files app?

No. The Files app does not support passwords on individual folders. You can lock the whole app with Face ID on iOS 18 and later, or store the files in a vault app with its own password.

Is the Files app encrypted?

Files stored on your iPhone are protected by iOS data protection while the phone is locked. Once the phone is unlocked, anyone using it can open them. A vault adds a second, separate lock.

What kinds of files can Vaultage store?

Photos, videos, PDFs, documents, archives, and other files you can pick from the Files app.