Add a loyalty or membership card

Leave the plastic at home. Add your loyalty, gym, library or membership cards to Paperwise once, then show the barcode full screen at the till.

What it is

A card in Paperwise holds:

a name (“Carrefour”, “Gym”, “Library”),
its barcode or QR code, scanned with the camera or typed in,
optional photos of the front and back,
a colour, so you can spot it at a glance,
optional notes (“Member since”, a PIN hint).

Cards live on the Cards shelf. Open one and tap Show code: the code fills the screen on a white background and the screen goes to full brightness, ready for the scanner at the till.

Supported codes: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF-14, QR code, PDF417, Aztec and Data Matrix. You can also save a card with No barcode, for example a membership card with just a number.

When to use it

Supermarket and pharmacy loyalty cards.
Gym, library, museum and club memberships.
Any card where the shop just scans a code or reads a number.

For identity documents, use Scan an ID card instead: it keeps a real-size copy and protects it as an ID.

Step by step

Add a card

Tap + at the bottom of the Vault.
Under Create, tap Card. The New card screen opens.
Under Name, type the card’s name.
Under Barcode, tap Scan the barcode and point the camera at the card’s code. Paperwise fills in the type and the number.
- Or type the number under Card number and choose the Type yourself.
Optional: under Photos (optional), add a photo of the Front and the Back. A frame helps you line up the card. The card’s colour is picked from the front photo.
Optional: choose a Colour, and add Notes.
Tap Save.

The card opens, and it’s on the Cards shelf (and in the folder you started from, if any).

Show the code at the till

On the Vault, tap the Cards shelf and then the card.
Tap Show code (or tap the card’s picture).
The code fills the screen at full brightness. Long, thin barcodes turn sideways so they’re as wide as possible.
When you’re done, tap the close button. Your screen brightness goes back to how it was.

Copy the card number

On the card, tap the number under the code. It’s copied for 60 seconds.

Edit a card

Open the card and tap its name, or tap ••• → Edit card. Change what you need and tap Save. To take a photo off, touch and hold it.

Free and Pro

Cards are free.

Privacy

Cards are named by you and never sent to AI.
Front and back photos are cropped on your iPhone; nothing is uploaded.
A copied card number stays on this iPhone (no Universal Clipboard) and is cleared after 60 seconds.
Cards and their photos are kept in your vault, encrypted by Paperwise with its own key, kept on this iPhone only; Face ID guards the app when the app lock is on. For a card you’d rather keep private, use ••• → Move to Hidden: Hidden adds keys only Face ID, your Hidden passcode or your recovery key open.

Tips

Scan the barcode rather than typing it. It’s faster and Paperwise picks the right type.
If the shop’s scanner struggles, hold the phone flat and still, a little further from the scanner.
Use the colour to match the real card, so you find it instantly on the Cards shelf.

What if…

What if Save is greyed out?

A card needs a name, and the number has to fit the barcode type you chose. Check the message under Barcode; for example, “EAN-13 codes are digits only. Check the number, or pick another type.”

What if the till can’t read the code?

Turn your phone so the barcode is flat towards the scanner, and hold it a little further away. If it still fails, check the type: open the card, tap ••• → Edit card and compare the Type with what’s printed on the card.

What if my brightness didn’t come back?

Paperwise restores it when you close the code or leave the app. If it’s still bright, adjust it in Control Center.

What if I don’t see Show code?

The card has no barcode, or the number is empty. Edit the card to add one.