---
title: "Backup neomutt passwords"
date: 2026-02-04T02:25:48-03:00
tags: ['neomutt']
---
Short answer: **`pass` stores everything in `~/.password-store/`**, encrypted with **GPG**.
If you don’t copy your **GPG key**, the passwords will be useless after reinstall.

Here’s the full, no-BS explanation 👇

---

## Where `pass` saves passwords

`pass` is just a fancy wrapper around:

```
~/.password-store/
```

Inside that directory you’ll see files like:

```
email/gmail.gpg
email/protonmail.gpg
mutt/imap.gpg
```

Each file is **GPG-encrypted**.
So copying only the files is **not enough**.

---

## The CRITICAL part: your GPG key 🔐

`pass` encrypts using **your GPG private key**, usually stored in:

```
~/.gnupg/
```

If you reinstall Arch **without** this key, `pass` will say:

> decryption failed: No secret key

So you MUST back up **both**:

1. `~/.password-store/`
2. your **GPG private key**

---

## How to back it up properly (recommended way)

### 1. Export your GPG keys

List your key first:

```bash
gpg --list-secret-keys --keyid-format=long
```

You’ll see something like:

```
sec   rsa4096/ABCDEF1234567890
```

Export it:

```bash
gpg --export-secret-keys ABCDEF1234567890 > privatekey.gpg
gpg --export ABCDEF1234567890 > publickey.gpg
```

⚠️ **Keep `privatekey.gpg` secret** (USB, encrypted drive, etc.)

---

### 2. Copy the password store

```bash
cp -r ~/.password-store ~/password-store-backup
```

(Optional but smart)

```bash
tar czvf pass-backup.tar.gz ~/.password-store privatekey.gpg publickey.gpg
```

---

## After reinstalling Arch 🧼

### 1. Restore files

```bash
cp -r password-store-backup ~/.password-store
```

### 2. Import GPG key

```bash
gpg --import privatekey.gpg
gpg --import publickey.gpg
```

### 3. Trust the key

```bash
gpg --edit-key YOURKEYID
trust
5
quit
```

### 4. Test

```bash
pass ls
pass show email/gmail
```

If it decrypts → you’re golden 💪

---

## Luke Smith / mutt-wizard specific note

`mutt-wizard` uses `pass` **directly**, usually paths like:

```
pass email/accountname
pass mutt/accountname
```

So restoring `pass` = restoring mutt, isync, msmtp, etc.
No re-entering passwords. No pain.

---

## TL;DR (important)

✅ Copy `~/.password-store/`
✅ Export and keep your **GPG private key**
❌ Don’t reinstall without it
💀 Otherwise passwords are gone forever

