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Devices & recovery key

Your encrypted history lives on the devices you approve. Your recovery key or another linked device brings it back; Google sign-in alone can't. AChat doesn't keep a copy of your message keys, so the AChat team can't restore your history for you.

  1. On the new device, open AChat and choose Link this device. It shows a code.
  2. On a device where you're already signed in, open Account, then Devices, and scan the code. If that browser can't scan, type the letters and numbers instead.
  3. Approve it. Once you do, the new device can read your chats, history included, and send messages as you. Only approve a device you're holding.

Your history comes with the approval. The new device shows Bringing your chats across while it brings over the messages your devices have already opened or sent. If the history doesn't arrive, the device is still linked: restore earlier messages with your recovery key from Account, then Recovery.

To check a link, compare security codes: both devices should show the same one. If they don't, remove the device you don't trust.

Remove a device​

Removing a device signs it out and stops new messages reaching it. Anything already stored on it stays there, and AChat can't take it back, so lock or erase a lost device through its own settings if you can.

Recovery key​

  • AChat shows your recovery key once. Write it down or save it somewhere only you can reach, off this device.
  • If you lose every device, sign in on a new one and enter your recovery key to restore your history.
  • You can replace it from Account, then Recovery. The old key stops working once the new one is created.
  • If you lose the key while you still have a linked device, replace it now.

Without a recovery key or a linked device, nobody can restore your message history, including the AChat team.

Signing out​

Signing out removes your chats from that device. To read them there again, you'll need your recovery key or another linked device. Messages still waiting to send are removed for good when you sign out.