QuixiCloud Sync for iOS

QuixiCloud Sync for iOS is built natively in Swift using Apple's modern SwiftUI and SwiftData frameworks. Designed as an independent cloud backup alternative to Apple iCloud, it bridges your iPhone or iPad directly to your private QuixiCloud storage vault using enterprise-grade WebDAV over TLS 1.3.

Core Architectural Pillars:

• Apple Keychain Storage: Your 26-character App Password is saved directly in the hardware-backed iOS Keychain (kSecClassGenericPassword), ensuring plain-text credentials never touch disk or UserDefaults.
• SwiftData Local Index: The app maintains an encrypted on-device database storing file metadata, timestamps, and hashes. This ensures instant delta scans without polling the server repeatedly.
• True Bit-for-Bit Preservation: Apple ProRAW (DNG), Live Photos (HEIC + MOV pairs), and Dolby Vision HDR videos are uploaded in their pure original formats with full EXIF metadata intact.
• Device-Isolated Vaults: You can back up an iPhone 16 Pro and an iPad Pro to the same QuixiCloud account without any file conflicts or duplicate overwrites.

When launching QuixiCloud Sync for the first time, you are guided through an interactive onboarding sequence:

1. WelcomeView: Overview of your secure personal cloud node and automated hands-free syncing.
2. AppRoleView: The "Engine vs. Suite" architectural breakdown explaining mobile background backup design.
3. PrivacyView: A transparent 12-section technical commitment detailing zero third-party telemetry, device-isolated backups, and end-to-end transport encryption. Users must scroll through before consenting.
4. PermissionsView: iOS system authorization prompts.

To protect your master account, QuixiCloud iOS uses isolated 26-character App Passwords. This ensures that even if your iPhone is lost, you can revoke its cloud access instantly from your web dashboard without having to change your primary account credentials.

Step-by-Step Dashboard Setup:

1. Open Safari or your desktop browser and sign in at https://drive.quixicloud.com.
2. Click Connect & Mount in the left sidebar menu.
3. Click Create New App Password.
4. Enter an identifier for your Apple device (e.g., iPhone 16 Pro).
5. Leave the root folder as / (or select a dedicated subfolder).
6. Click Generate. Note your credentials:
   • WebDAV URL: https://drive.quixicloud.com/dav
   • Username: Your QuixiCloud account email address.
   • App Password: The 26-character token (e.g. k9PX8mQ4zL210vba37...).

Open QuixiCloud Sync on your iPhone or iPad. In the Connect & Mount screen:

• WebDAV Account URL: Pre-populated with https://drive.quixicloud.com/dav.
• Username / Email: Enter your registered account email.
• App Password: Paste the 26-character token generated from your dashboard.

Tap Connect Now. The app initiates a live WebDAV PROPFIND handshake to verify the remote storage node. Upon receiving an HTTP 200 or 207 response, the token is encrypted into the iOS Keychain, local SwiftData stores are initialized, and the main 4-tab interface unlocks.

The Folders tab acts as the primary switchboard for your backup operations. It features a central SyncToggleCard allowing you to start, pause, or manually trigger an immediate sync pass.

3 iOS Sync Modes:

Manual Album Selection:

Select Manual Selection to choose specific albums from your device using Apple's PhotoKit album browser (e.g. WhatsApp, Instagram, Favorites, or custom travel albums).

Excluded Albums:

Blacklist specific albums (e.g., Screenshots or Hidden) so their contents are permanently skipped by the sync engine.

The Dashboard gives you a comprehensive overview of your backup health, cloud quota, and device optimization:

• StatusBadge: Dynamic visual pill showing Active (syncing/scheduled), Paused (waiting for Wi-Fi/charger), or Error (connection issue).
• AccountHero Card: Displays logged-in username, active server region, and real-time connectivity status.
• Cloud Storage Bar: Real-time visual progress bar tracking your used gigabytes against your total plan quota (e.g. 320 GB used of 2,000 GB).
• 2×2 Bento Stat Cards:
  • Secured: Total number of verified photos and videos safely in the cloud.
  • Pending: Number of newly taken photos queued for upload.
  • Reclaimable: Local device space that can be freed up safely.
  • Status: Engine state summary.
• Storage Breakdown: File counts and byte usage categorized across Photos, Videos, and Audio.
• Space Optimizer Card: Displays saved gigabytes and offers a quick shortcut to reclaim local storage.

The Vault tab provides a zero-footprint remote file explorer. It lets you browse, search, and verify all files backed up from your iPhone without taking up local storage.

