Unlock says the passphrase is wrong

You typed your passphrase on the unlock page and Pennyweight said it was wrong. Check which passphrase the page wants and which account you're signed in to. If you've forgotten it, your recovery code resets it.

What you'll see

The unlock page is titled Welcome back. After you select Unlock, a red box appears above the button:

• "Wrong passphrase, or your data couldn't be unwrapped."

Other red messages on this page are not about your passphrase:

• A message that ends "this is a data problem on our side, not your passphrase. Please contact support."
• "The server rejected the request (…). This isn't a wrong passphrase — try again, or sign out and back in if it persists."

Why it happens

• You typed your login password. The page asks for your encryption passphrase, the one you created during account setup. It says so: "this is your encryption passphrase, not your login password."
• A typo or a filled-in password. Your browser may fill in a saved password here. Select the eye icon to see what's in the field.
• You're signed in to a different account. Your passphrase only works for the account you created it on. The page shows "Signed in as" with the account's email.
• You redid setup on an existing account. If your account was already set up, finishing setup again saves nothing. You land on this page with a notice: "This account was already set up, so the setup you just went through didn't change it. A passphrase or recovery file created just now was NOT saved — unlock with your original passphrase, and keep your original recovery file."
• You reset your passphrase. After a reset with your recovery code, the old passphrase no longer works.

How to fix it

1. Check what's in the field. Select the eye icon, clear the field and type your passphrase again. Then select Unlock.
2. Check the account. Read the email after "Signed in as". If it's the wrong account, select Sign out next to it and sign in to the right one.
3. Reset it with your recovery code. Select Use a recovery code instead. On Reset your passphrase, enter your code in Recovery code, then a new passphrase of at least 12 characters in New passphrase and Confirm new passphrase. Select Reset passphrase. See forgot your passphrase.
4. Finish the reset. On You're back in, download the reset confirmation and tick the box. Select Sign in, then unlock with your new passphrase.
5. For a "data problem on our side" message, contact support at pennyweight.ai/contact.
6. For "The server rejected the request", try again. If it keeps happening, use Sign out on the page and sign back in.

Good to know

• There's no attempt limit. Your passphrase is checked on your device and never sent to Pennyweight, so you can keep trying.
• Your recovery code stays the same. Resetting your passphrase doesn't change it. Keep your original code. See save your recovery code.
• Wrong recovery code? The reset page says "Recovery code didn't unlock your data. Check it and retry." Capital letters and spacing don't matter.
• Lose both, lose the data. Pennyweight can't reset your passphrase or recover your code for you.
• Why you see this page. Your browser keeps your unlocked keys until you lock or sign out, so Pennyweight asks for your passphrase on a new device or after you lock or sign out. See lock vs sign out.
• The same message when connecting your AI means the same thing. See can't authorize your AI.