PairVault is now on the App Store

PairVault is on the App Store from today. It is a vault for the setup codes on your HomeKit and Matter accessories. You save each code once, and it is there the next time you need it.

Why it exists

Apple Home never shows you a setup code again once an accessory is paired. The only copy is the sticker, and the sticker is usually behind a light switch, on the back of a camera bracket, or on a box that went out with the recycling. That rarely matters until you factory reset something, swap hubs or move house, and then it can cost you an evening.

PairVault fixes that by keeping a second copy. Scan the QR code or type the digits, and PairVault stores the code exactly as it was printed. When you need to pair the accessory again, it rebuilds a QR code you can scan straight from your phone.

The beta

More than 400 people signed up for the TestFlight beta, and you sent us far more feedback than we expected. Most of it has already shipped. The rest is planned for later this year. Some of what changed along the way:

• Bridged accessories. Devices behind a bridge now link up without a QR scan of their own, and they are marked so you can see why they have no code.
• Duplicates. PairVault spots two entries that look like the same accessory, and it no longer merges different accessories that happen to share a name.
• Hiding homes. A home you don’t manage can be hidden rather than deleted.
• Six languages. English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese (Brazil), with a language picker in Settings.
• The scanner. Pinch to zoom on small or distant QR codes, manual entry for codes of any length, and the option to rescan or clear a code you got wrong.
• More accessory types. Routers, security systems, irrigation and lights now get their own categories.

Thank you to everyone who tested, reported a bug or took the time to tell us what felt wrong. PairVault 1.0 is a much better app because of you.

What’s in 1.0

• Save a setup code by scanning its QR or typing it in. It works for HomeKit and Matter.
• Get a scannable QR back from any saved code, with the digits grouped underneath.
• Import your accessories, rooms and homes from Apple Home. Setup codes can’t be imported, because Apple Home never shares them.
• See battery levels and history for imported accessories, with a warning when one runs low.
• Export your vault to PDF, CSV, Markdown or JSON. Codes are left out unless you choose to include them.
• Lock the app with Face ID or your passcode. A copied code clears from the clipboard after two minutes.

Your codes stay yours

PairVault has no accounts and no servers. Your codes live on your iPhone and, if you turn on sync, in your own private iCloud. They never reach us. The app does send anonymous usage statistics through TelemetryDeck. None of your vault is included, and the privacy policy covers exactly what is sent.

Pricing

The first five setup codes are free, permanently. There is no trial and nothing expires. Storing more is a single one-time purchase of £5.99 or $5.99. It is not a subscription.

If you were on the beta

Everything you saved during the beta stays. Beta builds had no limit on accessories, so if you saved more than five, you keep all of them. You just won’t be able to add new ones until you upgrade.

What’s next

Some beta feedback didn’t make 1.0. Here is what we are working on next:

• iPad, Mac and Apple Watch apps. Your vault on more of your devices.
• More languages, on top of the six we launch with.
• Better battery tracking, including notifications when an accessory runs low.
• Scanning from a photo. Pick a picture of a QR code from your library instead of scanning it live.
• Widgets for your Home Screen.
• Attachments. Keep receipts, manuals and other files with each accessory.

If you have an idea or something isn’t working, get in touch. We read everything.