Open a vault: Face ID and a pattern

Every vault opens the same way: Face ID, then the vault’s pattern. The pattern you draw decides which vault opens.

What it is

The pad is a 5×5 grid of dots, titled Draw a pattern.

A pattern is the only way in. There’s no code, no passcode and no “Use a code instead”.
At least 6 dots. A shorter pattern says “Connect at least 6 dots.” and isn’t counted. A vault that can be recovered needs at least 8 dots.
Every pattern opens a vault:
- a pattern Paperwise knows opens that vault
- a pattern it doesn’t know opens a new, empty vault, kept only if you save something in it
- there’s no “wrong pattern” message
No skipping dots. A line that passes over a dot picks that dot up, as on most pattern locks.
Show pattern while drawing is off by default, so the dots you touch don’t light up and nobody can follow your finger. You can turn it on in a vault’s settings; it’s the same for every vault.

Leaving and locking

You	What happens
Tap Back	The vault locks and the pad comes back. For up to a minute, you can draw another pattern without Face ID.
Tap Lock	The vault locks and the pad comes back. The next pattern needs Face ID again.
Leave Paperwise	The vault locks.
Don’t touch it for 5 minutes	The vault locks.
Tap Close on the pad	Back to Home.

With VoiceOver or Switch Control

Draw: with VoiceOver on, a finger on the pad draws as usual. VoiceOver says only how many dots you’ve connected, never which ones.
Dot by dot: the dots are labelled “Row 2, column 3”. Move to a dot and double-tap to add it, then tap Open; Clear starts again. The first time, the pad warns: “VoiceOver reads each dot aloud. Use headphones if someone could hear.”
Dot numbers: when VoiceOver, Switch Control or Full Keyboard Access is on, the pad also says “Accessibility is on, so you can also type your pattern as dot numbers (1–25).” The dots are numbered row by row. The numbers are the same pattern, not a second secret.

Step by step

Open a vault

Tap the lock button on Home (or Account → Lock and privacy → Open Private vaults, or Private vaults in the iPad sidebar).
Confirm with Face ID.
Draw the vault’s pattern. The vault opens.

Change a vault’s pattern

Open the vault and tap the settings button (the gear) → Change pattern….
Draw the current pattern, then the new one twice.

A recoverable vault needs a pattern of at least 8 dots.

Switch to another vault

Tap Back, then draw the other vault’s pattern within a minute. After that, or after Lock, Face ID comes first again.

Free and Pro

Opening, locking and changing patterns are free. A second vault and more need Pro.

Privacy

The pad blocks screenshots and screen recording (best effort), and the app switcher shows a cover.
Every pattern you draw counts as a try, whether it opens a vault you know, a new one or nothing at all. After many tries in an hour or a day, the pad makes you wait. The waits depend only on how many tries there were, never on which patterns were real.
Nothing on the pad shows how many vaults exist.

Tips

Use a pattern with turns and at least 8 dots. Long straight lines are easy to guess.
Draw it where nobody can watch your finger, and keep Show pattern while drawing off.

What if…

What if it says “Too many tries. Try again in 4:59.”?

You drew many patterns in a short time. Every pattern you draw in Private vaults counts, including saves, confirms and tests. Normal use (a few opens an hour, under 50 a day) never waits. Restarting the iPhone doesn’t shorten a wait.

What if a vault I know opens empty?

You drew a slightly different pattern, which opened a new, empty vault. It says “This vault is empty. Expected something here? Patterns are exact: draw it again.” Tap Back and draw it again.

What if it says “Face ID needed again”?

The minute after Back, or the time the pad waits, has passed. Tap Use Face ID.

What if I forgot the pattern?

A forgotten pattern can’t be recovered. See Forgot your pattern.