Step 1: Create Your Account

Getting started with ZeroLatch takes less than two minutes. Navigate to the registration page and choose your account type:

Email Registration: Use your email address for full account features including email-based heartbeat confirmations and notification preferences.

Anonymous Registration: For maximum privacy, create an account using only a username and password — no email required. Note that anonymous accounts cannot use email-based heartbeat features.

Your password is your first line of defense. Use a strong, unique password that you haven't used elsewhere. ZeroLatch enforces minimum password requirements: at least 8 characters with a mix of uppercase, lowercase, and numbers.

Step 2: Create Your First Vault

A vault is a container for your protected information. Each vault has its own configuration and recipient list. To create one:

1. Click "Create Vault" on your dashboard
2. Name: Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Family Emergency Info" or "Business Credentials")
3. Check-In Interval: Choose how often you'll confirm you're active. 7 days is a good starting point
4. Recipient Email: Enter the email address of the person who should receive the vault contents when released
5. Message: Write a personal message that will be included in the release notification
6. Password Hint: Optionally, include a hint that will help the recipient remember the decryption password

Remember: the vault name and message are encrypted on the server. Not even ZeroLatch can read them.

Step 3: Upload and Encrypt Your Files

With your vault created, you can now add files:

1. Navigate to your vault's detail page
2. Click "Upload Files"
3. Select the files you want to protect
4. Enter an encryption password — this is the key your recipient will need to decrypt the files. It should be different from your account password.
5. The files are encrypted in your browser using AES-256-GCM before being uploaded

Critical: Remember your encryption password. ZeroLatch uses zero-knowledge encryption, which means we cannot recover your password or decrypt your files. Write it down, store it in a password manager, or communicate it to your recipient through a separate, secure channel.

You can upload multiple files to a single vault. Each file is independently encrypted.

Step 4: Configure Your Heartbeat

Your dead man's switch is now live. Here's how to maintain it:

Check-In Methods: • Dashboard Button: Log in and click the "I'm Alive" button on your dashboard. This resets all your vault timers simultaneously. • Email Link: If you have an email-registered account, you'll receive heartbeat reminder emails with a one-click confirmation link.

What Happens If You Miss a Check-In:

1. Your vaults transition to "Warning" status
2. You receive escalating warning emails (if using an email account)
3. If you still don't check in during the warning period, your vaults are released
4. Recipients receive notification emails with download links
5. Released vaults cannot be un-released

Tip: Set a recurring calendar reminder slightly before your check-in interval. If your interval is 7 days, set a reminder for every 5 days.

Step 5: Test Your Setup

Before relying on your dead man's switch, verify everything works:

1. Verify Recipient Email: Make sure the recipient email address is correct. There's no way to change it after release.
2. Test Decryption: If possible, share a test file and password with your recipient to confirm they can successfully decrypt.
3. Confirm Heartbeat: Check in at least once to verify the heartbeat mechanism works from your preferred device.
4. Review Emergency Kit: ZeroLatch provides an Emergency Kit with your vault information. Store it securely.

Your dead man's switch is only as reliable as your setup. Taking 10 minutes to verify everything now could save your loved ones hours of confusion later.