Short answerBefore you switch, confirm your vault's backup has finished and that you have its recovery phrase or password. With VaultBolt, install it on the new iPhone, choose Restore, enter your 12-word phrase and each vault downloads from your iCloud. Keep the old phone untouched until everything opens.
Before you switch (on the old iPhone)
- Open your vault and check the last backup time. In VaultBolt: Settings → Backup. Tap Back up now and wait until it finishes.
- Find your recovery phrase (VaultBolt) or the recovery method your app uses. Test it if your app offers a check.
- Make sure iCloud has space. A full iCloud is the most common reason a backup silently stops.
- Don't delete the app or erase the phone yet.
On the new iPhone
- Install VaultBolt and choose Restore from backup.
- Enter your 12-word recovery phrase. Each vault restores with its own phrase, and entering one never reveals another.
- Set a new unlock (it can be the same as before).
- Open a few items, including videos, to confirm they play.
Only then
Erase or trade in the old iPhone. Before you do, read what to do before selling or trading in an iPhone.
If your vault app has no cloud backup
Some vaults keep files only on the device and warn that deleting the app deletes your data. Export everything to Files on your computer or an encrypted archive before switching, then import on the new phone and delete the exported copies.
Frequently asked questions
Does Quick Start copy my vault app's photos?
Device-to-device migration and iCloud device backups often include app data, but not always for every app, and some vault apps exclude their data on purpose. Rely on the vault's own backup and recovery method.
What if my old phone is lost?
If your vault backed up to iCloud, restore on the new phone with your recovery phrase. If it only stored files on the device, they are gone with the phone.
