Private information. Clear choices.

Know who can open it. And how.

Easy updates for you. A separate way in for the people you choose. Both deserve a clear explanation.

Everyday access

Your passkey opens your details.

Lastnote encrypts your notes in the browser before saving them. Your passkey provides a convenient way to reopen them. You can edit without gathering family keys.

This adds a convenient access path. Anyone who can successfully use that owner access can open the information.

Family recovery

Enough keys open the saved copy.

By default, family recovery uses any three of five distinct family keys. You can choose a different arrangement during setup. One key alone cannot open it. Keys can be kept by trusted people or in places you choose.

Five keys do not require five people. But someone who can reach enough keys can recover the copy, so think about access rather than just the number of holders.

How it works

A way in for the people you choose.

Plays automatically — click a step, replay, or pause anytime.

If Lastnote disappears

The recovery path travels with you.

Keep a current encrypted copy, the required keys and the independent recovery tool somewhere reachable. Recovery can then happen without our website, account system or permission.

Keys alone cannot recover a missing file.

After an update, save a fresh encrypted copy. Make sure the people who may need it know how to find it, and practise the recovery steps together.

Before you choose

The questions that matter.

Can the family open it while I’m alive?

Yes. Anyone with enough correct family keys and the encrypted copy can open it. The keys do not know whether you are alive, and independent recovery does not wait for Lastnote’s permission. Choose holders and places with that in mind.

What if a key is lost?

If enough other keys remain, they can still recover the saved copy. If fewer than the required number remain and you have no usable owner access, that copy may be unrecoverable. Lastnote cannot recreate a missing key for you.

Can I cancel a key someone has copied?

An old encrypted file and enough matching keys can still be opened. Protecting future information after a key compromise requires new encryption and a new set of keys. Removing someone’s name or deleting a passkey record does not erase copies they already hold.

Does a passkey mean several owner keys are still required?

No. Successful passkey access unlocks the owner’s information without gathering separate owner keys. That convenience is one effective access factor. Your passkey provider and device security matter; passkeys may sync between devices.

What does recovery outside Lastnote need?

The encrypted file, enough correct keys, and the independent recovery tool. The current tool uses Python 3 and its cryptography package. Keep the tool and arrange its dependencies in advance; a technically confident helper may be useful. No Lastnote account or network connection is needed once those are available.

How should I check my recovery plan?

Practise with an encrypted copy and its matching keys before relying on the plan. Make sure your chosen people can find the file and follow the recovery instructions. A saved copy and working keys matter more than a completed list of names.

Make a plan you can check.

Start with a useful detail, keep your recovery kit and practise opening your saved copy.

Start your organiser ↗