---
title: Taking my phone in for repair with private photos on it
canonical: https://mavaul.com/scenarios/phone-repair-private-photos/
description: Repair shops may ask for your passcode to test the phone. What to do with private photos before a repair: back up, erase if you can, and keep a second lock on what matters.
format: text/markdown
generator: scripts/generate-llms.js
---
# Taking my phone in for repair

_By [Diogo Ferreira](/about/), founder & engineer_

A repair shop may ask for your passcode to test the phone, and with it they could open Photos and the Hidden album. Back up first. If you can, erase the phone. If you can't, keep private photos behind a second passcode that you don't hand over.

## Before you go
1. Back up the phone, and back up your vault. Mavaul's encrypted backup goes to your own storage.
2. If the repair allows it, erase the phone and restore afterwards. It's the cleanest option.
3. If you can't erase, move private photos into Mavaul. The phone passcode doesn't open it.

## Why a second lock matters
The Hidden album opens with the phone passcode. Mavaul has its own passcode, and its photos are encrypted with AES-256, so knowing the phone code isn't enough.

## Questions
### Should I give the repair shop my passcode?
Only if you have to. Erase the phone first if the repair allows it.

### Can a technician open Mavaul with my phone passcode?
No. Mavaul has its own passcode.

## Sources
- [Apple Support: Hide photos with the Hidden album](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104987)
- [Apple Support: What to do before you sell or trade in your iPhone](https://support.apple.com/en-us/109511)

## Read next
- [Before you sell your iPhone](/guides/before-selling-iphone-private-photos/)
- [Encrypted backup](/features/encrypted-backup/)
- [Can someone see my hidden photos?](/guides/who-can-see-hidden-photos-iphone/)

## Try Mavaul
[Download Mavaul on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/mavaul-photo-video-vault/id6759567727?l=en-GB)