DocuLockHome Compare Best apps for your passport
Best apps to store your passport and ID on iPhone
Updated 15 November 2026 ยท by the DocuLock team
In short. For a passport or ID, look for three things: the provider cannot read the file (end-to-end or zero-knowledge encryption), the app reminds you before it expires, and you can share a copy that stops working. DocuLock does all three. 1Password is the strongest choice if you want documents next to your passwords. Apple Notes and Files work if you only need storage and turn on Advanced Data Protection.
Comparison at a glance
| App | Who can read it | Expiry reminders | Sharing | Private photos | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DocuLock | Yes, zero-knowledge | Yes, per document | Expiring, revocable links | Yes | iPhone |
| 1Password | Yes, end-to-end | Expiry fields on passport and licence items | Item links that expire | No | All platforms |
| Apple Notes (locked) | Locked notes are encrypted with your passcode or password | No | Not for locked notes | No | Apple devices |
| Files / iCloud Drive | End-to-end only with Advanced Data Protection | No | iCloud links | No | Apple devices, web |
| Google Drive | Encrypted, but Google holds the keys (personal accounts) | No | Drive links | No | All platforms |
| Scanner Pro | Not described as end-to-end; syncs with iCloud | No | Share files | No | iPhone, iPad |
| Keepsafe | AES-256 (key handling not described in detail) | No | No | Yes (photo vault) | iPhone, Android |
1. DocuLock: best for documents that expire
An encrypted vault for IDs, leases and photos. Pages are encrypted on the iPhone before upload, and the service cannot read them, their names or the text inside. Reads the expiry date and reminds you months ahead. Share links expire, limit views, take an access code and can be revoked. A separate Photos space has its own PIN.
Good: reminders, revocable links, page editing (crop, black out, sign). Not yet: Android or a web app; price not set; early access by email.
2. 1Password: best if you want it next to your passwords
End-to-end encrypted, on every platform, with passport and driver licence item types that hold the details and an expiry date. File storage is limited: 1Password staff describe 1 GB per person on personal and family plans. DocuLock vs 1Password.
3. Apple Notes with a locked note: free and built in
Locked notes are encrypted with your iPhone passcode or a separate password, according to Apple. Some attachment types cannot be locked, and dates such as when a note was changed are not encrypted. No reminders or expiring links. DocuLock vs Apple Notes and Files.
4. Files and iCloud Drive: fine with Advanced Data Protection
With Apple's optional Advanced Data Protection turned on, iCloud Drive is end-to-end encrypted; it needs a recovery contact or recovery key. Without it, Apple holds the keys.
5. Google Drive: convenient, not private by design
Files are encrypted, but on personal accounts Google holds the keys; client-side encryption is a Workspace feature for certain business editions. DocuLock vs Google Drive.
6. Scanner Pro: best scanner, not a vault
An excellent scanner with text recognition, editing and export, free with a watermark on shared files or with a Plus subscription. It syncs with iCloud and is not presented as an encrypted vault. DocuLock vs Scanner Pro.
7. Keepsafe: a photo vault
A PIN-protected photo vault with AES-256 encryption and cloud backup. Built for photos rather than documents. DocuLock vs Keepsafe.
How we chose
We looked at who can read the files, whether the app tells you before a document expires, how a copy can be shared and taken back, scanning and editing, and whether personal photos can be kept apart.
Disclosure: DocuLock is our product. Facts about other apps were checked on 15 November 2026 from their own websites, App Store listings and support pages, linked below. Prices change and differ by country: check the App Store for the price where you live. If something here is out of date, write to support@doculock.app and we will fix it.
Sources: Apple Platform Security: Notes; Apple: Lock notes on iPhone; Apple: Advanced Data Protection; Google: Encrypted files in Drive; 1Password community: file storage; Readdle: Scanner Pro free or subscribe; Keepsafe support.
DocuLock is coming to iPhone. Ask for early access and we will write when it is ready.
Questions
Is it safe to keep a photo of my passport on my iPhone?
It is safer in an app that encrypts it end to end than in your camera roll, which syncs to iCloud and is shown in shared albums and memories. Keep only what you need, and black out numbers you do not.
What is the most secure way to store ID documents on iPhone?
An app where the provider cannot read the file (zero-knowledge or end-to-end encryption), protected by Face ID, with a recovery method only you hold. DocuLock and 1Password both meet that bar.
Which app reminds me when my passport expires?
DocuLock reads the expiry date from the scan and reminds you nine months ahead and again at six. 1Password stores an expiry date on passport items.