> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://evakage.docs.thesteau.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Accounts and preferences

> Connect your devices and sync selected settings.

## Do I need an account?

| Action | Account needed? |
| - | - |
| Chat or send files to a paired device | No |
| Join a room by invitation | No |
| Create a room | Yes |
| Find your signed-in devices and sync settings | Yes |

Choose **Login** in the header to sign up or sign in. It becomes **Account** after sign-in. There is no password recovery flow.

## Connect your signed-in devices

Online devices signed into the same account discover and connect to each other privately. They appear in **Devices** marked **This is yours**. Choose **Open** beside a device to start a conversation.

Each browser profile keeps its own device identity. Signing in does not merge identities or share device keys. Tabs in the same profile share an identity; if you open several, only the most recently connected tab stays connected to the server.

Connections made through your account require both devices to be online. To leave content for an offline device, pair the devices by private code or QR invitation first. Blocking and **Verified devices only** still apply.

## Settings sync

While signed in, changes to the settings below are saved to your account automatically. The most recent save applies across your devices. Other devices fetch those settings when they load the app or when you open **Settings** or **Account**. Opening either panel applies the changes without reloading the app.

The synced settings are your theme, incoming-file approval, **Verified devices only**, the **Via server** preference, and **Approve who joins my rooms**. A new account starts with the settings of the device that created it. When you sign in on another device, these settings are replaced with the ones saved in your account.

Messages, files, private keys, pairings, trust records, and advertising consent are not synced.

## Sign out or delete an account

**Sign out** clears that browser's chats, received files, and drafts. It disconnects the browser from its peers and rooms. Signing back in does not restore account-chat history from other devices.

To delete an account, open **Account → Delete account** and confirm your password. This removes saved preferences and signs out connected devices.

Files saved outside Evakage and other people's copies remain.

## For server operators

Docker enables accounts by default and keeps the database in the `account-data` volume. Accounts and saved settings survive container replacement; login sessions do not.

To enable accounts when running from source, set `ACCOUNTS_DB=./data/accounts.sqlite` in your shell before running `npm run dev` from `app/`. The [development guide](/development#run-locally) includes commands for Bash and PowerShell. Set `ACCOUNTS_DB=` to disable accounts.

The database contains usernames, salted password hashes, and selected settings. It contains no chat, files, or device private keys.

Behind an HTTPS reverse proxy, set `TRUST_PROXY=1` and preserve the public host header. Follow the instructions for [proxy configuration](/hosting/configuration#https-reverse-proxies) and [account backups](/hosting/deployment#updates-and-backups).


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.