Sync Amano between your iPhone and iPad

Keep your private documents on both devices with Amano Unlimited and your own iCloud account.

Updated 16 September 2026 · Amano 1.3.2 · Button names below are in English.

Before you start

• Update Amano on both devices and connect them to the internet.
• Use the same Apple Account for iCloud on both devices. Private-vault sync is not a way to share with another person's account.
• Check that Amano has Unlimited access on both devices, under Settings → Your plan.
• Turn on iCloud Passwords & Keychain on both devices. Amano uses it to make the vault's encryption key available on your other device. In system Settings, tap your name, then iCloud → Passwords (or Passwords & Keychain), then enable Sync This [Device]. See Apple's Keychain setup instructions if the labels differ.
• Keep enough free device and iCloud storage, and keep independent copies of important originals.

Already have different documents on both devices? Read Different copies of your vault before starting. Sync is not an automatic merge of two separate collections.

1. Sync the device with your documents first

1. Open Amano on the device containing the documents you want to use.
2. Open Settings and find the iCloud section.
3. Make sure Sync with iCloud is on, then tap Sync now.
4. Wait for iCloud (up to date). If a warning appears, resolve it before moving to the second device.

If the vault is empty and no cloud copy exists, Amano asks you to add a document before sync can start.

2. Sync the second device

1. Open Amano on the second device.
2. Check Settings → Your plan. If Unlimited is missing, tap Restore Purchases using the Apple Account that purchased it. Your App Store purchase account and your iCloud account serve different purposes.
3. In the iCloud section, make sure Sync with iCloud is on and tap Sync now.
4. Wait for iCloud (up to date), then open Documents and check that the expected folders and documents are present. Open a document to verify its contents.

Restore Purchases restores Unlimited access, not document files. Your first device must have successfully synced its vault, and the second device must be able to access both that iCloud account and the encryption key.

Different copies of your vault

If both devices contain independent changes, Amano may show iCloud (needs attention) and Choose which copy to keep. Compare This device and iCloud copy, including their document counts and last-edited dates.

This chooses the vault to use everywhere; it does not combine the two collections. Before confirming, keep separate copies of any unique documents you need. Amano retains the unchosen copy on the device as a recovery snapshot, but do not rely on that as your only backup.

If you are unsure which copy is right, tap Cancel and contact us. Do not delete either copy to try to force a merge.

If documents do not appear

• Unlimited is missing: restore purchase access first. If it still fails, check your internet connection and the App Store account used for the purchase.
• The iCloud copy cannot be unlocked: enable iCloud Passwords & Keychain on both devices and complete any Apple approval prompts. Sync the original device again, then retry on the second device. Key delivery may take time.
• iCloud is not connected or sync fails: check the iCloud account, available storage and internet connection. Confirm Amano is allowed to use iCloud in system Settings. Return to Amano and tap Sync now.
• Some documents are missing: check Archived and Recently Deleted, and inspect the sync status on the device where you last edited them. “Last checked” records an attempt, not proof of a successful transfer.

Keep Amano installed and keep both devices' copies while troubleshooting. Delete my iCloud copy is a removal command, not a repair step. Manual iCloud backups are separate from sync; restoring one requires an empty vault. Do not empty your vault just to try it.

Using Amano after setup

Amano keeps a local encrypted vault for offline access. Offline changes cannot reach the other device until you reconnect and sync. To reduce conflicts when switching devices, sync the device you just edited first, then sync the device you are about to use.

This guide covers your private document vault, not every device setting or your contact card. To share documents with someone using a different iCloud account, use Amano's shared family folders instead.

Still need help?

Email dani@getamano.app with both device models, their iOS or iPadOS versions, Amano versions and the exact sync message. You can check Settings → Sync history for recent results.

Please do not send identity documents, passwords or encryption keys. Review any screenshots or copied history before sharing them.