How to store a passport copy on iPhone securely
A scan of your passport is not the same as the Digital ID in Apple Wallet. A scan is an ordinary file, so protect it like one: keep it out of Photos and chat threads, store it encrypted, and send a copy only when someone needs it. Keep a second copy, because a lost phone takes a single scan with it.
Wallet's Digital ID versus a scan
Apple's Digital ID is created in Wallet from a U.S. passport. Apple's requirements include an unexpired U.S. passport, an iPhone 11 or later on iOS 26.1 or later, Face ID or Touch ID, an Apple Account with two-factor authentication and the device region set to the United States. Apple says it is not a government-issued passport or a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel or border crossing instead of a passport. It works at select U.S. TSA checkpoints for domestic travel.
So a Digital ID does not remove the need for the paper passport, and it does not replace a copy you may need for a visa form, a hotel or a lost-passport report. Those need a scan or photocopy.
Scan it
In StrongRoom, unlock the Vault, tap the add button and choose Scan a document. Apple's scanner finds the page edges, and the pages are saved as one encrypted PDF in the Vault, never in Photos or Files. It is free and counts as one Item toward the free limit of 10. Use a plain surface, avoid glare over the photo and check the result is readable; Results depend on the light and on Apple's scanner.
To use Apple's Files scanner instead: in Files, tap the More (three dots) button, tap Scan Documents, and hold the camera over the photo page. Auto mode scans by itself, or tap the shutter button, drag the corners to fit and tap Keep Scan. Choose where to save. Use a plain surface and avoid glare over the photo.
A plain photo from the Camera app also works, but it lands in your photo library, where it can show up in search, shared albums and widgets. A scan saved to Files stays out of that.
Where the scan should and should not live
- Should: in an encrypted Vault on the phone, in a folder such as Identity.
- Should not: in the camera roll, in a shared album, in a chat you have already sent it to, or in an email draft.
- Think twice: iCloud Drive. It is convenient, but it is a copy in an account. Apple says that under standard protection it holds the keys; with Advanced Data Protection the keys stay on your trusted devices.
After importing to the Vault, delete the original from Files and then from Recently Deleted. Apple says deleted files stay there for 30 days unless you delete them from that location.
Sending it
Ask whether a copy is needed at all and who will keep it. When a company does need one, send the least that works: only the page asked for, with anything unrelated covered, and a note on the copy saying what it is for and the date, so it is useless for anything else. Send it through a channel you trust and ask them to delete it afterwards. StrongRoom can also make a Share Package, an encrypted file opened with six words or a QR code that you send a different way. Its open limit and expiry are enforced by the app, so the recipient can still photograph the screen; see the limits page.
Second copy
Keep the paper passport in a safe place and tell a trusted person where it is. Make an Export Package of the Vault from time to time and keep the file away from the phone. Without it and your Recovery Phrase, a lost phone means the scan is gone.
- Folders in a Vault
- Export Package
- Keeping passport and ID copies private
- Back to the pillar guide
- Scanning an ID card privately
- What happens if I lose my phone
- What StrongRoom does not protect against
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to keep a photo of my passport on my phone?
It is a risk if the photo sits in the camera roll or a synced account and your phone is unlocked. An encrypted Vault with its own credential lowers that risk but does not remove it.
Does Wallet's Digital ID replace my passport?
No. Apple says it is not a replacement for a physical passport and cannot be used for international travel in place of one.
Should I send a passport scan by chat?
Only if you must. Send the minimum, mark its purpose, and ask for it to be deleted.
Sources
- Use your Digital ID in Apple Wallet (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- 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.
- iCloud data security overview (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.