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Offline codes unavailable ​

Ente Auth shows Unable to access your codes when an offline-only installation no longer has access to its encryption key in the operating system's secure storage.

When this can happen ​

On Android:

  • After a device-transfer or restore tool copies Ente Auth's data without its Android Keystore key.
  • If the Keystore key is lost while the app's local data remains.

On iOS:

  • After restoring or transferring Ente Auth to another iPhone. The device-only Keychain key does not transfer with the app's data.

On macOS:

  • After restoring application data without the corresponding login Keychain.
  • If Ente Auth loses access to its existing Keychain entry.

On Linux:

  • After an update or restart changes which service provides Secret Service.
  • If the original GNOME Keyring, KWallet, KeePassXC, or other provider is locked, disabled, missing, or damaged.

On Windows:

  • After moving or restoring Ente Auth data to another computer or Windows user profile.
  • After reinstalling Windows or recreating the user profile.
  • After an administrative or offline password reset performed without the old password. A normal password change should not usually cause this.
  • If access to Ente Auth's secure-storage file is blocked or the file is damaged.

Recover or reset Ente Auth ​

Choose the first case that applies.

Your codes were already synced to Ente ​

Reset Ente Auth using the steps below, then select Log in. Signing in restores the codes already stored in that Ente account. It does not recover codes that existed only in the inaccessible offline database.

You have a local backup or encrypted export ​

Before resetting Ente Auth, confirm that the backup file is stored outside the app's data and that you know its encryption password.

After resetting the app, select Use without backups, then open Settings > Data > Import codes > Ente encrypted. Automatic local backups use the Ente encrypted format. For an export from another authenticator, select its importer instead.

You do not have a synced copy or usable backup ​

WARNING

Do not reset, uninstall, or clear Ente Auth's data yet. Try to restore access to the original secure storage first. If its key has been permanently lost, the encrypted offline database cannot be recovered.

  • On Android: Try the original device and Android profile. A Keystore key cannot be recovered from app data copied without it.
  • On iOS: Try the original iPhone. A device-only key cannot be recovered from data restored to another device.
  • On macOS: Restore access to the original login Keychain or a system backup containing both the Keychain and Ente Auth data.
  • On Linux: Unlock or restore the Secret Service provider that Ente Auth originally used.
  • On Windows: Use the original Windows profile. If an administrator reset a domain account's password, contact the administrator before changing app data because its protected keys may still be recoverable.

Reset the app ​

Reset only after confirming that your codes are synced to Ente or that you have a usable backup and its password. Keep a copy of the existing app data until recovery or import succeeds.

On Android: Open Settings > Apps > Ente Auth > Storage & cache and select Clear storage or Clear data. Menu names vary by device.

On iOS: Delete Ente Auth rather than offloading it, then reinstall it.

On macOS: Quit Ente Auth, move ~/Library/Containers/io.ente.auth.mac to a safe location, and run defaults delete io.ente.auth.mac in Terminal.

On Linux: Quit Ente Auth and move the io.ente.auth directory under $XDG_DATA_HOME to a safe location. The default location is ~/.local/share/io.ente.auth. Move legacy ente_auth or enteauth directories in the same location if they exist.

On Windows: Quit Ente Auth and rename %APPDATA%\Ente Technologies, Inc\Ente Auth in File Explorer. If an ente or enteauth folder from an older installation exists in Documents, rename it too.

Open Ente Auth again, then log in or import the backup. Remove the saved app data only after confirming that all codes have been restored.