Why doesn't the EUDI Wallet sync credentials to the cloud like other apps?

The EUDI Wallet stores credentials locally on your device as a fundamental privacy and security design choice mandated by the eIDAS 2.0 regulation. Your identity credentials include sensitive personal data (name, date of birth, address, national ID number) that, if stored in the cloud, would create a centralised target for hackers and could potentially be accessed by the cloud provider. Local-only storage means your credentials exist only on your physical device, protected by your device biometrics and the secure hardware element. No central server holds a copy of your credentials. This approach is called "holder-controlled" architecture and is a core principle of the EUDI Wallet framework.

How do I transfer my EUDI Wallet credentials to a new phone?

You cannot directly transfer or copy credentials from one phone to another, because the cryptographic keys that protect your credentials are bound to the specific secure hardware of each device and cannot be extracted. To get your credentials on a new phone: (1) install the EUDI Wallet app on your new phone, (2) go through the identity verification process again (reading your ID card via NFC and/or using your national eID scheme), (3) your credentials will be freshly issued and bound to the new device secure hardware. This process typically takes 5-10 minutes. You can optionally deactivate the credentials on your old phone afterwards, though they will become unusable once the old phone is reset or wiped.

My address changed but the EUDI Wallet still shows the old address. How do I update it?

The EUDI Wallet displays the data that was current when the credential was issued. If your address, name, or other personal data has changed, the update process is: (1) First, update your information at the official source -- register your new address with your municipality, or update your name with the civil registry. Processing times vary by country (typically 1-5 business days). (2) Once the source data is updated, open the EUDI Wallet and pull down to refresh, or navigate to the credential and tap "Refresh" or "Update". (3) The wallet will contact the issuing authority and request a new credential with the updated data. If the refresh does not show updated data, the source authority may not have processed the change yet -- wait 24-48 hours and try again.

Can I use the EUDI Wallet on multiple phones simultaneously?

The eIDAS 2.0 regulation does not prohibit having the EUDI Wallet on multiple devices, but each national implementation may handle this differently. In general, you can install the wallet and request credentials on multiple phones (for example, a personal phone and a work phone), but each device will have its own independently issued set of credentials bound to that device secure hardware. The credentials on one device do not affect or interact with credentials on another. Some national providers may limit the number of active credential sets per citizen for security reasons. Check with your national wallet provider for their specific multi-device policy.

What happens to my credentials if I lose my phone?

If you lose your phone, your credentials remain protected by the device lock screen and biometric authentication -- they cannot be accessed by someone who finds or steals your phone. To secure your digital identity: (1) Remotely wipe your phone using Find My iPhone (iOS) or Find My Device (Android) to delete all data including wallet credentials. (2) Contact your national wallet provider to report the loss and request revocation of the credentials issued to that device. (3) Once you have a new phone, install the EUDI Wallet and re-issue your credentials through the standard verification process. The credentials on the lost phone, even if not remotely wiped, will eventually expire and cannot be used without your biometric authentication.

Fix: EUDI Wallet Credentials Not Syncing or Updating

Quick Fix: EUDI Wallet credentials are stored locally on your device, not in the cloud -- this is by design for privacy. To refresh outdated data, pull down on the credential list in the app. To get credentials on a new phone, you must re-issue them through the identity verification process. If a refresh fails, check your internet connection and ensure your phone's date and time are set to automatic.

Understanding Why Credentials Don't "Sync"

If you are expecting the EUDI Wallet to work like iCloud, Google Drive, or your email app -- where data smoothly appears on every device and updates automatically in the background -- it is important to understand that the EUDI Wallet was deliberately designed to work differently.

The EUDI Wallet follows a local-first, holder-controlled architecture. This means:

Credentials are stored only on your physical device. There is no central cloud server holding copies of your identity credentials.
Cryptographic keys are bound to your device's secure hardware. The private keys that prove ownership of your credentials are generated inside and never leave the Secure Enclave (iOS) or Trusted Execution Environment (Android). They cannot be copied, backed up, or transferred.
No entity -- not even the wallet provider -- can access your stored credentials. This eliminates the risk of mass data breaches affecting millions of citizens at once.
You control when and to whom your data is shared. Credentials are only presented when you explicitly authorise the transaction using biometric authentication or your PIN.

