How to scan ID documents on iPhone privately
The simplest private route is to scan inside StrongRoom: open your Vault, tap the add button and choose Scan a document. Apple's document scanner finds the page edges and captures the pages, and StrongRoom makes them into one PDF Item that is encrypted into the Vault. The scan is never written to Photos or the camera roll, so there is nothing to clean up afterwards. If you would rather scan with Files or Notes, import the file and then delete the scan from the place you made it.
Scan inside StrongRoom
Unlock the Vault, tap the add button and choose Scan a document. Hold the phone over the card and capture it, add the back of the card as another page, then save. StrongRoom puts the pages together as one PDF Item in the Vault, encrypted, and nothing is written to Photos, the camera roll or Files. Open it from the Vault to confirm both sides are readable, then move it into a folder such as Identity.
It is free for everyone. A scan counts as one Item toward the free limit of 10 Items in total. It works on iPhone only, and it needs a real iPhone camera, so it does not work in the Simulator. How a scan looks depends on the light, the surface and Apple's scanner; StrongRoom does not promise a quality, so check the result and rescan if a corner or a line of text is hard to read.
If you would rather use Files: scan with Files
Apple documents this route. In Files, tap the More (three dots) button and tap Scan Documents. Point the camera at the card. In Auto mode it scans by itself; otherwise tap the shutter button or press a Volume button. Drag the corners to fit the card, tap Keep Scan, add the back of the card as another scan, then tap Done. Choose a location and tap Save. On iOS 26 you can also select flash or an image filter first.
Pick a location on the phone rather than iCloud Drive if you do not want a copy in your account. Apple's Files page lists both iCloud Drive and On My iPhone as places files can be.
Scan with Notes
In a note, tap the paperclip Attachment button, tap Scan Documents, and scan the same way. The scan becomes an attachment to the note. That is handy for a quick scan, but it leaves the image inside a note, and Apple lists notes that contain PDFs among those that cannot be locked. For anything you want to keep private, scan in Files.
Import a Files or Notes scan into the Vault
Open the Vault, choose to import from Files, and pick the scan. StrongRoom accepts any file from Files. Open it from inside the Vault to confirm both sides are readable, then move it into a folder such as Identity.
Delete a Files or Notes scan from where you made it
This step matters only for the Files and Notes routes, and it is the reason to prefer scanning inside StrongRoom. Delete the scan in Files. Apple says deleted files go to Recently Deleted for 30 days; open Files, tap Browse, open Recently Deleted and delete them there too. If you scanned in Notes, delete the note, then look in Notes for any deleted-items folder that still holds it. If you used the camera instead, delete the photo and also remove it from the Recently Deleted album in Photos, where Apple says photos are kept for 30 days.
What this does not protect against
- Anyone you hand the scan to can copy it. A Vault protects the file at rest, not after you send it.
- A scan saved to iCloud Drive may already have reached other devices signed in to your account before you delete it.
- Screenshots taken while you view it are outside StrongRoom's control.
- Folders in a Vault
- Import from Files
- Back to the pillar guide
- Passport copies
- What happens if I lose my phone
- What StrongRoom does not protect against
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a scan into StrongRoom?
Tap the add button, choose Scan a document, and the pages are saved as one encrypted PDF. You can also scan with Files or Notes and import the file from Files.
Does the scan go to my photo library?
No. It is never written to Photos or the camera roll.
Is scanning free?
Yes. A scan counts as one Item toward the free limit of 10 Items in total.
Where should I save a Files scan first?
Somewhere you will remember to clean up. A location on the phone avoids adding a copy to iCloud Drive.
Can someone with my iPhone passcode see the scan before I import it?
If you scanned in Files or Notes, yes, while it sits there. That is why you import and delete promptly, or scan inside StrongRoom instead.
Sources
- How to scan documents on your iPhone or iPad (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- Delete files or recover deleted files in the Files app (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- How to lock or unlock notes on your iPhone or iPad (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.