A complete guide to every feature in the app.
Drawing Vault is designed to be simple enough for anyone to use in seconds. There is no account required, no cloud setup, and the app works entirely offline after download.
When you open the app for the first time you will see an empty home screen. The first thing to do is create a child profile.
Every child gets their own private folder. This keeps drawings organised and makes it easy to browse one child's artwork at a time.
On the home screen, tap the green + circle in the top-right corner, or the Add new child button if the screen is empty.
Type the child's name in the text field. This is only stored locally on your device.
Pick a fun emoji avatar and a folder colour. These help you quickly recognise each child's folder on the home screen.
The profile is created instantly. You'll see a folder card on the home screen.
Long-press (press and hold) any folder card on the home screen to reveal the context menu. You can Edit Profile to change the name, emoji or colour, or Delete to permanently remove the profile and all its drawings.
⚠️ Tip: Export a backup before deleting a profile. Deletion cannot be undone.
Open a child's folder by tapping their card on the home screen, then tap the camera button in the bottom-right corner.
The first time you tap the camera button, iOS will ask for camera access. Tap Allow. If you accidentally denied it, go to iPhone Settings → Drawing Vault → Camera and enable it.
Point the camera at the drawing and tap the shutter button. Try to photograph it flat and in good lighting for the best result.
After taking the photo you'll see a preview. Type a name for the drawing (e.g. "Rainbow house") and tap Save!
💡 Tip: The photo is saved privately inside the app — it does not appear in your iPhone Photos library.
The gallery shows all drawings for one child in a two-column grid, sorted newest first.
Tap the 🔍 magnifying glass in the top-right corner to open the search bar. Type any part of a drawing's name to filter the results instantly.
Use the filter chips below the search bar to view drawings from Today, This week, This month, or All.
Long-press any drawing card to open the context menu and choose Delete.
Tap any drawing in the gallery to open it full-screen.
Drawing Vault uses a custom file format called .tkv (Drawing Vault file) for backups. This file contains all drawings and their metadata in a single portable package.
Tap the ⚙️ gear icon in the top-right of the home screen.
Under Backup & Restore, find the child and tap the Export button.
The iOS share sheet opens. Save to Files, iCloud Drive, send via AirDrop, email — anything you like.
Tap the green Import .tkv file button in Settings.
The iOS Files picker opens. Navigate to where you saved the file and tap it.
The app will create a new child profile and restore all drawings with their original names and original creation dates. The process takes a few seconds for large collections.
💡 Tip: A .tkv file only works with Drawing Vault. It is not a standard ZIP — it is specifically designed for this app.
Open Settings by tapping the ⚙️ icon on the home screen.
Drawing Vault is free to use with a small banner ad at the bottom of the screen. For a one-time payment of €0.99 you can remove all ads permanently.
Tap the 👑 crown button on the home screen or in any gallery, then tap Buy on the upgrade screen. The purchase is processed by Apple — we never see your payment details.
If you reinstall the app or switch phones, open Settings and tap Restore purchase. As long as you're signed in with the same Apple ID, Premium is restored for free.