Keep a Local Database Up to Date Between Mac and iPhone/iPad

If you store a local copy of your database on your iOS device, it will not automatically sync changes with your other devices. You may wish to update this local database with changes you've made on another device, whilst still preserving the settings you've selected for this database.

There are two ways to do this:

Method 1: Use Finder to Create a Local Copy of the Database

This method requires you to initially transfer the database file over USB from a Mac. Once this is done you can update this database file using any method you prefer (AirDrop, email attachment, etc).

Step 1: Copy the Database To Your iOS Device

1. Plug your iOS device into your Mac using a USB cable
2. Open Finder on your Mac and select the iOS device in the sidebar
3. Navigate to the Files tab
4. Drag and drop your database file to the Strongbox heading

Step 2: Link the Database File to the Strongbox App

1. Open the Files app on your iOS device
2. Navigate to the file that you've just copied to the device (Browse > Locations: On My iPhone/iPad > Strongbox)
3. Tap to open the database file in the Strongbox app
4. Select Edit in Place

Step 3: Update the Database with Changes

1. Send the updated version of your database file to your iOS device (you can do this via AirDrop, as an email attachment, over USB as before, or basically any other method that you want to use)
2. Tap to open the new file in the Files app
3. Navigate to the folder where the original database file is stored (Browse > Locations: On My iPhone/iPad > Strongbox)
4. Choose to Replace the existing file
5. Open the Strongbox app and use the updated database as normal

Method 2: Disable iCloud in the Strongbox App

Step 1: Disable iCloud

1. Open the Strongbox app on your iOS device
2. Tap the gear icon in the top right corner
3. Scroll down and select 'Advanced'
4. Turn off the 'Use iCloud' toggle

Step 2: Copy the Database to Your iOS Device

1. Copy your database file to your iOS device (you can do this via AirDrop, as an email attachment, over USB, or basically any other method that you want to use)
2. Open the file and when prompted, tap to open the file in Strongbox
3. Tap 'Edit in Place'

Additional Option: Use an Encrypted Messaging App

It's also possible to send your database to and from an iOS device using an encrypted messaging app, such as Signal. This isn't a local-only transfer, but it may still be sufficiently secure depending on your security needs.

To do this:

1. Send the database file to yourself
2. Select the database file on iOS and tap the Share icon
3. Tap the Strongbox app icon

If the Strongbox app icon isn't displayed, you can enable it like so:

1. Swipe the row of app icons all the way to the right, and tap More
2. Tap Edit in the top right of the screen
3. Enable Strongbox
4. Tap Done in the top right of the screen