Help & recovery
Spot is turning on encryption for list content, gradually, as devices update. Once a list is encrypted its key lives on your phone. That is what keeps it private, and it is also why a new phone needs a little help to read it. This page covers what to do.
Locked lists
Why does my list say “Locked” instead of showing my items?
Because the key that decrypts that list is not on this device. It usually means you reinstalled Spot, cleared its data, or signed in on a new phone. Your items are still there and still encrypted. Nothing has been deleted.
A list that has never been encrypted does not show Locked, so if you have not seen this word, nothing here applies to you yet.
I reinstalled Spot and my list is Locked. How do I get it back?
Two ways, depending on the list:
- A list you share with your partner unlocks on its own. Open Spot, stay signed in, and give it a moment to sync. Your partner’s phone still holds the key and hands it back to you automatically. No code needed.
- A list only you are on needs your recovery code. In Spot, go to Settings, tap Encryption recovery code, then I have a code, and enter it (or open the code file if you saved one). Your lists unlock as they sync.
Recovery codes
What is a recovery code?
A 24 character code that backs up your encryption key. It is the way a new phone can read lists that only you are on. Anyone who has the code can read those lists, so keep it somewhere safe, like a password manager.
How do I save one?
In Spot, open Settings and tap Encryption recovery code, then Generate recovery code. Spot shows the code once. Copy it into a password manager, or save it as a file. Doing this before you need it is the whole point, so it is worth two minutes now.
I generated a new code. Does the old one still work?
No. Generating a new code replaces the old one, and the old one stops working. If you are setting up a new phone and still have your old code, restore with it first, then generate a fresh one if you want.
Do I need a code if I always share my lists?
Shared lists recover through your partner, so a code is not strictly required for them. It is still worth saving one: it covers any list you keep to yourself, and it covers you if you and your partner both change phones.
When a list cannot be recovered
I have no code, and the list was only mine. Can support unlock it?
No, and we want to be straight with you about why. The key never leaves your devices, so we do not hold a copy and there is no master key on our side. That is the same property that stops anyone else, including us, from reading your lists. Without the code, a list only you were on cannot be decrypted again. You can delete the locked list and start a new one.
Does a guest account have a recovery code?
No. A guest session cannot move to another phone at all, with or without a code. If you are using Spot as a guest, create an account and your lists move with you.
Still stuck?
Email support@spotgrocery.com and tell us what you were doing and what you saw. Please do not send us your recovery code. We never need it, and we can never use it.