The Casa app makes it easy to replace a key in your vault keyset with another one.
You may replace a key for several reasons:
- Your key was lost or damaged
- You believe the key or the backup seed phrase may have been compromised
- You wish to replace the key with a different one (e.g., to upgrade to a newer device)
This is also known as "rotating a key," or "key rotation."
The Casa app allows the mobile key and any of hardware keys to be replaced.
Please note: For the 3-key vault, we consider saving a copy of your hardware device's seed phrase to be optional. If you do have a copy of the seed phrase, you could use it to restore the key on a new hardware device without replacing the key, in which case it would not be necessary to complete the following steps to set up a new device.
Before you begin, check that your other keys are working
Perform a health check on your mobile key and hardware key(s), and for the 3-key vault, verify your recovery question answers.
Marking the old key for replacement:
After you've verified your other keys are operational, the next step is to mark the old key for replacement:
- Tap the key icon beneath your vault
- Tap the key you want to replace (mobile key or one of your hardware keys).
- Tap "Replace Key."
- Read the explanation.
- Tap "Yes, Confirm."
Example shown for BTC vault
Setting up the new key:
This follows the same procedure as when you added a key to the Casa app for the first time, and depends on which kind of device you're setting up. In general, the steps are:
- Tap "Begin Replacement Process."
- Tap "Send email."
- Click the link in the email on your computer and follow the instructions for your device.
Transferring your funds to your new vault (BTC)
When you replace a key for a BTC vault, you create a whole new vault in your Casa app with the new keys. Since your BTC is in the "old" vault, you'll need to transfer to the "new" vault.
Because of this, the following process is for BTC only, and looks different depending on whether you do or do not still have your original key.
If you DO have the old key:
You can sign the recovery transaction using your old keys. Remember: To move funds from the old keyset, you have to use the old keys. The new key cannot sign for the old keyset.
We recommend choosing "Guided recovery," which will walk you through creating the transaction, setting the amount of the transaction (the full balance), and determining the address to send to (the address for your new vault).
Once you've signed with both keys, the funds will transfer to the new keyset, and you can reset or dispose of your old key!
If you DO NOT have the old key:
You'll have to sign the recovery transaction using the key you do still have, and then request that Casa sign with the Recovery Key.
We recommend choosing "Guided recovery," here too. For the 3-key vault, you will have to answer your security questions and wait seven days for the Casa Recovery Key signature, then go back to the Casa app to finalize and send the transaction. For the 5-key vault, you will need to schedule a call to request the recovery signature, and then wait 48 hours, then go back to the app to finalize.
Once your funds have transferred to the new vault, you're ready to go! If you had saved your Casa address anywhere, like whitelisting it on an exchange, be sure to update it to an address from your new vault.
Confirming the key change (ETH)
Ethereum allows you to update one of the keys for your vault by editing the smart contract, rather than creating a new vault and moving the funds to it. You will still need to confirm the update with three of the keys from the original set. Smart contract updates are also considered "transactions" in the ETH ecosystem.
If you DO have the old key:
You can sign the update transaction using the same number of keys from the old keyset as you would need to send a transaction.
If you DO NOT have the old key:
You'll have to request a signature from the Casa Recovery Key for the transaction that updates the smart contract code. You will have to answer your security questions or schedule a call to request the signature from the Casa Recovery Key, just like you would for a bitcoin vault. Once the waiting period has expired, you can finalize the transaction, and then begin using your new keys.
