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Using Mini Vault on Your Phone

Mini Vault is designed to work beautifully on your phone. Whether you're cataloging miniatures at a craft fair or browsing your collection on the couch, the app adapts to your mobile screen with touch-friendly controls and offline support.

How to navigate with the sidebar menu​

On mobile, the main navigation lives behind the menu icon. You can open and close it with a tap or a swipe.

  1. Tap the three-line icon ☰ in the top left corner of any page.

  2. Tap a page name (like Collections, Supplies, or Dashboard) to go there.

  3. To close the sidebar, tap anywhere outside it — or swipe left across the sidebar panel.

tip

Swiping left to close the sidebar feels natural on a phone. It's the same gesture you'd use to dismiss a panel in most mobile apps.

How to refresh your data with pull-to-refresh​

On the Supplies page, you can pull down to refresh your data — just like in most mobile apps.

  1. Open the Supplies page from the sidebar menu.

  2. Scroll to the very top of the page.

  3. Pull down with your finger and release. A spinner appears while your data refreshes.

tip

If you prefer not to swipe, you can also tap the Refresh supplies link near the top of the page.

info

Pull-to-refresh only works when you're connected to the internet. If you're offline, the app will use your cached data instead.

How to use the app when you're offline​

Mini Vault works even without an internet connection. If you lose connectivity, the app shows a friendly offline page and continues to display your cached data.

  1. If you lose your connection, you'll see an "You're offline" page with a Wi-Fi icon.

  2. Tap View Collections to browse your recently viewed collections from the cache.

  3. Tap Dashboard to return to your dashboard.

warning

On iOS devices, cached data may expire after seven days of inactivity. Connect to the internet periodically to keep your data fresh.

What exactly is available offline?

When you're offline, you can still access:

  • Recently viewed collections — any collection you've opened while online
  • Cached collection items — items from collections you've browsed
  • Cached images — photos you've previously loaded

You cannot create, edit, or delete items while offline. Those actions require an internet connection, and the buttons will be disabled with a tooltip explaining why.

How to sign in on mobile​

The sign-in page is optimized for your phone's keyboard and screen size.

  1. Open Mini Vault in your mobile browser or as an installed app.

  2. Enter your Email Address in the first field. Your phone will show an email-optimized keyboard.

  3. Enter your Password. Your phone's keyboard will show a Go button instead of a return key — tap it to sign in immediately.

  4. Or tap Continue with Google to sign in with your Google account.

tip

If you've installed Mini Vault as an app on your home screen, it opens in full-screen mode without the browser address bar — giving you more space to work with your collections.

How buttons work when you're offline​

When you're not connected to the internet, any buttons that would save, create, edit, or delete data are automatically disabled. This prevents you from making changes that can't be saved.

  1. Notice that action buttons like Add Supply, Create Collection, or Save appear dimmed.

  2. Hover over (or long-press on) a disabled button to see the message: "Changes require an internet connection."

  3. Once you're back online, the buttons will work normally again.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Why does the keyboard look different on some fields?

Mini Vault shows you the right keyboard for each field. For example, email fields show the @ key, number fields show a number pad, and search fields show a "Search" button. This saves you time by reducing the need to switch keyboard layouts.

Why can't I zoom in very far?

You can zoom up to 5× on any page. Mini Vault doesn't disable zoom — that's an accessibility requirement. If text or images look too small, try pinching to zoom in.

The app feels slow when scrolling. What can I do?

Mini Vault uses optimized touch settings to prevent scrolling delays. If you notice lag, try closing other tabs or apps that might be using memory. On older iPhones, clearing your browser cache can also help.