Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions and answers about LockYit.
General
What is LockYit?
LockYit is a secure, local-first secure information manager and vault app. It stores your financial information, identities, passwords, to-do lists, notes, and more with zero-knowledge encryption. See all 43 item types you can store.
Is LockYit free?
LockYit is available for free to use on as many devices you want. Please check our pricing for current pricing and plans.
Which platforms does LockYit support?
LockYit is available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux. The desktop apps have browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge to auto-fill passwords.
Security
Can you see my vault contents? Or my master password?
No. Your vault is never stored on our servers. Only your account configuration is on our servers to help with account management, paid plans and recovery.
Your master password is also not stored on our servers. LockYit uses zero-knowledge encryption mechanisms, and Secure Remote Password protocol to setup your account. This protocol is used by industry leading companies to provide a secure account access mechanism without storing your master password on our servers.
When you sync between your devices, your data is always encrypted on your device before it is exchanged with your other devices on your local network. So a compromised device, or a bad actor sniffing your local network traffic, will only see encrypted information that they cannot decrypt.
What encryption does LockYit use?
LockYit encrypts your vault on your device with AES-256-GCM. The key that unlocks it is derived from your master password with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256. Each attached file has its own key.
What happens if I forget my master password?
If you saved your recovery key, you can reset your password with it. If you don't have your recovery key, there is no way to recover access to your account. Your data is encrypted with zero-knowledge encryption, meaning even we cannot access it.
A backup doesn't help here either: restoring one needs you to sign in, so without your master password or your recovery key, your backups can't be opened. Keep your recovery key somewhere safe, away from your devices. See Account Recovery.
Is my data stored in the cloud?
No. LockYit stores your vault on your devices, and nothing you add or update in your vault is ever stored on LockYit's servers. If you choose a cloud storage folder (such as one in iCloud Drive) for Automatic Backup, the backups there stay encrypted.
The cloud is also not involved when you sync your vault across your own devices over your local Wi-Fi or wired network. Your vault data does not travel outside your home network during syncing. Local Sync explains how to use local sync to keep your information the same on multiple devices.
Does LockYit support two-factor authentication (2FA)?
Yes! You can enable TOTP-based two-factor authentication from Settings → Security. Once enabled, you'll need to enter a 6-digit code from your authenticator app each time you login. Optionally, you can trust the device at the time of login, and it will not ask you again for the 2FA code for 30 days.
Remember, you will need to use another authenticator app like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy among others if you want to use this feature.
Sync & Sharing
How do I sync my data between my own devices?
Use Local Sync. On both devices, open Local Sync, turn it on, tap Add device under My Devices, and confirm with the 6-digit code. Both devices must be on the same local Wi-Fi network and unlocked. No data passes through the cloud or LockYit's servers.
How do I share an item with someone else?
Use Local Sharing. Set up a sharing contact once (both people turn on Local Sync, tap Add person under Shared With, and confirm the 6-digit code), then open an item, choose Share, pick the contact and an access level (View only or Edit access), and tap Share. Only that single item is sent, re-encrypted just for the recipient.
Do sync and sharing work over the internet?
No. Both features work only when the devices are connected to the same local Wi-Fi / LAN network and both apps are open and unlocked. They do not work over the internet or when a device is locked, asleep, or off the network.
Is any of my data stored on LockYit's servers when I sync or share?
No. Nothing in your vault is ever stored on LockYit's servers. Sync and sharing happen device-to-device over your local network, end-to-end encrypted (RSA-2048 + AES-256-GCM). Your master password and your vault key are never sent.
Why can't my devices see each other?
Make sure all of the following are true:
- Both devices are on the same Wi-Fi / local network.
- The LockYit app is open and unlocked on both devices.
- Local Sync is turned on for each device.
If keys changed because a device was reinstalled or reset, just set up sharing (or pairing) again to refresh the connection.
Using LockYit on Linux? Most Linux firewalls block device discovery (mDNS) by default, which stops your devices from finding each other. See Linux: allow discovery through the firewall for the commands to open it.
What is the difference between Local Sync and Sharing?
Local Sync mirrors your whole vault across your own devices (same account). Sharing hands one or more items you choose to another person (a trusted contact) - they get only what you share, nothing else.
Browser Extension
The LockYit browser extension is coming soon. The answers below describe how it will work once it's available.
What is the browser extension?
The LockYit browser extension lets you auto-fill passwords and addresses, and save new passwords and addresses directly from your browser. It connects to the LockYit desktop app running on the same machine.
Which browsers are supported?
LockYit extensions are available for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. The Chrome extension also works with Chromium-based browsers like Brave and Vivaldi.
Does the extension work without the desktop app?
No. The browser extension requires the LockYit desktop app to be running and unlocked. It connects securely over a local connection and cannot access your vault independently.
Is the browser extension secure?
Yes. The extension never stores your passwords directly. All credentials are retrieved from the desktop app over a secure local connection, and your master password is never exposed to the extension from inside the app.
Account
Is registering for an account necessary?
Yes. Creating a LockYit account is required to use the app. Your account enables centralised account management features such as two-factor authentication, password changes, and access to your recovery key - all of which are essential for keeping your vault secure and recoverable.
Do I need to be signed in to my account to use the app?
No. Once the app is installed on a device and you have signed in, it operates entirely offline and locally. Your vault is stored on your device, so you can access it at any time without an internet connection or an active session with your account.
How do I change my email?
