Data and backup
Where your data is
Everything that is yours lives in one data folder:
| Computer | Data folder |
|---|---|
| Mac | ~/Library/Application Support/elastos |
| Linux | ~/.local/share/elastos, or $XDG_DATA_HOME/elastos when set |
It holds your identity keys, wallets, recovery material and files. Uninstalling ElastOS keeps this folder unless you choose to delete it.
What to back up
| What | How | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery Kit | System > Security > Download Recovery Kit, with a password | Restores your account, Profile and included Wallet keys |
| Your files | Copy them out of Library, or back up the data folder | The Recovery Kit does not include your files |
| The whole data folder (optional) | Back up the folder while Home is stopped | A full copy of this Home |
A full backup of the data folder contains every key, including wallet keys. Protect it as carefully as the computer itself: encrypt it and keep it private. The same goes for your Recovery Kit.
Lost every passkey?
Your Recovery Kit brings your account back on the same Home.
Get a one-time code
On the computer that runs Home, as the user who installed it, run the command shown on the sign-in screen. For a normal install it is:
elastos identity arm-owner-recovery --origin http://localhost:8090 --rp-id localhostIt prints a code that works once and expires in 10 minutes.
Recover on the sign-in screen
Choose Recover this Home with your Recovery Kit. Enter the code, choose your Recovery Kit file (and its password, if it has one), then create a new passkey.
Done
The new passkey becomes the admin. The old passkey stops working.
Home accepts only the Recovery Kit this Home saved for its admin. A different kit, an expired code or a used code changes nothing. After five wrong codes, run the command again for a new code.
What is protected, and what is not
- Passkeys control sign-in. Locking Home stops anyone from using it in the browser.
- Locking Home does not hide data from your computer. Your computer account and its administrator (root) can still read the data folder while Home is locked.
- If a device or your Profile key is stolen, you need a new identity.
See Security and privacy for the full picture.
Use hosted accounts (a Home that someone else runs for you) only for public demos. Whoever runs it can read hosted data, wallet keys and recovery material. Keep wallets and private data on your own computer.