Locking and Unlocking Your Data

Sometimes you're giving a presentation or sharing your computer, and you don't want your private notes appearing on screen. Or you're sharing an AI session and want to make sure your People Work data doesn't become part of that conversation.

Before your presentation, lock the app. Before sharing an AI session, lock the terminal/MCP client your agent uses. These are separate clients, even when they run on the same computer, so lock both if you're sharing both.

The first time you lock a client, you'll create a passphrase to unlock it again. Have your password manager ready so you can save it somewhere safe.

Lock the Terminal/MCP Client

On your computer, open a terminal and run:

people auth lock

This locks the client your agent uses through the terminal or local MCP server. Locking the native app on the same computer does not lock this client.

Locking blocks further access; it does not remove information already in an AI conversation.

Finish Locking

Your private key passphrase unlocks this client. It is different from your recovery key, which restores access when you no longer have an approved client you can use. Save them as separate entries in your password manager so you know which one to use.

• If this is your first lock, enter a new passphrase and confirm it. Save it in your password manager.
• If you have locked this client before, enter its current passphrase.

Choose Lock and wait for the passphrase screen to appear.

People Work checks the passphrase before locking. Locking leaves the client in your encryption ring and does not lock your other clients or delete your workspace.

Unlock Your Client

People Work App

1. Open the locked People Work app.
2. Enter the passphrase you saved for that client.
3. Choose Unlock.

Terminal/MCP Client

For the terminal/MCP client, run this command and enter the passphrase yourself:

people auth unlock

Your agent cannot enter the passphrase for you. To remove the agent's connection entirely, follow Your Data, Your Tools.

If You Forget Your Passphrase

Check your password manager first. We cannot retrieve your passphrase or unlock that client for you.

• If another approved client is available, continue there. You can revoke the inaccessible client from your account settings.
• If you have no usable approved client, set up a new client and recover your workspace with your email and recovery key.

Recovery revokes the previous clients and gives you a replacement recovery key. Save the new key before continuing.