If you lose your phone, an encrypted vault with configured recovery keeps your documents safe and recoverable. LifeVault Secure supports up to 40 devices per account on the Family Legacy plan — and because the keys for your notes, passwords, and structured vault data are derived from your credentials rather than stored on any device, losing a phone does not expose them. Set up recovery.
Why device loss is a document risk
Most people store important documents in one of three ways: physical files that can be destroyed in a fire or flood, photos in their phone camera roll (which disappear with the phone), or unencrypted cloud storage (which the provider can read). Losing your phone with camera-roll document photos means losing those copies entirely — and risking identity exposure if the phone is unlocked or the cloud account is compromised.
A properly configured encrypted vault solves both problems: your documents survive device loss because they're in the cloud, and they're protected in transit and at rest — your notes, passwords, and structured vault data with client-side end-to-end encryption the provider cannot read, and the files you upload with the same client-side end-to-end encryption.
How E2EE protects you after device loss
In LifeVault Secure, the encryption keys for your notes, passwords, and structured vault data are derived from your master password and never stored on the device or server, and the files you upload are end-to-end encrypted on your device too. When you lose your phone:
- Your vault stays protected — your notes, passwords, and structured vault data remain encrypted with keys only you hold, and your uploaded files stay end-to-end encrypted with keys only you hold, protected by your account credentials. A thief who accesses the app without your credentials sees nothing useful.
- You can revoke device access from your account settings on any other device.
- You can sign in from a new device immediately — no waiting for account recovery, no support ticket, no data loss.
How to set up recovery before you lose a device
- Save your recovery phrase — generated when you create your account. Store it somewhere you control: printed and in a safe, or in a separate encrypted note.
- Add a trusted contact (Pro and above) — designate someone who can request emergency access after an inactivity window. This is your fallback if you forget your password AND lose your recovery phrase.
- Register multiple devices — add a second browser or tablet so you always have a fallback login path.
See emergency access setup guide for the step-by-step walkthrough.
Multi-device access and sync
LifeVault Secure syncs your vaults across all registered devices. Sign in on a new device, authenticate with your master password, and your notes, passwords, and structured vault data decrypt client-side while your uploaded files and documents are served back securely. Changes sync automatically. Device limits: Free (3), Pro (10), Premium (25), Family (40 across 5 members).
What documents to store before device loss strikes
Prioritize documents that are hard to replace quickly: passport, Social Security card, birth certificate, driver's license, insurance cards, medical records, property deeds, and account recovery codes (2FA backup codes, seed phrases for crypto if applicable). Scan them at high resolution and store in LifeVault Secure before you ever need them in an emergency.
See how to store documents securely for the full checklist.
How much does LifeVault Secure cost?
Free tier: $0, 256 MB, 3 devices — enough to store your most critical identity documents. Pro: $12/month ($120/year), 5 GB, 10 devices. Premium: $29/month ($290/year), 15 GB, 25 devices. Family: $49/month ($490/year), 30 GB shared, 40 devices, 5 members. All tiers include client-side E2EE for your notes, passwords, structured vault data, and the files you upload; the legal documents we generate use server-side AES-256. See pricing.
Set up recovery: Create a LifeVault Secure account and upload your critical documents before your phone is ever lost. Free tier, no card required.