Currently, email changes are not supported. This feature is planned for a future update.
How do I clear my data on my device?
Go to Settings → Account → Clear Data on Device. This permanently deletes all your data from the device. See Clear Data on Device for more details.
How do I delete my account on my device?
Go to Settings → Account → Delete Account. This permanently deletes all your data from the device.
Your app will need to be online and connected to be able to delete your account. See Deleting Your Account for full details.
Do also remember to uninstall the LockYit apps on all your devices if you do not plan to use it.
Does uninstalling the app also delete my account?
No. Uninstalling or deleting the app from a device only removes the local data on that device. Your LockYit account remains on our servers. To permanently delete your account, go to Settings → Account → Delete Account and follow the two-step email verification process. See Deleting Your Account for full details.
Can I use LockYit on multiple devices?
Yes. Use Local Sync to keep your own devices in step over your local Wi-Fi or wired network. You can also share individual items with other LockYit users on the same network.
We strongly recommend that you setup LockYit on multiple devices and synchronize your data regularly between them. This will ensure that you have your vault on other devices, if you happen to lose one of them.
Data
How do I backup my data?
Automatic Backup is on from the start: LockYit backs up your vault on its own, to the folder you chose during setup (such as a USB drive, an external disk or a network folder) or to this device until you choose one. To change where backups go, open Settings → Backups (or Tools → Backups). You can also make a backup at any time with Back Up Now on the Backups screen. Backups include everything in your vault, attached files included, and stay encrypted. They go straight from your device to the folder; LockYit's servers never receive them. You can also export a readable copy from Settings → Data → Export; store that file securely, as it contains unencrypted data (including your attached files). See Import & Export for details.
Does LockYit back up automatically?
Yes, from LockYit 1.2, once you choose a backup folder. On computers it backs up in the background; on phones and tablets, backups run while LockYit is open. LockYit reminds you with a banner above your items if your vault hasn't been backed up for a week, or if automatic backup hasn't been able to finish for a day. See Backup and Restore.
Do backups run in the background on my phone?
No. On phones and tablets, backups run only while LockYit is open. A backup that falls due while it's closed runs a few seconds after you next open it. Nothing is backed up while the vault is locked.
What can someone see in my backup folder?
Your email address and the dates of your backups. LockYit puts your backups in a folder named after your email address, and each file name holds the email address and the date. Someone with access to the folder can also see how many backups there are and how large they are. Everything in a backup, including your items, attached files and their names, is encrypted. See What's in the folder.
Can I restore a backup without signing in?
No. You need to be signed in to restore, because backups are encrypted with your account's keys. Any backup made with your account can be restored on any of your devices, but a backup belonging to another account can't be. See Restoring a backup.
Can I import from other apps or password managers?
Yes. Settings → Data → Import recognizes exports from Bitwarden, LastPass, KeePass/KeePassXC, 1Password, Firefox and Chrome-family browsers, can open encrypted KeePass (.kdbx) databases directly, and maps any other CSV with a column editor. Attachments from other apps are not imported. See Import & Export.
Can I store photos and documents?
Yes. Attach photos and documents (up to 25 MB each) to any item, for example a scan of your passport on the Passport item. They are encrypted on your device, sync to your other devices, go along when you share the item, and are included in backups. See Files.
What happens when I open a file in another app?
To open a file in another app, LockYit writes a temporary, unencrypted copy for that app to read. On iPhone and iPad, LockYit deletes it as soon as it has handed the file over. On other devices the copy stays while the other app may still be reading it, and LockYit deletes it when the vault locks or the app next starts. Viewing a file inside LockYit writes no unencrypted copy. See Downloading and opening in another app.
Do my devices on LockYit 1.1 get my files?
No. Files are new in LockYit 1.2, so a device still on 1.1 keeps syncing everything else but doesn't receive files. It gets them by itself once it's updated. The same applies to people you share with. See Files on your other devices.
Are exports encrypted?
No. An export is a readable copy of your vault: the CSV files hold your passwords and other details in plain text, and the files folder holds your attached photos and documents, also unencrypted. Store an export on an encrypted drive, delete it when you're done, and never email or upload it. For a copy that stays encrypted, use a backup instead. See Import & Export.
Is my data synced to the cloud?
No. LockYit will never use cloud sync. Instead, Local Sync keeps your data in step across your devices over your local network, and your vault data stays on that network while it syncs.
Languages
Which languages does LockYit support?
LockYit is available in 17 languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu, Odia, Nepali, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
How do I change the language?
Go to Settings → Localization → Language, and select your preferred language.
Troubleshooting
The app is slow. What can I do?
- Make sure you're running the latest version
- Try restarting the app
- Try restarting your device
- If you have thousands of items, search may take longer
Biometrics stopped working.
- Check that biometrics are enabled on your device
- Go to Settings → Security → Biometric Unlock
- Toggle it off and on again
My OTP codes don't work.
OTP codes are time-sensitive. Make sure your device's date and time are set correctly.
I can't import my data.
- Ensure the file is a ZIP file from a LockYit export
- Check that the CSV files inside are properly formatted
- Try importing smaller batches
Contact & Support
The Support page has everything on how to reach us.
How do I report a bug?
Email us at [email protected] with:
- Device and OS version
- LockYit version (Settings → About)
- Steps to reproduce the issue
Where can I request features?
Send an email with feature details to [email protected]. We will evaluate the feature and let you know if we can add it to our roadmap.