Recovery key

A long string of characters that lets you restore your encrypted message history on a new device.

Why it exists

Your encryption keys are on your phone. If you lose it, sign out or reinstall the app, the recovery key unlocks their encrypted copy stored on the server and lets you read your existing messages.

What happens without it

Your encrypted message history is lost permanently. Nobody, including the server administrator and the app vendor, can recover it. That is what privacy means here: nobody but you holds the keys.

How to store it

• save it in a password manager, or print it and keep it somewhere safe,
• do not keep it inside the same app you use for conversations,
• never share it; support will never ask you for it.

How to create or change it

On first sign-in the app offers to create the key. Later: Settings → Encryption → Key storage, where you can create or change it. After a change, the previous key stops working.