Face ID & passcode
Free
Mavaul opens with Face ID, Touch ID or its own 4-digit passcode, separate from the one that unlocks your phone. It locks the moment you leave, the app switcher shows a lock screen instead of your photos, and wrong guesses lock it for longer each time.
How it works
- Set a 4-digit passcode for the vault when you first open Mavaul. It isn't your iPhone passcode, so someone who knows that one still can't get in.
- Turn on Face ID or Touch ID and open the vault with a glance. The passcode always works as a fallback.
- Leave the app and it locks straight away. With Premium you can pick a lock delay, from 5 seconds up to 10 minutes.
- In the app switcher, Mavaul shows its lock screen, not the last photo you looked at.
The details
| Spec | Face ID & passcode |
|---|---|
| Unlock | Face ID, Touch ID or a 4-digit vault passcode |
| Wrong passcodes | 5 tries, then locked for 15 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, then 6 hours |
| Locks | As soon as you leave the app. Lock delay of 5 s to 10 min with Premium |
| App switcher | Shows the lock screen, never your photos |
| Decoy mode | The app opens to a working calculator instead of a lock screen. After wrong passcodes it shows no lockout warning, so it never gives itself away. Free |
| Calculator lock screen | Type your passcode on the keypad to get in. Long-press the display or = to reach the recovery key |
| Forgot passcode | Open the vault with your 24-character recovery key, then set a new passcode |
| Plan | Free. Lock delay is Premium |
Good to know
- The calculator lock screen really calculates, so 2 + 2 shows 4. To reach the recovery key there, long-press the display or the = button.
- Decoy mode is the calculator: it hides the vault behind a working calculator. It doesn't open a second, fake vault.
- The passcode is 4 digits. Lockouts are what stop guessing, the same way the iPhone does it.
Questions
Is the Mavaul passcode the same as my iPhone passcode?
No. You set a separate 4-digit passcode for the vault, so someone who knows your phone's code still can't open it.
What happens after wrong passcodes?
You get 5 tries. After that the vault locks for 15 minutes, then 1 hour, 3 hours and 6 hours.
Can I keep the vault open for a bit after I leave?
Yes, with Premium. Pick a lock delay from 5 seconds to 10 minutes. By default it locks right away.
I forgot my passcode. What now?
Tap Forgot Passcode and type your 24-character recovery key. Then set a new passcode. Your photos stay as they were.