The important documents everyone should keep a digital copy of

A checklist of the documents that are slow, expensive or impossible to replace, from ID and certificates to property papers and medical records, and how to keep safe digital copies of them.

By Memento · Updated 1 November 2026 · 2 min read

Losing an important document is rarely a disaster on the day. The trouble starts later: a job application that needs your certificate by Friday, a hospital asking for a list of medicines, a bank that wants proof of address. Getting a replacement can take weeks, cost money and mean visiting several offices.

A digital copy won't replace the original for every purpose, but it tells you exactly what you had, lets you apply for a replacement quickly, and is often accepted on its own for online forms.

The checklist

Identity

National ID card, both sides
Passport: the photo page, and any visas you're using
Birth certificate
Driving licence, both sides
Marriage certificate, if you have one

Education and work

School and university certificates and mark sheets
Registration and roll numbers for exams
Employment contracts and experience letters
Professional licences

Money and property

Property deeds and land records
Rental agreements
Vehicle registration and insurance papers
Bank account and loan documents
Insurance policies of every kind
Tax returns and receipts

Health

Prescriptions, especially for long-term medicines
Test reports and discharge summaries
Vaccination records
Health insurance cards

Everyday paperwork

Receipts and warranty cards for expensive things
Recent utility bills, often needed as proof of address

Memento: receipts, warranties and bills, rememberedSnap it, and Memento fills in the details, reminds you before dates run out, and backs up to your own Google Drive. Free for Android.Get it free

How to make good copies

Use good daylight and lay the document flat on a dark surface, so the edges are clear. Photograph both sides of cards. Check every copy is sharp enough to read the small print and the numbers; a blurry copy of an ID number is no use at all.

For ID cards, a copy with the front and back on one page at real size is what most offices ask for.

Try it: ID Copy MakerFront and back of an ID card on one page at real size, straightened, with a safe-copy watermark.

Keep the copies safe

These copies are exactly what identity thieves want, so treat them carefully:

Don't leave them loose in your phone's gallery, where they sync to every device and show up when you share photos.
Keep a backup in an account you control, such as your own Google Drive, so losing your phone doesn't mean losing everything.
When you send a copy by email or chat, send it only to the office that needs it. If you can, add "copy for [purpose] only" across the image.
For the most sensitive files, encrypt them with a password before you store or send them.

Try it: Encrypted document kitLock files and notes with a password into one file that opens in any browser. Keep it, or send it safely.

Tell someone you trust

In an emergency, the person who needs your documents might not be you. Make sure one family member knows where the originals are kept and how to reach the digital copies.

Memento keeps all of these in one place on your phone, reads the important details like numbers and expiry dates, reminds you before a passport or licence expires, and backs everything up to your own Google Drive.