Support

FamilyVault is available on the App Store and under active development. Feedback is very welcome.

Getting started

• Permissions: camera for the scanner and live viewfinder, notifications for the reminders; optionally photos for importing existing pictures and Face ID for the app lock. The app only asks when it needs a permission and explains why — you can change everything later in the iOS settings.
• iCloud: iCloud Drive must be turned on in the iOS settings for syncing between iPhone and iPad to work. The app shows the sync status under “Settings”.
• First scan: Tap the “Scan” tab, choose the area and point the camera at the document. The app detects the edges by itself.
• Food: Instead of the document scanner, a live viewfinder opens here. Keep the best-before date sharp in the frame, zoom with two fingers, tap to focus and then press the shutter. Recognised dates and barcodes appear as chips while you aim.

Common cases

• Fields were recognised wrongly: Every field can be edited on the confirmation screen. Only “Save” writes the entry — nothing is taken over without asking.
• No notifications: Check the notification permission in the iOS settings, and in the app under “Settings → Reminders” whether the area and this device are enabled.
• Entries missing on the second device: Both devices must be signed in to the same Apple account. With many scan images the first sync can take a few minutes.
• “Photo is blurry”: The app checks sharpness before reading. Hold the camera steady, get closer and tap “Retake” — or “Use anyway” if the text is easy for you to read.
• Name or brand recognised wrongly: Tap the field on the confirmation screen and correct it — nothing is stored until you tap “Save”. On trilingual packs the app picks the name in your iPhone’s language (Settings › General › Language & Region). If the pack only carries the name in other languages, the print stays as it is. Recognition works best with the front of the pack and the large product name in the frame.
• Best-before date not or wrongly recognised: Tap “Rescan date” in the form and capture the date again in the viewfinder; tapping a chip takes it over. Below the date you see which line of the print it comes from. If no date was readable, the app enters “today” for now and marks the field — as it does for a date that couldn’t be confirmed against the print.
• Automatic recognition is inaccurate: Without Apple Intelligence the rule-based fallback works more conservatively. Fields can always be completed by hand.

System requirements

• iPhone or iPad with iOS or iPadOS 26 or later
• iCloud account for syncing (optional — the app also runs purely locally)
• Apple Intelligence for automatic field extraction (optional)

Contact

Questions, bugs, wishes: hpjordibasel@gmail.com.