Caring for a parent: their papers on your iPhone
What to do
Scan a paper with the Files app
Apple’s Files app can turn a paper in your hand into a PDF on your iPhone.
- Open the Files app.
- Tap the More button (three dots in a circle), then tap Scan Documents.
- Hold your iPhone over the paper. Your iPhone takes the scan by itself when it finds the edges of the page.
- Scan any other pages. Then tap the Done button.
- Choose a place for the scan, then tap Save.
A folder in the Files app has no lock of its own. You can lock the whole Files app, but anyone who knows your iPhone passcode can still open it. Apple’s other locks are in How to lock files and PDFs on iPhone.
Underlock is coming soon to the App Store. Here’s how it will work.
Bring the papers into your vault
Underlock keeps your files in a vault. You open your vault by drawing a pattern on a grid of dots. Your iPhone passcode doesn’t open your vault. Importing puts a copy of each file in your vault. The originals stay in the Files app until you remove them.
- Open Underlock.
- Draw your pattern to open your vault.
- Tap the Add button (a plus sign), then Import from Files.
- Choose the scans and PDFs you want in your vault.
- Keep Underlock open until the import finishes.
- When Underlock asks whether to remove the originals from the Files app, tap Remove. The originals move to Recently Deleted in the Files app.
- Check that the papers are in your vault.
- In the Files app, delete the originals from Recently Deleted, as in Delete files for good. If you don’t, Recently Deleted keeps the originals for 30 days.
Got a PDF by email? Save the PDF to the Files app first, then import it.
For a card, use Underlock’s camera. In your vault, tap Add, then Take photo or video. The photo goes straight into your vault, not the Photos app.
Already have photos of the papers?
Importing puts a copy of each photo in your vault. The originals stay in the Photos app until you remove them.
- In Underlock, tap Add, then Import from Photos.
- Choose the photos you want in your vault.
- Keep Underlock open until the import finishes.
- When the import finishes, Underlock asks whether to remove the originals from the Photos app. Tap Remove.
- When iOS asks to delete the originals, confirm. The originals move to Recently Deleted in the Photos app.
- While the originals are in Recently Deleted, check that the photos are in your vault.
- To remove the originals for good, delete the originals from Recently Deleted. Until then, Recently Deleted keeps the originals for 30 days. After 30 days, the originals are gone for good.
Make a folder for your parent
- In your vault, tap Folders, then New folder.
- Type a name for the folder, like Mom, then tap Create. The new folder opens.
- Tap Move files here.
- Tap each paper that belongs in the folder.
- Tap the button at the bottom, such as Move 3 files.
Folders sit side by side: a folder can’t hold another folder. One folder for each parent keeps things simple, with a clear name on each paper. To rename a paper, touch and hold the paper, then tap Rename. Folder and file names are encrypted along with your files.
Open a paper at an appointment
- Open Underlock.
- Draw your pattern to open your vault.
- Tap Folders, then tap your parent’s folder.
- Tap the paper.
You can also search your vault by name, by kind or by folder name.
Need to send someone a copy? Open the paper, then tap Share. Underlock asks first, because a shared file leaves your vault and is no longer encrypted. To send the paper, tap Share again.
Keep your way back in
When you set up Underlock, you write down your recovery phrase: 12 words on paper. The 12 words open your vault if you forget your pattern. If you forget your pattern and lose the paper, nobody can open your vault, not even us.
Once you delete the scans from the Files app, your vault holds the only copy on your iPhone. So keep the papers themselves too.
What Underlock does
- A folder of their own. Group a parent’s papers in one folder. Folder and file names are encrypted along with your files.
- Your passcode doesn’t open your vault. Your vault opens with your own pattern, not your iPhone passcode or Face ID.
- Locks as you leave. By default, your vault locks the moment you leave Underlock.
- Asks before a paper leaves. Sending a paper to someone? Underlock asks first, because a shared file leaves your vault.
- Notes next to the papers. In your vault, tap Add, then New note. In Underlock’s notes, keyboard suggestions stay off unless you turn them on in Underlock’s settings.