A duress vault is a configured vault whose opening triggers an emergency response affecting other protected content; in NullVault that response can remove access to other local vaults.
A destructive feature, not an ordinary alternate login
The important question is what opening the configured pattern does. NullVault's duress feature documentation distinguishes the retained vault from the other local vaults affected by the action. Its current iOS store description identifies this as an irreversible local-access removal.
A routine decoy and a duress configuration should never be treated as synonyms. Before enabling duress, understand the target vaults, the platform-specific behavior, and the consequences of accidental use. Do not rehearse using irreplaceable content.
Where the action stops
Removing local access cannot retrieve a file somebody already exported. Remote backups, recipient copies and previously captured keys have their own lifetimes. A destructive response also cannot guarantee physical safety or stop someone demanding more access.
This makes preparation a separate decision from an emergency action. Recovery material and backups must be understood before configuration. If retaining records is important, consider that need before enabling anything destructive.
What to read before configuring it
Start with NullVault's duress boundaries, then read panic wipe to distinguish the available controls. The recovery phrase versus backup guide explains why a phrase and a surviving copy are different requirements. The security limitations describe what local actions cannot promise.