For: everyone
The recovery key unlocks your encrypted messages on new devices. Only you have it: we cannot see it and cannot recover it for you. Here is what you can still do.
If you are still signed in on another device
This is the easy case. Create a new recovery key on the device that still works.
In the browser or on the computer
- Click your profile picture at the top left and then All settings.
- Open the Encryption tab.
- Click Change recovery key.
- Save the new key in a safe place.
On the phone (Element X)
- Tap your profile picture at the top left.
- Tap Encryption, then Change recovery key.
- Save the new key in a safe place.
You can then verify your other devices with this device or with the new key. See Verify a new phone or computer.
If you have no other device and no key
Then you can only start fresh by resetting your identity. This is the last resort.
- Sign in to Element.
- When Element asks you to confirm your identity, choose Can't confirm?.
- Choose to reset your identity and follow the steps.
- Save the new recovery key that Element shows you.
What resetting means
- You can keep chatting normally with your colleagues from now on.
- Older encrypted messages may become unreadable, because their keys belonged to the old identity.
- Your colleagues may see a note that your identity has changed. Let them know it was you.
Good to know
- Forgot your password instead? That's different. The owner resets it in the portal: see Reset a colleague's password.
- Look in your password manager, downloads folder or printed papers before you reset. The key file is often called something like "recovery-key".