ArchiveBox for iPhone: Save the Web to Your Own Archive

ArchiveBox for iOS is a native companion for an ArchiveBox server. Share a page from your iPhone or iPad, add tags, then return to the saved snapshot after the server finishes archiving it. The iOS app is a client, not a standalone archiver.

The project currently distributes its iPhone and iPad build through a public TestFlight beta. The official site lists iOS 26+ and iPadOS 26+ and requires an ArchiveBox server version 0.9.x or later; the latest repository release notes, v1.13.22, also direct iOS users to TestFlight.

A client for iPhone, not the ArchiveBox server

The app connects to an ArchiveBox server using its address and an API key. That server does the archiving and stores the resulting snapshots; the iOS app gives you a convenient way to submit and browse them.

You can connect to a server you already run on a home machine or elsewhere. If you do not have one yet, the project also offers an optional ArchiveBox Server companion for Apple Silicon Macs. The iPhone app itself does not include a developer-hosted archive service.

Save a link from the iOS share sheet

When you find a page in Safari, Mail, Messages, or another app, open the iOS share sheet and choose ArchiveBox. You can add tags while submitting so the saved item is easier to organize later.

The server must be reachable for a new link to be accepted and archived. After its job finishes, look for the result in Snapshots. This is a direct hand-off to your server, not an offline queue that uploads everything later.

Find snapshots, tags, and saved formats

ArchiveBox for iOS can browse the snapshots on your connected server, search your collection, and use tags to narrow it down. Open a saved item to revisit an archived copy rather than relying only on the original page remaining online.

The app also exposes the output formats available for a snapshot. What you can open depends on what the server captured and which archiving options were enabled; the client cannot create formats that were never saved.

Use personas for pages that need a login

For pages that require an authenticated browser session, the project documents personas. Choose a Default Persona in Add URLs so the server can use the configured session when it processes an eligible page.

Personas are a server-side capture feature, not a way for the iPhone app to bypass a site's access controls. Review which cookies or sessions you configure, and only archive pages you are authorized to access.

Know where data and processing live

The project says its native apps contain no analytics or tracking SDKs and require no developer-operated cloud account. Shared URLs go to the ArchiveBox server you select, whose administrator controls storage, access, and retention.

According to the project, connection credentials are kept in the device Keychain, while the iOS share extension keeps no URL history or offline queue. That means a server outage or unreachable home network can prevent a new submission until the connection returns.

There are still device-level details to consider: native search and opened-page metadata may appear in Spotlight, and the separate browser extension has its own storage and optional cookie-sync settings. TestFlight and downloads also use Apple's and GitHub's services, so review those providers' policies if that matters to you.

Connect to a reachable server

Use ArchiveBox Server 0.9.x or later. Your server must be awake and reachable whenever you submit a new link; on a home server, that usually means being on the same network or using a VPN when away.

Enter the server address and API key in the app. The official Mac Server companion can show a connection QR code and help create a key, but an existing compatible server works too. Keep the address and key private, especially if the server is reachable from outside your home.

Check device requirements and beta status

The project's current compatibility note is iOS 26+ and iPadOS 26+. It labels the native app a beta, so screens, requirements, and the TestFlight invitation may change as development continues.

The repository's latest listed release is v1.13.22, published on September 24, 2026. Its release assets include Mac downloads, while the release instructions send iPhone and iPad users to TestFlight; do not try to install a Mac ZIP or server app on iOS.

Install the official TestFlight beta

If needed, first install Apple's TestFlight app from the App Store, then open the official ArchiveBox TestFlight invitation. In TestFlight, accept the invitation and tap Install. This is the project's beta route, not a regular App Store listing for ArchiveBox.

A similarly named App Store result, ArchiveBox Search, is a separate Instagram archive viewer from another developer. Use the official ArchiveBox invitation above to get this project, and connect it to your own compatible server after installation.

TestFlight → Accept invitation → Install → Connect to your ArchiveBox server

Open source, with a server-side boundary

The iOS/macOS app repository is published under the GNU GPL-3.0-only license and includes the app source and tests. The project site documents the client, its privacy boundaries, and the separate server options.

Open source does not make the iPhone app a complete archiving system by itself. The server remains the part that fetches pages and stores the archive, so plan how it will stay online and backed up if you want to rely on your collection.

Who should use ArchiveBox on iPhone?

It is a good fit if you already run ArchiveBox, want to save links while browsing on iPhone or iPad, and prefer your archive to live on a server you choose. The share-sheet workflow makes capture simple without moving storage to a new hosted account.

It is not a one-tap cloud bookmark service: you need a reachable ArchiveBox 0.9.x+ server, a compatible iOS/iPadOS version, and must be comfortable testing a beta. Start with the official TestFlight invite, then connect to your server before expecting new links to be archived.

# Join the official ArchiveBox beta on iPhone or iPad:
https://testflight.apple.com/join/wUG6DS6z

# Install Apple's TestFlight app first if needed:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/testflight/id899247664