Can I use Face ID with StrongRoom?
No, and that is deliberate. A biometric opens one specific Vault, which would show that the Vault exists, and would tell anyone watching that the app holds something. StrongRoom unlocks with a pattern or passphrase only, so every credential looks the same from outside, including one that opens nothing.
Why
StrongRoom's design depends on one rule: the app should never tell you, or anyone looking over your shoulder, which credential matched which Vault, or whether a Vault is there. A fingerprint or face scan would break this. It would open a particular Vault straight away, with no credential typed, and it would make the choice of Vault visible. It also gives someone with physical power over you a way to open the app without asking you for anything. A pattern or passphrase lives in your head and can be given or withheld.
The cost is real: it is slower than a glance, and a long passphrase is tedious on a small keyboard.
What to do
- Pick a pattern of at least six dots, or a passphrase. A passphrase is harder to guess.
- If typing it each time is a burden, use a short pattern for a Vault with little in it and a long passphrase for the Vault that matters.
- Set the auto-lock time to suit you: 30 seconds, 1 minute or 5 minutes.
- Keep your Recovery Phrase on paper in case you forget.
What this does not cover
Your phone's own Face ID, which unlocks iOS itself, is untouched by this. StrongRoom's lock sits on top of it. Read the limits.
Frequently asked questions
Will Face ID be added later?
Our design notes say biometrics never pick a Vault, and we do not plan to change that.
Is a pattern weaker than Face ID?
A short pattern can be weak. A longer passphrase is stronger than a pattern, and the Throttle slows repeated guessing.
Sources
No platform facts are stated on this page.