This design is a direct requirement of the eIDAS 2.0 regulation, which mandates that EU citizens must have full control over their personal data. While this means less convenience compared to cloud-synced apps, it provides substantially stronger privacy protection for your identity data.

Common Symptoms and What They Actually Mean

Users often interpret various issues as "syncing problems" when the actual causes are different. Here are the most common symptoms and their true explanations:

"My credentials don't appear on my new phone." -- This is expected behaviour. Credentials must be re-issued to each new device because the cryptographic keys are device-bound. See the section on setting up a new phone below.
"My address/name change is not reflected." -- The credential was issued with the data that was current at issuance time. You need to refresh the credential after the source data has been updated. See updating credential data below.
"A credential I just added is not appearing." -- The issuance process may not have completed successfully, possibly due to a network interruption. See fixing failed credential issuance below.
"An expired credential is still showing." -- Some wallet implementations cache expired credentials for reference (marked as expired). You may need to manually remove it and re-issue a fresh version.
"I see a 'sync failed' error message." -- This typically refers to the credential status check (verifying whether a credential has been revoked), not cloud synchronisation. This requires an internet connection.

How to Refresh Credential Data

While credentials do not sync automatically, the EUDI Wallet can request updated data from the credential issuer (the government authority or other trusted entity that originally issued the credential).

Step 1: Pull to Refresh

Open the EUDI Wallet app.
Navigate to your credential list (the main screen in most implementations).
Pull down on the list (swipe from top to bottom) to trigger a refresh.
The app will contact the issuing authorities for each credential and check for updated data.
If updated data is available, the credential will be re-issued with the new information.

This process requires an active internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data).

Step 2: Refresh Individual Credentials

If only one specific credential needs updating:

Open the EUDI Wallet and tap on the specific credential.
Look for a Refresh, Update, or Re-issue button (the exact label depends on your national wallet implementation).
Tap it and authenticate with your biometric or PIN when prompted.
The wallet will contact the issuer and request a fresh version of the credential.

Step 3: Verify Your Internet Connection

The refresh process requires communication with the issuing authority's servers. If you have no internet connection or a very unstable one, the refresh will fail.

Open a web browser and try loading any website to verify your connection works.
Toggle Wi-Fi off and on, or toggle Airplane Mode on and off, to reset the connection.
If using mobile data, check that data is enabled and you have a signal.
Try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data or vice versa -- some corporate or public Wi-Fi networks may block the specific ports used by the credential issuer.

Step 4: Check Your Phone's Date and Time

The EUDI Wallet uses cryptographic protocols that are time-sensitive. If your phone's clock is significantly wrong (more than a few minutes off), the cryptographic handshake with the issuing authority will fail, and the refresh will show a "sync failed" or "connection error" message.

iOS: Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and ensure Set Automatically is turned ON.
Android: Go to Settings > System > Date & Time and ensure Automatic date & time and Automatic time zone are both turned ON.

If you recently travelled across time zones and your phone has not yet adjusted, manually setting the correct time zone can resolve the issue immediately.

Updating Changed Personal Data

When your personal information changes (new address, name change after marriage, updated photo), the process for updating your EUDI Wallet credentials involves two steps: updating the source record and then refreshing the wallet.

Step 1: Update at the Source Authority

The EUDI Wallet does not create or modify identity data -- it only displays what was issued by the authoritative source. You must first update your information with the relevant authority:

Address change: Register your new address with your municipality, local government, or population register (the specific authority depends on your country).
Name change: Process through the civil registry or court, depending on the reason for the change.
New identity card: If you have received a new physical identity card (e.g., after expiry or data change), the new card's data must be registered in the government systems.
Driving licence changes: Update through your national driving licence authority.

Processing times vary significantly by country and by type of change. A simple address change might be processed in 1-2 business days, while a legal name change might take weeks.

