---
title: "What Is iOS Keychain on iPhone? Meaning and Settings"
description: "The iOS Keychain is the encrypted store on iPhone where apps keep passwords and encryption keys, protected by your device passcode and the Secure Enclave."
url: https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/glossary/keychain
lang: en-gb
published: 2026-10-31
updated: 2026-10-31
author: "VaultForYou Editorial Team"
publisher: VaultForYou
---

# What is iOS Keychain?

Published 2026-10-31 - Updated 2026-10-31 - By VaultForYou Editorial Team

## Quick answer

The iOS Keychain is the encrypted storage built into iPhone where apps keep secrets such as passwords and encryption keys. Items in it are protected by your device passcode and the iPhone's hardware security.

Apps that encrypt your files can store the keys in the Keychain rather than on their own servers. VaultForYou keeps its encryption keys there, which is why the company cannot see or recover your files.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is stored in the iPhone Keychain?

Passwords, passkeys, certificates and encryption keys that apps and iOS need to keep secret. Apps can store their own keys there. Items are encrypted and protected by your device passcode, so they are not readable as ordinary files.

## Related terms

- [Zero-knowledge encryption](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/glossary/zero-knowledge-encryption)

## Browse

- [All glossary terms](https://www.vaultforyou.app/en-gb/glossary)

---

Our guides are written and fact-checked by the VaultForYou team against Apple's own documentation. We make VaultForYou, a private vault app for iPhone. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000