Create a protected backup

  1. Open Data & Privacy and find Full Backup.
  2. Leave Password protection enabled. Enter and confirm a passphrase that meets the guidance shown in the app.
  3. Choose Create Protected Backup and wait for the backup summary.
  4. Choose Share Protected Backup and save the file to a destination you trust. Keep the passphrase separately in a safe place, and confirm you can find the saved file.

Creating a file inside Penniva and saving an independent copy are separate steps. Choose a destination you can still reach if this device is lost or replaced. Where you save or share an export is your choice; another storage or sharing service handles that file under its own terms.

Keep the passphrase with care

Penniva cannot recover a forgotten backup passphrase. Password protection encrypts the backup file; it does not encrypt CSV exports or older backup files you already created. Anyone who obtains an unencrypted backup or CSV can read the financial information it contains.

Protected backups require a Penniva version that supports password protection. The unencrypted option can help with some compatibility needs, but it does not guarantee that an older app can read a newer backup format. Preserve your original file and follow the compatibility message instead of trying to force a restore.

Read the replacement step before restoring

Under Restore Full Backup, choose Choose Penniva Backup. For a protected file, enter its passphrase and select Unlock and Check Backup. Penniva validates the backup before asking you to proceed.

Restore replaces the Penniva data on that device; it does not merge two datasets. The app creates an automatic safety copy as part of the restore process, but you should still keep your own backup of any current records you want to preserve. Review the proposed restore before confirming.

Optional Cloud Sync is separate from a full backup. A restored dataset may require a new connection or source decision before syncing. Restoring a file is not permission to replace another device’s or your iCloud data automatically.