Patterns and vaults
I forgot my pattern. Can you help?
No one can open that vault, and we cannot either. DotSafe does not store patterns, and we never receive your keys. Try the patterns that you think it could be: a wrong pattern only opens an empty vault, and does not harm anything. Your other vaults are not affected.
I drew my pattern and got an empty vault. Where are my items?
The pattern was probably a little different from your real one. DotSafe opens a new empty vault for any new pattern, and it does not save that vault until you add something. Lock DotSafe and draw your pattern again, slowly.
How do I make a second vault?
Lock DotSafe and draw a new pattern. A new empty vault opens. Add an item to keep it.
Can I change the pattern of a vault?
Not yet. To move items to a vault with a new pattern, send them out of the old vault and import them into the new one.
How do I see a list of my vaults?
You cannot. DotSafe keeps no list of vaults, so it cannot show one to you or to anyone else. This is how it hides how many vaults you have.
Why does DotSafe not use Face ID to unlock?
A person can hold your device up to your face, or make you put your finger on it. A pattern is something only you know. DotSafe uses Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode only to confirm three actions: destroy a vault, turn off sync, and open the duress settings.
How do I delete a vault?
Open the vault, then Settings. Under Danger zone, tap Destroy this vault. If sync is on, choose whether to delete it from this device only or everywhere. Destroy cannot be undone.
Photos and files
Does DotSafe delete the photos from my library?
After an import, DotSafe asks if you want to delete the originals from Photos. If you say yes, iOS asks you to confirm. Photos keeps them in Recently Deleted for 30 days. Delete them there too if you want them gone at once.
Do photos from the DotSafe camera go to my library?
No. The camera in DotSafe saves only to the open vault.
What file types can I keep?
Any file. DotSafe shows photos, videos, PDFs, text, ePub books and most common documents in the app. Office and iWork documents need a temporary copy to show, so DotSafe asks you first.
Can I get a photo back out of DotSafe?
Yes. Open it and use the share button to send it to another app or save it to Photos. DotSafe warns you first, because that copy is not encrypted, and DotSafe cannot delete it later.
Why does DotSafe use more storage than my files?
DotSafe pads every item to blocks of the same size and keeps cover files. This hides the real sizes of your items and the number of vaults. The cost is some extra storage.
Plans and devices
What are the Free limits?
3 vaults, with 100 items and 5 videos in each vault. Pro has no limits. See Pricing.
Does DotSafe work on iPad?
Yes. DotSafe is one app for iPhone, iPad and iPhone Duo, with layouts for each. With Pro, iCloud sync keeps a vault the same on all of them.
Is there a Mac or Android version?
Not now.
I bought Pro, but a device shows Free.
Make sure that the device uses the same Apple Account for the App Store. Then open Settings in DotSafe, tap App, and tap Restore purchases.
Privacy
Can you see my data?
No. Everything is encrypted on your device with a key from your pattern. We have no servers, and the app sends us nothing.
Can a screenshot show my vault?
DotSafe hides content during screen recording, and tries to hide it from screenshots. iOS does not let an app block screenshots fully, so this works where possible. Both settings are in Settings, under App, then Privacy. They are on by default.
Is DotSafe open source?
Not now. The encryption design is public, and it uses only Apple's own cryptography libraries.
