How to Password-Protect a Scanned ID on iPhone
Last updated 2026-10-29 · Paperkeep Pro feature
An ID copy attached to a plain email can be opened by anyone who gets into that inbox. Paperkeep Pro adds a password to the exported PDF, so only someone with the password can open the copy. The document inside Paperkeep stays unlocked, so search and previews keep working.
First, with iOS's built-in tools
- Neither the Files app nor Notes has an option to put a password on a PDF file itself.
- Locking a note protects it inside Notes on your iPhone, but a scan shared out of that note leaves without any password.
- So iOS alone can't produce a PDF that asks the recipient for a password when they open it.
With Paperkeep
- Tap the ID document in your list to open it, then go to “Export…” in the “Tools” menu at the top.
- With “Format” set to “PDF”, turn on the “Password” switch.
- Type a password of at least 4 characters. Paperkeep doesn't keep it, so note it somewhere safe.
- Tap “Share” and pick Mail to attach the locked PDF, or “Save to Files” to keep a copy.
Tips for this document
- Share the password another way, by phone or text, never in the same email as the PDF.
- Don't build the password from anything printed on the ID, like your birthday; whoever sees the copy could guess it.
- Black out numbers the recipient doesn't need with “Redact” before exporting, so less is exposed even if the password leaks.
Coming soon to the App Store.