How to store UK documents safely on your phone

Keep copies of your UK passport, driving licence and GHIC in a protected place with encryption and an access lock. Control synced copies and exports, and use official credentials or physical originals where required.

UK passport specimen with fictional details. A saved copy is not an official digital credential.

Keep document copies out of everyday sharing

A passport saved between holiday pictures or a driving licence sent to yourself in a chat is easy to find later. It is also easy to share accidentally or leave in a backup. Keep useful copies, but choose where they live deliberately.

Keep the passport photo page, driving licence and GHIC under separate names. A GHIC relates to healthcare abroad; it is not a travel document or proof of a right to work. Use the Home Office’s online status service when a share code is required.

Choose a lock and know its limits

Photos: the Hidden album removes pictures from ordinary browsing and can require authentication. Check the Face ID setting; it can also accept your device passcode.
Notes: a scan created in a note can be locked. An imported PDF attachment is different and cannot simply be turned into a locked note. A separate Notes password must be remembered.
Files: protect the app with Require Face ID where available. A folder in Files has no separate built-in password lock, and an app lock on one iPhone does not lock a copy on another device.

The iPhone storage guide gives the steps. Locks protect access; they do not replace a backup or decide whether an official document is accepted.

Keep sync and exports under control

Know which account receives a synced copy and protect that account. Check sharing permissions rather than keeping document folders behind open links. Test that any copies needed while travelling can open offline, and carry original travel documents.

Right to rent checks apply in England, not throughout the UK. Right to work checks have their own UK-wide process. Follow the GOV.UK route that applies: an online share code, an eligible identity service or an original-document check. A watermarked or redacted scan you email is not a substitute for the required check.

When a recipient accepts an altered reference copy, use Watermark or Hide details on a separate export. Check how to send an ID copy before attaching it.

A document wallet adds organisation

Dokus keeps each document encrypted on the device, with front and back together, access through Face ID or Touch ID and offline viewing. Optional sync uses your own iCloud account. Your documents do not go to a Dokus document server. Sharing tools are included free; Dokus Plus adds expiry reminders and lifts the nine-document cap.

After keeping a protected original, remove exports left in Downloads, chats and the photo library when no longer needed. Deleting your copy does not delete one you have already sent to another person.

Common questions

Does hiding a document in Photos make it an official ID?

No. It remains a photograph. Official digital credentials require the issuing authority’s supported service and verification.

Can I keep a passport copy for travel?

Yes, as a reference in a protected place that opens offline. Carry the original passport; the image is not a substitute at the border.

Does locking an app create a backup?

No. Access control and backup are separate. Check your sync or backup settings and protect the account they use.

Does Dokus remind me when documents expire?

Expiry reminders are part of Dokus Plus. Document storage, optional iCloud sync and all sharing tools are available free within the nine-document limit.