Step 2: Refresh in the EUDI Wallet

After the source authority has processed your update:

Wait at least 24 hours after the official confirmation of the data change.
Open the EUDI Wallet and navigate to the relevant credential.
Tap Refresh or Update.
If the updated data appears, the process is complete.
If the old data still shows, wait another 24-48 hours. Government systems can have propagation delays.

If the refresh still shows old data after 48 hours: Log into the government portal separately (the website where you can check your registered data) and verify that the change is actually reflected there. If the portal shows the new data but the wallet does not update, try removing the credential from the wallet and adding it fresh.

Fixing Failed Credential Issuance

If you attempted to add a new credential to your wallet and it did not appear, the issuance process may have failed partway through. This can happen due to:

Network interruption: The internet connection dropped during the multi-step issuance protocol.
Timeout: The issuing authority's servers were slow to respond and the request timed out.
Authentication failure: Your identity verification (NFC reading, eID authentication) did not complete successfully.
Server-side issue: The issuing authority's credential system was temporarily unavailable.

To resolve:

Ensure you have a stable internet connection (preferably Wi-Fi).
Navigate to the credential addition flow in the wallet (usually a "+" or "Add credential" button).
Go through the entire issuance process again from the beginning.
If it fails again with an error message, note the exact error and contact your national wallet provider.

Setting Up Credentials on a New Phone

When you get a new phone, you cannot simply restore your EUDI Wallet credentials from a backup. The cryptographic architecture prevents this because:

Private keys are generated inside the secure hardware (Secure Enclave / TEE) and are designed to be non-extractable.
Even a full device backup (iCloud backup, Google backup) does not include the contents of the secure hardware.
Each credential is cryptographically bound to the specific device it was issued for.

Step-by-Step: Getting Credentials on a New Phone

Install the EUDI Wallet on your new phone from the App Store or Google Play.
Open the app and go through the initial setup: set your PIN, enable biometric authentication.
Add your identity credential: Tap "Add credential" or the equivalent button. You will be guided through the identity verification process, which typically involves reading your physical identity card via NFC and entering the card's PIN or CAN (Card Access Number).
Add any additional credentials: If you had additional credentials (driving licence, health insurance card, educational certificates, etc.), add each one individually. The process varies by credential type.
Optional: Deactivate credentials on old phone. If you still have access to your old phone, you can open the EUDI Wallet on it and remove credentials or sign out. If you are resetting or selling the old phone, a factory reset will delete all credential data.

The entire process typically takes 10-20 minutes depending on how many credentials you need to re-issue and the verification requirements of each one.

Using the EUDI Wallet on Multiple Devices

Some users want to have the EUDI Wallet on both a personal phone and a work phone, or on a phone and a tablet. Here is how multi-device usage works:

Independent credential sets: Each device has its own independently issued credentials. The credentials on your personal phone and work phone are separate, with separate cryptographic keys.
No automatic synchronisation: Changes to credentials on one device do not propagate to the other. If you refresh a credential on your personal phone, you must also separately refresh it on your work phone.
National provider policies vary: Some countries may limit how many active credential sets you can have simultaneously. Others may require you to designate a "primary device." Check with your national wallet provider.
Both devices work independently: You can present credentials from either device. Verifiers (businesses, government agencies) will accept credentials from any of your registered devices.

Backup and Recovery

Because credentials are stored locally and cryptographic keys cannot be exported, traditional backup and restore does not work for EUDI Wallet credentials. However, several recovery mechanisms exist:

What Device Backups Do and Do Not Cover

Device backups (iCloud, Google) DO preserve: Wallet app installation, app settings and preferences, and potentially some cached non-sensitive data.
Device backups DO NOT preserve: Credential cryptographic keys, active credential data, your authenticated session with the wallet provider.
Bottom line: After restoring a device backup, the EUDI Wallet app will be installed but your credentials will not be present. You will need to re-issue them.

