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Someone sent me a .bge file. How do I open it?
Install DotBGE on a supported device, then open the
.bge file from your file manager, mail app, or system share sheet. If the file was locked to your identity, authenticate with your device biometrics or credential. If it used a password, enter the password the sender gave you. Decrypting and previewing are always free.I forgot my password. Can you recover the file?
No — and that's by design. DotBGE never sees your passwords or files, so there is no backdoor and no reset. If you forget the password used to encrypt a file in password mode, the file cannot be decrypted. Keep your passwords somewhere safe, like a password manager.
I lost my private key / got a new phone. Can I still open my files?
Files encrypted to an identity can only be opened with that identity's private key. Restore an encrypted identity backup on Android or Apple devices; Apple users may also have enabled iCloud Keychain. If no usable copy or backup of the key remains, identity-locked files cannot be recovered. We strongly recommend exporting an encrypted backup of every important identity.
Does my data go to your servers?
No. DotBGE has no account system and does not operate servers that receive your files, keys, contacts, or usage history. Encryption and decryption happen on your device. Optional Apple-platform sync uses your own private iCloud, managed by Apple — it never passes through us. Store purchases are processed by Apple or Google. See the Privacy Policy.
What's free, and what needs Pro?
Free forever: decrypting and previewing any
.bge file, encrypting single files or messages in identity or password mode, one identity, and a vault of up to 3 files. Pro adds batch encryption, folder & structured encryption, an unlimited vault, and multiple identities.Should I buy Pro once or subscribe?
We recommend the one-time lifetime purchase ($24.99) — pay once, keep Pro forever, no renewals. A monthly subscription ($3.99) is available if you'd rather a lower upfront cost. Both unlock the same features.
I already paid. How do I restore Pro on a new device?
Open Settings → BGE Pro → Restore Purchases in the app, signed in with the same Apple ID or Google Play account you purchased with. Refunds are handled by the store where you purchased Pro.
Can I sync my vault across devices?
On Apple platforms, turn on Settings → iCloud Sync to sync your encrypted vault, identities, and contacts through your private iCloud container. It's off by default, and you can turn it off or erase the iCloud copy any time. Android cloud sync is not currently available; use encrypted identity backups when moving an identity between devices.
What encryption does DotBGE use?
Identity mode uses RSA-4096-OAEP to wrap a per-file AES-256-GCM key. Password mode derives the key from your passphrase with PBKDF2-SHA512. The container is the open .bge format (v3) — standard algorithms, fully documented.
Which platforms are supported?
iPhone and iPad (available now on the App Store), Android (available now on Google Play), plus a command-line tool,
bge, available now for macOS and Linux. A macOS menu-bar app is in development, and because the format is open, third-party clients are possible too. A .bge file made on one platform opens on every other.Is there a command-line tool or a Linux version?
Yes —
bge encrypts and decrypts .bge files from your terminal, on macOS and Linux. Install it on macOS with Homebrew (brew install --cask dotbge/tap/bge) or download a build from github.com/dotbge/bge-cli. It's scriptable and can be driven by Claude Code and other AI agents. Files and identity cards round-trip with the iPhone, iPad, and Android apps.