Account password vs. vault password — which is which?

NestVault uses two passwords, on purpose. They do different jobs, and mixing them up is the single most common reason people get stuck at sign-in.

Your account password

Signs you into NestVault — it proves who you are. It works like any website password. If you forget it, we can reset it by email using the “Forgot password?” link on the sign-in page.

Your vault password

Encrypts your data. You enter it at the second step of sign-in, after your account is verified, to decrypt your vault in your browser. It never leaves your device. We never see it, never store it, and cannot reset it. Your backup for this one is your recovery code.

Which one is your problem?

• Can’t get past the email + password screen? That’s your account password — reset it by email.
• Signed in, but stuck at “Unlock your vault”? That’s your vault password — use your recovery code.

Why two?

Your account password controls who can sign in — we can reset it. Your vault password encrypts your data before it ever reaches our servers, so even NestVault staff can’t read your vault. Keeping them separate means losing one doesn’t compromise the other.

One more case: if you were invited as a family member, you sign in with your own account password, then unlock the vault with the owner’s vault password — the one they shared with you directly.