Private Vault
Who this is for: anyone storing personal files or notes in Buzzio’s encrypted locker (separate from chat backup and Premium).
What it is
Private Vault is an optional personal encrypted file locker inside the app. Files, thumbnails, filenames, captions, and other display metadata are encrypted on your device before upload.
Vault uses a separate high-custody key system Backup does not. At setup, you choose a 64-character Vault recovery key or a 24-word Vault Master Phrase (not your account login phrase). New Vaults are not locked with the account 12-word phrase.
Each uploaded file uses a random file key. That file key and readable metadata are protected by your chosen Vault wrap key. Buzzio stores ciphertext and cannot derive the key from your Buzzio ID.
Older Vaults that were locked with account seed wrap before this change can still unlock on a signed-in device when the phrase-derived wrap still matches.
It is not interchangeable with:
| Product | Difference |
|---|---|
| Encrypted cloud backup | Restores chat / account history — Account and backup |
| Buzzio Premium | Subscription perks / create limits / Saved Messages write — Premium and quotas |
| Saved Messages | Keep-forever encrypted personal thread (200 MB media) — Saved Messages |
| Rocket Drop / Transfer | Large file send fuel in chats |
How to use
- Open Vault from the app (profile / tools entry as shipped).
- Choose how to lock it: a 64-character Vault recovery key or a 24-word Vault Master Phrase. Store it offline.
- Upload files or notes; unlock locally to read, star, or organize.
- Upgrade plan from the Vault plans sheet when you need more quota.
Losing the key or phrase you chose + every device that can still unlock the Vault ⇒ permanent lockout of Vault contents. This is intentional for the non-custodial design.
Plans and quotas
In-app labels (store listings are authoritative for price):
| Plan | Quota | Listed price (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 20 MB | $0 |
| Standard | 25 GB | $3.99 / month · $46.99 / year |
| Pro | 50 GB | $5.99 / month · $70.99 / year |
| Elite | 100 GB | $9.99 / month · $119.00 / year |
Cancel in Google Play or Apple Subscriptions. After a paid plan expires, Vault files are kept about 60 days. During that window you can still open, download, share, and delete files, but uploads are paused. Files are then permanently deleted from Buzzio servers if you do not renew. Choosing a smaller plan is blocked until vault usage fits that plan’s quota.
Privacy strip
| Claim | Reality |
|---|---|
| Staff can unlock Vault | No without your Vault recovery key / Vault Master Phrase (or legacy account-phrase wrap on an older Vault) |
| Buzzio receives the Vault key or phrase | No — encryption and unlock happen on your device |
| Vault and backup reuse one key | No — separate products and key systems |
| Content sold / ads | No |
| Same as sealed chat E2EE transcript | Vault is a storage product, not a sealed conversation |
| Same SKU as chat backup | No — separate product |
Limits and troubleshooting
| Symptom | Try |
|---|---|
| Upload blocked | Quota full — free up space or upgrade |
| Cannot unlock | Wrong recovery key; Buzzio cannot reset it |
| Files gone after plan lapsed | Past the post-expiry retention window — not recoverable by staff |
Troubleshooting · Premium and quotas