I lost my vault passphrase

The hard truth

The vault has no backdoor. Your passphrase is used only in your browser to make the key that protects your files. We never receive it, and we cannot reset it or recover it. Site staff cannot open your vault. If the passphrase and the recovery key are both gone, the files in the vault cannot be read by anyone, and that is permanent.

What to try

1. Think of where the passphrase might be: a password manager, a notebook, an old note. Passphrases are case sensitive and spaces count.
2. Use your recovery key. When you made the vault you were shown a recovery key, 52 characters long. Open the vault, choose to recover with the recovery key, and set a new passphrase. The page may ask for a recent two-factor confirmation first.
3. Check other browsers. The vault asks for the passphrase each time, so another browser does not help unless you saved it there. A password manager might have.

If both are lost

You can delete the vault and start a new one. This removes everything in it, and it cannot be undone. You will need a recent two-factor confirmation if you use two-factor. Make a new passphrase, and save the new recovery key.

What support can and cannot do

Support cannot recover the passphrase, the recovery key or your files. Never type either into a support chat or ticket. The assistant will not ask for them.

Prevent it next time

Store the passphrase and the recovery key in a password manager, and keep the recovery key somewhere else too. Rotating your vault key gives you a new recovery key; save that one as well.