Skip to main content

Recovering Your Identity

If you lose access to your wallet — due to a lost device, a browser reinstall, or a forgotten password — there are two recovery paths. Which one you can use depends on what you have available.

Recovery paths at a glance​

What you haveWhat can be recoveredHow
.mwen backup file + transfer passwordEverything: identity, connected apps, profile, delegation grantsImport from backup
24-word phrase onlyIdentity (keys) only — connected apps and profile are lostRecover with phrase
NeitherCannot recover—

Path 1: Import from backup​

This is the preferred recovery path. A .mwen backup preserves your full wallet state.

Steps​

  1. Install the mwen.io Chrome extension on your device (or reinstall if needed).
  2. Click the extension icon and select Import from backup.
  3. Select your .mwen backup file from your computer.
  4. Enter your transfer password (the password you chose when you exported the backup — not your wallet password).
  5. The wallet decrypts the file and validates the content.
  6. Set a new local wallet password for this device.
  7. Optionally set up biometric unlock. If you skip this now, you can enable it later — click the toolbar icon while unlocked and look for the Enable biometric unlock link.
  8. Click Complete. You are taken to the wallet dashboard with your full identity restored.

What is restored​

  • Your master seed and all derived keys.
  • Your connected apps list.
  • Your self-attested profile (name, email, birth date, etc.).
  • Any delegation grants (auto-approve permissions).

What is not restored​

  • Externally issued credentials (e.g. credentials issued by a government service or KYC provider). These are time-limited and must be re-obtained from the issuing organisation.

Path 2: Recover with 24-word phrase​

Use this path when you have your written phrase but no backup file.

Steps​

  1. Install the mwen.io Chrome extension.
  2. Click the extension icon and select Recover with phrase (or Recover identity on the login screen).
  3. Enter all 24 words of your mnemonic in the correct order.
  4. The wallet validates the BIP39 checksum. If any word is wrong, you will see an error — check your written copy carefully.
  5. Set a new local wallet password.
  6. Optionally set up biometric unlock. If you skip this now, you can enable it later — click the toolbar icon while unlocked and look for the Enable biometric unlock link.
  7. Click Complete.

What is restored​

  • Your identity and all per-app cryptographic keys (because keys are derived from the phrase, the same keys are re-derived automatically).

What is not restored​

  • Your connected apps list.
  • Your self-attested profile.
  • Your delegation grants.

After recovery, apps that you were previously signed in to will still recognise your pseudonymous identifier — because the same per-app key is re-derived. However, you will need to sign in to each app again and re-accept the consent screen.

No recovery possible​

If you have neither a backup file nor your 24-word phrase, the identity cannot be recovered. There is no password reset mechanism, no support team that holds a copy, and no blockchain record.

This is a deliberate design property — it means nobody else can access your identity either.

To avoid this situation:

Recovery is fully offline​

Both recovery paths work without any network connection to mwen.io. Key derivation and decryption happen entirely on your device. No recovery codes, no email verification, no server lookup.