Vault Features:

• Folder Grouping: Automatically groups backed-up media by album and date hierarchies.
• Instant Search: Search through backed-up photos and videos by filename or directory path using the native iOS search bar.
• Media Inspector: Tap any file to view file size, resolution, creation date, EXIF camera tags, and cloud mirror path.

The Settings tab gives you complete authority over network rules, battery protection, and app security:

Sync Preferences & Smart Triggers:

• Wi-Fi Only Toggle: Suspends backup transfers on cellular LTE/5G connections to prevent mobile plan data overages.
• Charging Only Toggle: Restricts heavy file uploads to when your iPhone is connected to power.
• Low Battery Shield Slider (10% - 50%): Automatically pauses background operations if your iPhone battery falls below your selected threshold.
• Sync Interval / Debounce Slider (5 - 120 minutes): Sets a delay after capturing photos before uploads start, allowing you time to review and delete burst photos or unwanted takes.
• Face ID / Touch ID App Lock: Protects the app with Apple's LocalAuthentication framework, requiring biometric authentication whenever QuixiCloud is opened.
• Free Up Device Space Button: Launches a manual storage reclaim pass.

Accessible directly from the Settings tab or Dashboard, the Activity Sheet provides an audit log of every background operation executed by the sync engine:

• All: Chronological list of all operations.
• Success: Successfully verified uploads with timestamps and file sizes.
• System: Engine lifecycle events (network shifts, background task registrations, battery states).
• Warn: Operational pauses (e.g. low battery shield triggered or Wi-Fi disconnected).
• Error: Socket timeout exceptions or WebDAV HTTP errors with technical details.

Unlike Android where apps delete files directly from the file system, iOS enforces Apple's sandboxed PhotoKit architecture:

Triple-Lock Security Guarantees:

• Cryptographic Spot Checks: Before deleting any batch of local files, the engine tests 3 random files per 50 assets by computing their SHA-256 hash and verifying they match the WebDAV server copy. If a single spot check fails, the entire cleanup pass is aborted.
• 30-Day Age Buffer (Auto Mode): In automated mode, only photos that have been verified in the cloud for over 30 days are eligible for cleanup.
• Storage Threshold (>80%):Auto-cleanup only engages when your iPhone's internal storage is more than 80% full.

Apple's iOS manages background tasks strictly to preserve battery life. To get the smoothest experience with QuixiCloud Sync:

• BGTaskScheduler Behavior: iOS opportunistically runs BGProcessingTask when the iPhone is locked, connected to Wi-Fi, and plugged into a charger (typically overnight).
• Enable Background App Refresh: Ensure that Settings > General > Background App Refresh is turned ON for QuixiCloud Sync.
• First-Time Initial Sync (Large Libraries): If you have 50GB+ of existing camera roll media (10,000+ photos), iOS may limit background execution windows. We recommend opening the app and letting it run in the foreground while plugged in for the initial synchronization. Once initial sync is complete, daily background delta updates will run smoothly.

Protecting your data during iPhone upgrades or device loss:

In-App Sign Out:

1. Go to the Settings tab and scroll to Danger Zone.
2. Tap Sign Out.
3. Confirm the prompt. The app immediately purges local credentials from the iOS Keychain and clears SwiftData caches. Your remote cloud files remain completely safe.

Remote Device Revocation from Web Dashboard:

If your iPhone or iPad is ever lost or stolen:

1. Sign in to your Web Dashboard from any computer at drive.quixicloud.com.
2. Navigate to Connect & Mount.
3. Find your iOS device in the App Passwords table.
4. Click Delete under the Action menu. The 26-character token is revoked instantly, disconnecting the lost phone on its next network request.

Common Questions:

• If I delete a photo in the Apple Photos app, is it deleted from QuixiCloud?
  No. QuixiCloud operates as an independent safety net backup. Deleting a photo or video from your iPhone Photos app will never delete the copy stored in your QuixiCloud vault.
• Does QuixiCloud back up Live Photos and Apple ProRAW?
  Yes. Apple ProRAW DNG files and Live Photos (high-res image + companion video) are backed up in full raw quality without compression.
• Why did my background backup pause?
  Check your Settings:
  • If Wi-Fi Only is ON, transfers pause on cellular data.
  • If Charging Only is ON, uploads pause when unplugged.
  • If battery is below the Low Battery Shield threshold, uploads suspend to conserve power.
• Can I use QuixiCloud alongside Apple iCloud Photos?
  Yes. QuixiCloud works seamlessly alongside iCloud Photos, serving as an independent, non-proprietary WebDAV backup vault.