Before you switch devices
You can bring your KolChat history to a new phone or computer in two ways. You can transfer chats directly from a device you already have, or restore them from your own encrypted backup. Each device holds its own keys under end-to-end encryption. Because we hold no keys, we cannot restore your chats from our side.
If you are replacing a working phone, keep KolChat on the old device until the transfer finishes. If you only have one device, set up an encrypted backup today before you lose or replace it.
Transfer chats from an existing device
If you already have KolChat signed in on another phone or computer, you can approve your new device directly. For example, when Maya Chen in Toronto gets a new iPhone, she approves it from her Mac.
You can install standalone KolChat apps on iPhone and iPad from the App Store, on Android from Google Play, or on Mac, Windows, and Linux from the download page. You can also open chat.kolhive.com in a browser, or use KolChat inside KolHive and KolWrite with the same account.
- Install KolChat on your new phone or computer, or open chat.kolhive.com in a browser.
- Sign in to your KolHive account with your email or Google login.
- Find the verification code shown on the screen of your new device.
- Open KolChat on your existing device and use that code to approve the new device.
- Keep both devices open while your chat history copies over in an encrypted transfer from your existing device.
You should now see your conversations on your new device, with its device certificate signed by your account key.
Set up an encrypted chat backup
Encrypted chat backup is off by default. When you turn it on, your device seals the backup before storing it. You lock it with a password of at least 8 characters using Argon2id, or a 64-digit key the app generates.
- Open your backup settings in KolChat and turn on encrypted chat backup.
- Create a backup password of at least 8 characters, or choose the 64-digit key generated by the app.
- Save your password or 64-digit key in a safe place separate from your phone.
- Select a daily or weekly backup schedule.
- Choose where to save the backup: on the device, a connected drive or folder, another computer you own, or your KolHive cloud storage.
You should now see your backup schedule active and your storage location set.
If you leave the location set to automatic, KolChat picks your own hardware first. Nothing goes to the KolChat relay. By default, backups run on Wi-Fi only and leave out media files. If you turn media on, one backup can include at most 400 MB of media.
If you lost every linked device
Sometimes you lose every device where you were signed in. For example, Daniel Wright might lose his phone in Chicago while having no computer linked to his account.
An account password alone cannot silently take over your KolChat identity from a new, unlinked sign-in. If you set an optional KolChat PIN beforehand, enter your PIN on the new device to reset your identity.
If you lost every linked device and have no PIN, identity recovery takes a 7-day waiting period. During those 7 days, KolChat shows warnings on your linked devices so you can stop an unwanted reset. If you also need to restore your files and workspace, read our guide to backups and new devices.
What this does not do
- We cannot open or restore your chats because we do not hold your encryption keys.
- A lost backup password or 64-digit key cannot be reset or recovered by anyone.
- Disappearing messages whose timer has already expired do not transfer to a new device or restore from a backup.
Common questions
Can I get my chats back if I forgot my backup password?
No. Your backup is sealed on your device using your password or 64-digit key before it is saved, and we never receive a copy of that key. If you still have an active device with your chats on it, you can create a fresh backup with a new password instead.
Do I need my old phone to move my chats to a new one?
No, as long as you have another linked device or an encrypted backup. You can approve your new phone and transfer history from any computer or tablet where you are already signed in to KolChat. You can also restore your history from an encrypted backup stored on a drive, your computer, or your KolHive cloud storage using your backup password or 64-digit key.
Where should I keep my 64-digit backup key?
Keep it somewhere you can still reach if your phone is lost or broken, such as a password manager or on paper in a safe place at home. Do not store the key only inside your KolChat messages or solely on the phone you are backing up. Without that key or your backup password, the backup file cannot be opened.
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