"Wrong Recovery Key"

[thrust26]

Steps to reproduce

First: I have very little clue of these things, I only want to use them.

After using app.gitter.im in my browser for many years, I want to use Element X on my Android phone now. Since I did not find my recovery key, I created a new one in my browser with "Sicherung zurücksetzen" (reset backup or so).

Then I installed Element X. I cannot use QR-Code, because its in not supported in the browser. So I use manual login and it asks me for my recovery key ("Wiederherstellungsschlüssel" in German). So I copied and pasted the new created key.

Outcome

The new key is not accepted: "Falscher Wiederherstellungsschlüssel" (wrong recovery key). I tried multiple times, always the same result.

What did you expect?

login sucessful

What happened instead?

no login possible

Your phone model

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G

Operating system version

Android 14

Application version and app store

25.04.2

Homeserver

???

Will you send logs?

How?

Are you willing to provide a PR?

No

[thrust26]

Update: I also tried switching the homeserver (BTW: two different wordings in German "Kontoanbieter" and "Heimserver", which is pretty confusing) to gitter.im, but that cannot be found.

[escix]

Did you try to use "verify using another device option" ?

So far this is the only option I found to be most robust.

Also: 18361

[thrust26]

I tried, but my browser doesn't react. AFAIK I should be prompted for verification, right?

I also tried to install Element X on an old phone and use the QR-code of my new phone (from Element). Hoping that my old phone could then verify Element X on my new one. But the QR-code is "wrong". I suppose the root problem is the same.

[escix]

Are you using element-web in android phone or pc?

Can you run through the process in detail?

[thrust26]

Are you using element-web in android phone or pc?

PC.

Can you run through the process in detail?

I tried to describe above. What did I miss?

[escix]

Are you using element-web in android phone or pc?

PC.

Can you run through the process in detail?

I tried to describe above. What did I miss?

Not sure why you used two phones.

So in PC element-web you select link new device from profile picture which will show the QR Code.
And in android phone you select Login by QRCode and scanned the above QRCode in PC?

[thrust26]

Not sure why you used two phones.

I was desparate and hoped I would be able to verify X with the 2nd phone.

So in PC element-web you select link new device from profile picture which will show the QR Code.
And in android phone you select Login by QRCode and scanned the above QRCode in PC?

Which translates into "QR-Code not supported, your home server (I suppose) doesn't support login on a new device via QR-Code". That was the first thing I tried.

[escix]

OK, then QR code is not an option here.

Lets try Verify with another device again.

When you select Verify with another device in android it will jump to another screen which I think you will need to click verify option again, then only it will trigger the verification in the browser. And again in the browser you will have to click verify and again 'Startr Veification" to display the emojis.

Not sure why you used two phones.

I was desparate and hoped I would be able to verify X with the 2nd phone.

So in PC element-web you select link new device from profile picture which will show the QR Code.
And in android phone you select Login by QRCode and scanned the above QRCode in PC?

Which translates into "QR-Code not supported, your home server (I suppose) doesn't support login on a new device via QR-Code". That was the first thing I tried.

[escix]

Also before doing anything, I would highly recommend to export the room keys from element-web.

If you ever logout from your element-web, this is the only way you can recover the UTD if the recovery key didn't recover all your messages.

Unfortunately, the room keys are not yet supported on element-x

[thrust26]

The problem is, I have no other device besides my PC and my mobile.

• My PC doesn't react when I try to verify from my mobile.
• And I cannot use the QR-code of Element on my mobile for Element X on my mobile ("wrong QR-code" again).

[escix]

If you are using element-web now you can also install element-desktop on the pc and give another try.

As I said above, please make sure you are exporting the room keys first (profile picture -> All settings -> Security and Privacy or Encryption) to avoid losing messages as you have only one signed in device.

[thrust26]

I installed the desktop version and verified it using QR-Code with my mobile and the old Element app. But Element-Desktop also does not support QR-code. And it also doesn't react to a verification request from my mobile. 😒

This only seems to work into the opposite direction. Which seems to make it impossible to verify the Android Element X app.

I think the root problem is, that Element X cannot connect the home server gitter.im. I would contact/report a bug to "my home server admin" there. But I cannot find any link for doing that. Or maybe Element X is not able to connect to gitter.im and that's the problem.😕 This is utterly frustrating.

[escix]

OK I will try to explain a bit more; hope this makes sense:

1. Element QR Code can be used only if the homeserver supports it, so if the homeserver does not support it then no client will support this feature. So our only option is to use "Verify using another device"
2. I am really surprised the verification not kicking in. To troubleshoot this can you confirm the following:
   a. When you sign in with elementX you changed the "provider" to match the homeserver. For eg. if you click on the profile picture in element-desktop it will say something like @thrust26:gitter.im Then the provider is gitter.im. Then you login with the username thrust26 and password.
   b. What is the elementX version. You can find this when you click on the profile picture and at the bottom.

[thrust26]

a. When you sign in with elementX you changed the "provider" to match the homeserver. For eg. if you click on the profile picture in element-desktop it will say something like @thrust26:gitter.im Then the provider is gitter.im.

Almost correct so far: @thrust26-598a2bcbd73408ce4f70979b:gitter.im

Then you login with the username thrust26 and password.

Nope. I don't get that far because the home server is not found.

b. What is the elementX version. You can find this when you click on the profile picture and at the bottom.

I cannot click on profile, because I cannot log in. But the version is 25.04.2

BTW: Just checked the (partially terrible) reviews at Playstore. Looks like the app is unable to connect to private home servers. But is gitter.im a private home server?