Recovery phrase
The short answer
When you set up Silock you get 12 words. If you ever forget your PIN, password or pattern, those words let you in and set a new one. Silock never keeps a copy, so write them down somewhere safe.
Silock doesn’t know your PIN, password or pattern. It uses your unlock on your iPhone to open your encryption keys, then forgets it. That’s good for privacy, but it means nobody can reset it for you.
The recovery phrase is your way back in.
How it works
- During setup, Silock shows you 12 words.
- You write them down, and Silock asks for two of them to check you have them.
- If you ever forget your unlock, enter the 12 words and choose a new one.
The phrase opens the same keys your unlock does. Silock never keeps a copy of it.
A new phrase whenever you need one
Because Silock doesn’t keep the phrase, it can’t show it to you again. If you lose it, or think someone saw it, unlock Silock and go to Settings → Make a New Recovery Phrase. The old phrase stops working straight away.
Silos with their own password
A silo with its own password gets its own recovery phrase too. The app’s phrase can’t open it, so keep both.
On a new iPhone
With iCloud backup turned on, your recovery phrase is also what brings your silos back on a new iPhone.
Keep it safe
Write it on paper and keep it somewhere you’d keep a passport. Anyone with your phrase and your iPhone could get in, and without it, a forgotten unlock means your files are gone for good.
Questions people ask
Can the Silock Team reset my password?
No. Silock never stores your unlock or your recovery phrase, and there's no account to reset. That's what keeps your silos private, and it's why the phrase matters.
I lost my recovery phrase. What now?
If you can still unlock Silock, go to Settings and make a new recovery phrase. The old one stops working the moment the new one is made.
Where should I keep it?
On paper, somewhere safe at home, or in a password manager you trust. Not in a screenshot in your camera roll.