Card Vault

Support

Card Vault for iPhone, iOS 17 or later

Card Vault keeps the greeting cards people send you, including the handwriting inside. Photograph a card and it goes on a shelf you can browse, search and open again years later. Your cards stay on your iPhone and in your own iCloud.

Questions

How do I scan a card?

Tap the + button on the shelf. The app opens Apple's document scanner, which finds the card's edges and straightens the perspective for you. Scan the front, then the inside, then the back if you want it, all in one session. If the card is flat and one sided, choose Just one photo instead. You then get a review screen where you can rescan a page before saving.

Can I add a photo I have already taken?

Yes. Press and hold the + button rather than tapping it, and choose Import from Photos. You can pick up to four images for one card. A plain tap on + always goes to the camera, so the long press is the way in.

How does tagging work?

After a scan, the app reads the card on your iPhone and suggests the occasion from the cover and the sender from the sign-off. Confirming is usually one tap, and you can edit anything it got wrong. That recognised text is also searchable later, so the search field matches the sender, the occasion, your notes and the words inside the card.

How does the Face ID lock work?

With the lock on, Card Vault asks for Face ID when you open it, and again if you have been away from it for more than a minute. Your device passcode works if Face ID fails or is not set up. The app switcher shows a blank cover rather than your cards. You can turn the lock off under Settings inside the app, in the Privacy section. If your iPhone has no Face ID and no passcode set, the app does not lock, so you can never be shut out of your own cards.

How does iCloud sync work, and what if it does not?

If you are signed in to iCloud, cards sync through your own private iCloud account to your other iPhones signed in to the same Apple Account. There is nothing to set up and no account to create. The app's Settings screen has a Storage section that tells you what it sees: "iCloud: on, cards sync to your other devices" means it is working.

If a card is not showing up on another device, check these in order:

• Both devices are signed in to the same Apple Account.
• iCloud Drive is on under Settings, then your name, then iCloud.
• Card Vault is allowed to use iCloud in that same list.
• Both devices are on a network, and not in Low Data Mode or Low Power Mode, which can hold syncing back.
• Open the app on both devices and leave it in the foreground for a minute. Syncing happens in the background and large card images can take a little while.

How do I export a card as a PDF?

Open the card, then tap Share in the detail panel below it. The app prepares a captioned PDF, one page per surface, along with a JPEG of each surface, and hands them to the iOS share sheet. From there you can mail them, save them to Files, or send them to anyone. If the panel is not showing, tap the card once to bring it back.

I deleted a card by mistake. Can I get it back?

Yes, for 30 days. Go to Settings inside the app, then Recently Deleted, and tap Restore next to the card. After 30 days a deleted card is removed permanently. Swiping a row in that list and choosing Delete now removes it immediately, and that one cannot be undone.

What are the anniversary reminders?

On the anniversary of a card's date, a notification brings the card back and tapping it opens that card. Cards dated within the last month or so are skipped, so a card you just scanned does not tell you it is a year old. Turn them on or off under Settings, in the Reminders section.

How much space do my cards take?

Settings, then the Storage section, shows the card count and the space used on the device.