Accounts & backups
Protect an existing Nostr account with a passkey
Add passkey protection to a private-key account already in Nostr WoT, keep the same public identity and check local lock and unlock.
Before you start
- Unlock the extension and select your existing local signing account. Keep your original recovery material and record the public npub before changing protection.
- Use a browser and provider that support PRF. This guide uses the English interface; the recorded example uses Chrome and Touch ID. Other devices show their own verification prompt.
Steps
- Open Settings → Security → Passkey settings and choose Set up passkey unlock.
- If your vault has a password, enter the current password. Select Confirm to authorize the protection change; existing accounts stay in the vault.
- Complete the browser’s passkey creation prompt for passkeys.nostrwot.com. In the recorded Chrome flow, Touch ID confirms creation.
- Recovery saves automatically when the provider supports it. Complete the additional authentication prompt. A confirmed save returns to Passkey settings, where the registered credential and provider-storage status appear, without a download screen. If provider storage is unavailable or fails, download the encrypted recovery file and acknowledge that the passkey is also required.
- Return to Security and check that Use passkey is enabled and auto-lock is set to 15 minutes. These protection settings apply to the vault. Compare the account’s npub with the value recorded before setup.
- Lock the extension, reopen it and verify with the enrolled passkey. Successful unlock checks local access; it does not test account removal, reimport or recovery on a different device.
Check the result
- Keep your original private-key backup until you have separately verified recovery. A passkey protecting this vault does not erase older copies of its keys or turn remote/watch-only accounts into local signing keys.
- An additional encrypted recovery file is available in Passkey settings. Refresh snapshots after account or key changes. File recovery requires an enrolled passkey able to decrypt that snapshot; confirmed provider storage does not prove cross-device synchronization.
Watch the related video
Video coming soon. Follow the written guide.