Confirming a fully local iOS vault — is the cloud icon in Files normal?

Help iOS App
1

Hi all — I set up Cryptomator on my iPhone as a fully offline vault and want to confirm my understanding.

Setup:

  • iOS (latest), Cryptomator (latest, paid trial active).
  • Created a new vault via + > Create New Vault > Other File Provider > On My iPhone > new folder ("New Pics").
  • Vault password is setup
  • Face ID enabled inside Cryptomator (falls back to vault password, per the app’s own message).
  • Cloud Services in Cryptomator settings shows no accounts linked.
  • Confirmed in Files > Browse > On My iPhone that the folder “New Pics” exists with vault.cryptomator, masterkey.cryptomator, and d/ inside.

What confused me:
When browsing the unlocked vault under Files > Cryptomator > New Pics, every file shows a cloud-download icon on the right. This made me think files were being synced to iCloud despite choosing On My iPhone.

Also when i am clicking large video files its circling and then opening after sometime like loading from icloud or something. What is the issue ?

My questions:

  1. Is the cloud icon in Files just how iOS displays items served by a file provider (i.e., a placeholder, not a real cloud state)?
  2. Is there any scenario where a vault created under On My iPhone can still be silently synced to iCloud (e.g., via iCloud Drive’s “Apps Using iCloud” setting for Cryptomator)?
  3. Anything else to check to be 100% sure the vault is offline-only?

Thanks!

2

Hi.

This is how iOS shows all files in the vault. The local ones too.

Vault files are only synced if you a) have a provider configured or b) have stored your vault on your device at a place that is synced. Like the iCloud folder in your finder.

3

Thanks, Michael, that clears it up completely. Cloud Services in my Cryptomator settings shows no accounts, and the vault lives under On My iPhone, so neither condition applies. Good to have it confirmed from the team. Appreciate the quick response.