I forgot my vault PIN
Nobody can reset a vault PIN, but you can erase the vault and restore a backup.
This needs an account. Sign in to the app first.
Steps
- Open Settings, then Encrypted Vault.
- On the lock screen, tap Forgot your PIN?
- Read the note. If you made a backup file, you can go on. If you did not, what is inside cannot be recovered. Erasing cannot be undone, so try to remember your PIN first.
- Tap Erase this vault and start over, then confirm with Erase vault.
- Set a new PIN.
- Open the Security tab and tap Import Vault. Choose your backup file and type the backup passphrase.
Why nobody can reset it
Your PIN is not saved anywhere, not on this device and not on our servers. That keeps the vault private.
It also means nobody can reset it or get your things back, including us.
The backup passphrase
A backup file is locked with its own passphrase. It is not your PIN, and your PIN is not in the file.
If you forget the passphrase, nobody can open the backup.
If your vault uses a key on this phone
A vault locked with a key that stays on the phone shows "Can't unlock this vault?" instead.
If you changed phones, or the phone's lock was reset, that key may be gone and the vault cannot be opened.
Wrong PIN tries
After 3 wrong PINs in a row the vault makes you wait. The wait starts at 30 seconds and doubles each time, up to an hour.
There is also a switch in the Security tab that erases the vault after 10 wrong PINs in a row. It is off unless you turn it on.
What happens next
Once you are back in, make a new backup file in the Security tab and keep the passphrase somewhere apart from the file.