Replace your recovery code

If your recovery code was lost or shared, or you just want a fresh one, you can replace it in Settings. You get a new code, and the old one stops working once the new one is saved.

You need the code you saved during setup for this to matter. If you're not sure what it is, see save your recovery code.

Before you start

• Unlock first. Settings asks you to unlock your data before it opens, and the new code is saved only during an unlocked session. See lock vs sign out.
• Know your passphrase. The first step asks for it. If you've forgotten it, reset it first with your current code. See forgot your passphrase. That reset keeps your current code, so come back here afterwards.

How to do it

1. Open Settings and select Security.
2. Find the Regenerate recovery code card. It reads "Replaces your current recovery code with a new one. Do this if your recovery file was lost, shared, or you just want a fresh one." Select Regenerate.
3. On Confirm your passphrase to continue, type your passphrase in Passphrase. Show reveals what you typed. Select Confirm, or press Enter. The button reads "Checking…" while it works.
4. On Save your new recovery code, save the code shown in the box. Select Download to save pennyweight-recovery.txt, or Copy to put the code on your clipboard. You can do both.
5. Tick the box that reads "I've saved this new code." Under it: "My old recovery code will stop working, and Pennyweight can't recover either one for me."
6. Select Finish. It stays disabled until you tick the box. The button reads "Saving…" while it works.
7. On New recovery code active, select Done.

What you'll see

The new code has the same format as the first one: pw- followed by eight groups of six lowercase letters and digits.

The downloaded file has the same name as the one from setup. Its first line reads "Pennyweight — recovery code (regenerated)", followed by your email address and the time it was generated. The file says the old code "stops working as soon as you finish this step — delete any copy of it."

The last screen says: "Your new recovery code is saved and active. The old one no longer works — delete any copy of it."

If your passphrase is wrong, the dialog says "Couldn't confirm your passphrase. Try again."

If saving fails, the message ends with "Your previous recovery code still works — nothing has changed yet." If your unlocked session ended, the message tells you to reload and unlock. Unlock, then start again.

If you think your code leaked

Replace it with the steps above, then delete every copy of the old code: downloaded files, notes, password-manager entries and printouts. After you select Finish, the old code no longer works.

Using a recovery code requires signing in to your Pennyweight account first. The code doesn't replace your sign-in. See turn on two-factor.

Good to know

• Nothing changes until Finish. Cancel, Escape or a click outside the dialog closes it before Finish, and your old code keeps working. Opening it again starts over with a new code.
• The download is optional. Finish needs only the checkbox. Make sure you saved the code somewhere before you tick it.
• Your passphrase stays the same. Replacing the code doesn't change your passphrase. To change that, see change your passphrase.
• A passphrase reset doesn't replace the code. After a reset, your original code still works. This Settings card is the only way to get a new one.
• Typing it back is forgiving. Capital letters and spacing don't matter, and you can leave off the pw-.
• Your browser makes the code. Pennyweight's server receives your keys locked under the new code and a hash of the code, not the code itself.