Encrypted backup.
Your identity's lifeboat. Keys live only on your device, which is excellent for privacy and unforgiving about loss. The encrypted backup is the escape hatch: one file, sealed by your passphrase, that can rebuild your identity on a new phone.
An encrypted backup is an export of your keypair (and what's needed to restore your identity) encrypted under a passphrase you choose. Without the passphrase, the file is as opaque as any other ciphertext.
What it is
From Settings, export the backup and store it anywhere you like — a file vault, a drive, a safe. On a new phone, restoring it re-creates your identity, so your pairings and safety numbers stay valid instead of resetting.
Why it matters
No accounts means no cloud recovery — nobody upstream can reset what only you hold. That's the deal: stronger privacy, more personal responsibility. The backup converts catastrophic phone loss into a five-minute restore.
Related terms
Common questions.
Where should I store the backup file?
Anywhere durable that you control — the passphrase is what protects it, so even ordinary cloud storage doesn't expose your keys. Two locations beat one.
What happens without a backup?
A lost or wiped phone means a lost identity. You'd generate a fresh keypair and re-pair with contacts, whose apps will correctly warn that your key changed.
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