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How to Move Private Photos to a New iPhone or iPad
Updated 3 min read
The moment you get a new iPhone is the moment a private photo collection is most at risk: either it gets left behind on the old phone, or it gets copied somewhere less safe on the way over. This guide covers how to move an encrypted vault to a new iPhone or an iPad without the photos ever existing unencrypted outside your devices.
Why a normal device backup is not enough
Vault apps that do their job keep the encryption key in the iPhone's Keychain under a this-device-only setting, so it never syncs and never appears in a backup. That is good for security, but it means restoring a standard iPhone backup onto new hardware can bring the encrypted photos across without the key needed to read them.
The answer is a backup designed for the vault: one that carries the encrypted photos and a wrapped copy of the key that only your passcode can open.
Back up with end-to-end encrypted iCloud
Step 1: Sign in to iCloud on your old iPhone
Backup uses your Apple Account's iCloud storage, so make sure you have space for your vault.
Step 2: Run a backup
In SnapLockr, open Settings > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. It shows how many items and albums will be included.
Step 3: Wait for it to finish
Stay on Wi-Fi with the app open until the progress completes.
Restore on the new iPhone or iPad
Step 1: Install SnapLockr on the new device
Sign in with the same Apple Account in Settings.
Step 2: Choose Restore
In SnapLockr, open Settings > iCloud Backup and tap Restore from iCloud. The wrapped key comes down first.
Step 3: Enter your vault passcode
Your passcode unwraps the key on the device, and everything else decrypts locally. Items already in the vault are kept; only missing ones are added.
Step 4: Set up Face ID again
Biometric unlock is tied to each device, so turn it on again on the new one.
Moving photos without iCloud
If you would rather not use iCloud at all, transfer directly between devices instead. Use Wireless Transfer on the old phone to download your albums to a computer, then upload them into the vault on the new one.
Clean up the old phone
- Open the vault on the new device and check that your albums are all there.
- Erase the old iPhone with Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings before you sell or trade it in. This destroys the device encryption keys, making the old data unreadable.
- Keep the encrypted iCloud backup — it protects you if the new phone is lost.
SnapLockr features in this guide
Encrypted iCloud BackupPremium
Back up to your own iCloud with end-to-end encryption. Apple stores only ciphertext, and a new iPhone restores only after you enter your passcode.
Wireless & USB TransferPremium
Move photos between your vault and a computer over Wi-Fi with a password-protected HTTPS connection, or over a USB cable through Finder.
AES-256-GCM Encryption
Every photo, video, thumbnail and piece of recognised text is encrypted on your device. Your passcode is never stored in any form, so there is nothing to extract.
Passcode & Face ID
Lock the vault with a 6-digit PIN or a passphrase. A Face ID or Touch ID match releases the key itself, so it is a cryptographic lock rather than a screen to skip past.
Frequently asked questions
Can Apple see photos in my SnapLockr iCloud backup?
No. Photos, album names and filenames are encrypted on your device before upload. Apple stores only ciphertext, and the key needed to read it is wrapped with your passcode.
What happens if I forget my passcode on the new iPhone?
Use the recovery code you saved at setup. Without either the passcode or the recovery code, the backup cannot be decrypted by anyone — including us.
Do I need Premium to back up?
Encrypted iCloud backup is part of SnapLockr Premium, as are wireless and USB transfer. Encryption, Face ID, break-in alerts, the decoy PIN and sharing are free for everyone.