Wallet-Specific Backup Features

Some national EUDI Wallet implementations may offer their own backup mechanisms that go beyond standard device backups:

Encrypted credential backup: Some wallets allow you to create an encrypted backup of your credential data (but not the cryptographic keys) that can speed up re-issuance on a new device. The backup is encrypted with a passphrase you choose.
Recovery code: Some wallets issue a recovery code during setup that can be used to expedite credential re-issuance on a new device without going through the full NFC identity verification again.
Cloud-assisted recovery: Some implementations use a privacy-preserving cloud-assisted recovery protocol where an encrypted fragment of your credential is stored server-side, requiring your biometric and a recovery code to reconstruct on a new device.

Check your EUDI Wallet settings for any backup or recovery options. If they exist, set them up proactively -- you do not want to discover you needed a backup after you have already lost your phone.

Handling Expired Credentials

EUDI Wallet credentials have expiration dates, just like physical identity cards and passports. When a credential expires:

The wallet will typically display the credential as "expired" with a visual indicator (greyed out, red badge, etc.).
Verifiers (businesses, government agencies) will reject expired credentials.
You cannot extend the expiration date -- you must request a new credential from the issuing authority.

To renew an expired credential:

Remove the expired credential from your wallet (optional but recommended for clarity).
Ensure your physical identity document is still valid. If your physical card has also expired, you need to renew it first with your national identity authority.
Add a new credential through the standard issuance process.

Most wallets will notify you in advance (typically 30 days before expiration) so you can renew proactively.

Understanding Credential Revocation

In certain circumstances, credentials can be revoked by the issuing authority before their expiration date. This can happen if:

Your physical identity document is reported lost or stolen.
The issuing authority discovers an error in the credential data.
You report your phone as lost or stolen and request credential revocation.
A security breach is detected that may have compromised the credential.

When a credential is revoked, the wallet will display it as invalid the next time it checks the credential status (which happens periodically and during refresh). A revoked credential cannot be used for verification. You will need to request a new credential through the standard issuance process after the reason for revocation has been addressed.

Solving Network Connectivity Issues

Many "sync" problems are actually network connectivity issues that prevent the wallet from communicating with the issuing authority. If credential refreshes consistently fail:

Switch networks: Try Wi-Fi if you are on mobile data, or vice versa. Some corporate or public Wi-Fi networks block the specific ports or domains used by the credential issuing infrastructure.
Disable VPN: VPN connections, especially those that route traffic through other countries, can interfere with the wallet's connection to national identity infrastructure.
Check for server outages: The issuing authority's servers may be temporarily down for maintenance. Check your national wallet provider's website or status page for announcements.
Try at a different time: If the servers are experiencing high load (such as just after a major policy announcement or during a nationwide credential rollout), try again during off-peak hours.

Preventing Credential Issues

Set up backup or recovery features immediately after initial setup. Do not wait until you need them.
Note your wallet PIN and any recovery codes in a secure location (password manager, not written on a sticky note near your desk).
Keep your physical identity documents valid. You need them for re-issuance if you lose your phone or get a new device.
Monitor credential expiration dates. Renew credentials proactively before they expire.
Enable Find My iPhone or Find My Device. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can remotely wipe it to protect your credentials.
Periodically refresh credentials (once a month is sufficient) to ensure they reflect the latest data and to verify the refresh process works.

When to Contact Support

Contact your national wallet provider if:

A credential refresh fails consistently with an error message, even with a stable internet connection and correct date/time settings.
Your data has been updated at the government source (confirmed via the government portal) but the credential still shows old data after 48+ hours and multiple refresh attempts.
A credential shows as "revoked" but you did not request revocation and your physical document is still valid.
The credential issuance process fails repeatedly when setting up a new phone, even though your identity document is valid and NFC reading succeeds.
You receive error messages about "cryptographic key mismatch" or "attestation failure" during credential operations.

When contacting support, provide: your phone model and OS version, the exact credential type that is affected, the exact error message (screenshot if possible), whether the issue affects all credentials or just one, and what troubleshooting steps you have already tried. This information helps support staff diagnose the issue efficiently.

Why are my EUDI Wallet credentials not syncing or updating?

Credentials Not Syncing or Updating in the EUDI Wallet