Move to another server or storage mode

What you can do

Connect a This Device Only vault to a server

1. Unlock the vault and open Settings → Sync.
2. Under Cloud provider, choose Remem Cloud (sync.remempass.org), which connects straight away, or choose Custom Server, enter your server’s address in Sync server and select Connect.
3. If the vault already has items, confirm with Touch ID or your Mac password; the prompt names the server your encrypted vault will be sent to. If the server asks, enter your Invite code and connect again.
4. Remem creates your account on the server and uploads every item.

For a vault created with a phone number or username, the server choices are greyed out and Settings explains why: sync servers only accept an email address, and the name you sign in with is part of how your keys are made, so it can’t be changed.

Move a synced vault to another server

Have the new server ready first. A move to Remem Cloud needs an invite code, because it creates your account there.

1. On one Mac, unlock the vault and open Settings → Sync.
2. Choose Remem Cloud (sync.remempass.org), or Custom Server and enter the new address in Sync server. Settings explains what will happen.
3. Select Change server and confirm with Touch ID or your Mac password. If the new server asks, enter your Invite code.
4. Remem checks the old server for changes once more (the status reads “Finishing with the old server…”), then uploads every item, plus a record of the items you deleted so they stay deleted. The status reads “Uploading 12 items…” while it works. Items the new server already holds aren’t sent again.
5. When it says Synced just now., this Mac is done. If the upload was interrupted, by quitting or a lost connection, it says “12 items not on this server yet. The next sync uploads them.” and carries on by itself.
6. Repeat on each of your other Macs. Until you do, each one keeps syncing with the old server.
7. Pair the browser extension again: it stays with the server it was paired with. See the browser extension.

Messages you may see while moving

“Couldn’t check what is left to upload.”

Remem couldn’t count what still has to go up. Select Sync now; if it persists, see Sync isn’t working.

“This server would not store one item. They stay on this device and go up again once they change:”

The new server refused the items listed under the message, usually because one is too large (Remem Cloud takes about 1 MB per item). They stay on your Mac. Make the item smaller, for example with a smaller picture, and save it; it is sent again when it changes.

“Remem couldn’t check <server> for changes before moving…” or “Remem stopped checking <server>…”

The old server couldn’t be reached, or answered too slowly for two minutes, so the move went ahead without its latest changes. The message explains the one risk: an item another device deleted more than 30 days ago, which this Mac never heard about, may reappear on the new server. If one does, delete it again. The message stays in Settings until you select Dismiss or a later move completes cleanly.

Start a new vault and bring your items across

Use this to go from a server to This Device Only, to replace a vault created with a phone number or username, or to start again with a new master password. The new vault has a new Secret Key and a new Emergency Kit.

1. Open Settings → Encrypted backup and save a backup (see Back up your vault). A JSON export from Settings → Export vault works too, but it isn’t encrypted.
2. Decide what happens to the old vault:
   • Delete it now: Settings → Account → Delete account… deletes it on the server and on this Mac (see Delete your vault account).
   • Keep it for now: Settings → This device → Remove vault from this device erases only this Mac’s copy. For a synced vault, the account stays on its server, and you can add a device back to it later with the old Emergency Kit.
3. Remem returns to Set up Remem. Create the new vault with your email address, the storage choice you want and a new master password, and save the new Emergency Kit.
4. Open Settings → Encrypted backup → Restore from backup… and restore the backup, or import the JSON export with Settings → Import passwords.
5. Delete any JSON export and empty the Trash.
6. On every other Mac, use Remove vault from this device, then add it to the new vault. Pair the browser extension again.

Every active item comes across whole. The Trash, your settings, your groups, the access log and how often items were used don’t. Your old Emergency Kit doesn’t open the new vault.

What if…

Change server is greyed out

Check the vault was created with an email address, and that the new address is filled in. The button stays disabled on a device with no system identity check, where Settings says so.

I changed server with an earlier build

Earlier builds didn’t upload items that were already synced when you changed server. A device that did that is repaired on its first sync after updating: it uploads whatever the new server is missing, and the status shows how many items are left.

Remem Cloud is shutting down

We email you at least 30 days before. Use Change server on each device to move to your own server, or start a new This Device Only vault from a backup.