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What is an Emergency Exit Kit and how does it work?

Updated
The Emergency Exit Kit is a narrowly scoped, last-resort tool that gives you a way to move your funds to another wallet if Block and the Bitkey app are no longer available or functional.
Unlike recovery methods, which help you replace or restore a lost key, the Emergency Exit Kit does not support key recovery. It is not a backup, and it’s not a replacement for the full-featured Bitkey app. It simply allows you to use your two existing keys — your App Key and your Hardware Key — to access and move your funds in the event that Bitkey is no longer operational.

When would I use the Emergency Exit Kit?

The Emergency Exit Kit is only intended to be used to move your funds to another wallet in extreme situations — specifically, when:
  • You still have both of your keys (Mobile and Hardware)
  • The Bitkey app is no longer available (e.g., removed from app stores)
  • Block is no longer operational or able to support Bitkey
  • You need to act independently of Block or Bitkey infrastructure to move your funds

When is the Emergency Exit Kit created?

  • The Emergency Exit Kit is automatically created when you set up your Bitkey wallet
  • If you later go through a Delay + Notify recovery, which generates a new keyset, your Emergency Exit Kit is automatically updated to reflect your new keys
  • The kit is stored as a PDF in your personal cloud account

What does the Emergency Exit Kit involve?

When you set up your Bitkey wallet, a copy of your App Key is encrypted using your Bitkey hardware and saved to your cloud account as part of your Emergency Exit Kit. The kit itself is stored as a PDF file and includes step-by-step instructions along with a reference to a standalone utility tool hosted on GitHub. This tool allows you to complete the exit process without connecting to Block servers.

To use the kit, you’ll need:
  • An Android device with NFC
  • Internet access (Wi-Fi or mobile data)
  • Your Bitkey hardware device
  • Your Emergency Exit Kit PDF from your cloud account

The utility tool must be sideloaded onto your Android device and runs independently — it does not connect to Block or Bitkey servers. This ensures you can access and move your funds even if the Block or Bitkey infrastructure is no longer available.

🔐 Why this is secure:
The PDF version of your Emergency Exit Kit contains an encrypted copy of your App Key that can only be decrypted using your Bitkey hardware device.
Even if someone were to gain access to the PDF — including a hacker or your cloud provider — it would be useless without the hardware.

A high-level overview of how it works:

  1. Retrieve your Emergency Exit Kit PDF from your cloud storage
  2. Sideload the utility version of the app from GitHub onto an Android device. This app version places you immediately in Emergency Exit Mode
    Sideloading means manually installing the app outside of the Play Store
  3. Verify the app using instructions in the kit to ensure it hasn’t been tampered with
  4. Use your Bitkey hardware to decrypt the App Key from the PDF
  5. Move your funds from your Bitkey wallet to another wallet of your choice
⚠️ This version of the app never connects to Block or Bitkey servers — you are fully self-sovereign in this flow.

iOS is not supported

Due to Apple’s restrictions, the Emergency Exit Kit cannot be used on iOS devices.
However, if you originally used Bitkey on iOS, you can still retrieve your Emergency Exit Kit from iCloud and complete the process using an Android phone with NFC.

The Emergency Exit Kit is not meant for everyday use. It’s a purpose-built tool to help you retain control of your bitcoin in a worst-case scenario — when Bitkey is no longer available, and you still hold both keys needed to move your funds.

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