You can now store your COVID-19 vaccination card in the Health app

Verifiable Health Records Updates
Verifiable Health Records Updates (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • With iOS 15, you can store verifiable health records in the Health app.
  • Examples of what can be stored are COVID-19 vaccinations and test results.
  • Apple says the Wallet app will soon support digital vaccination cards.

Some iPhone users will now be able to add their COVID-19 vaccination card to the Health app.

In an update on the Apple Developer website, Apple has announced that users running iOS 15 can now store verifiable health records, like a COVID-19 vaccination card, in the Health app. At this time, Apple is supporting the SMART Health Cards specification.

The company says that, in a future software update, you'll even be able to add your vaccination card to the Wallet app and use a digital version where it is required.

With iOS 15, users can download and store verifiable health records, including COVID-19 vaccinations and test results, in the Health app. Verifiable health records in the Health app are based on the SMART Health Cards specification. Users can choose to share verifiable health records stored in the Health app with approved third-party apps requesting this information, like airlines, event venues, and other businesses that facilitate in-person interactions. And in an upcoming software update, they can also choose to add verifiable COVID-19 vaccination records as a vaccination card in Apple Wallet to present to businesses, venues, and more.Organizations that issue SMART Health Cards will soon be able to use a new button to let users know that they can securely download and store their vaccination information in the Health app and quickly add and present it from Wallet. Artwork and usage guidelines will be available soon.

Developers can learn more about verifiable health records and how to implement them on the Apple Developer website.

iOS 15 was released to the public on Monday, September 20.

Joe Wituschek
Contributor

Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.