For: everyone
Your messages in direct chats and private rooms are end-to-end encrypted: only the people in the chat can read them. The recovery key is your personal backup key. With it you can read your encrypted messages on any new phone or computer. Nobody else has a copy, not even us.
When you get it
The first time you sign in, Element asks you to set up secure messaging and shows you a recovery key. It is a long row of letters and numbers in small groups, for example EsTZ 4us6 nh29 89jk ….
- When Element shows the key, click Copy or Download.
- Store it in a safe place, for example a password manager, or print it and keep it with your important papers.
- Confirm in Element that you have saved it.
If you skipped it, or want a new one
In the browser or on the computer
- Click your profile picture at the top left.
- Click All settings.
- Open the Encryption tab.
- Click Get recovery key (or Change recovery key if you already have one).
- Save the new key as described above.
On the phone (Element X)
- Tap your profile picture at the top left.
- Tap Encryption.
- Tap Get recovery key or Change recovery key.
- Save the new key.
Good to know
- Your recovery key is not your password. You sign in with your username and password; you use the recovery key to unlock old encrypted messages on a new device.
- Keep it private. Anyone with your recovery key and your password can read your messages.
- When you change the recovery key, the old one stops working. Save the new one right away.
- We cannot see or recover your recovery key. If you lose it, read Lost your recovery key?.