Get help with Doughnut Forge
Most questions are answered below. For anything else, ask on GitHub.
Ask a question or report a problem
Support happens on GitHub, in public, so everyone can find the answers. Issues on GitHub are public: anyone can read what you write. You need a free GitHub account to open one.
Never attach vault files, identity files, your backup phrase (recovery words), passwords or passphrases, or screenshots that show them.
Found a security problem? Report it privately
Frequently asked questions
Is Doughnut Forge a subscription?
No. Doughnut Forge is a one-time purchase, never a subscription. You buy it once from the store for your platform, and there is nothing to renew.
If I buy it on one platform, do I also get it on another?
No. Each platform is a separate purchase from its own store: the App Store for iPhone and iPad, the Mac App Store for Mac and the Microsoft Store for Windows. Buying on iPhone and iPad does not include Mac or Windows, and buying on a computer does not include iPhone and iPad.
Do I need an account or an internet connection?
No. There is no account to create, and Doughnut Forge works entirely on your device, even without an internet connection. You only need a connection to download the app, or if you choose to send encrypted files over the internet.
Where are my files and keys kept?
On your device. Your password and keys are never stored on a server or sent across the network. Encrypted files go wherever you choose to save or send them.
How do I back up my identity?
When you create your identity, the app shows you a 24-word backup phrase. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe: it is all you need to restore your identity. The app also offers to save the phrase as a PDF. That PDF holds the same 24 words and is not protected by a password, so keep it as safe as the phrase itself. Your contacts are not part of the backup phrase.
How do I restore my identity?
Install Doughnut Forge on the new device, set a password, then choose Restore Identity and enter your 24-word backup phrase. Nothing else is needed, and it works across platforms, for example from a Mac to a Windows PC. Restoring brings back your identity, so files encrypted for it open again. Your contacts do not come back with it.
Does the other person need Doughnut Forge to open it?
Yes. They open it in Doughnut Forge with their own identity. That is what keeps it private: no one without one of the chosen identities can open it.
Which platforms can I use it on?
Doughnut Forge is available for iPhone and iPad, Mac and Windows. Coming soon: Android.
Does Doughnut Forge or this website collect any data?
No. The app has no tracking, analytics or crash reporting, and this website has no analytics, cookies or tracking scripts. Apple and Microsoft may share aggregated statistics, such as download counts, that contain no personal details. GitHub, which hosts this website, may log technical information such as your IP address. The privacy policy has the details.
What does post-quantum encryption mean?
In the future, powerful quantum computers may be able to break some of the encryption that is widely used today. Post-quantum encryption is designed to resist them. Doughnut Forge uses it, so what you protect today stays protected as computers become more powerful.
Privacy questions
For questions or to report a technical issue, please open a ticket on our GitHub Issues tracker. GitHub is a public platform governed by its own privacy policy, so never include sensitive or decrypted data in issue reports. For privacy-specific enquiries, please use our Privacy Contact Form. Information you submit through that form is processed by Tally (tally.so), which we use to receive your message, and is used only to respond to your enquiry.