TeamViewer offers the possibility to activate Account Recovery based on the zero-trust principle.
This is a major security enhancement for your TeamViewer account and a unique offering on the market.
This article applies to all users.
What is Zero Knowledge Account Recovery
In cases where you cannot remember your TeamViewer Account credentials, you click on I forgot my password, which triggers an email with a clickable link that leads you to the option of resetting your password.
The regular reset process leads you to a page where you can set a new password for your account.
The Zero Knowledge Account Recovery acts as another layer of security for this process as the reset process requires you to enter the unique 64 characters Zero Knowledge Account Recovery Code for your account to prove your identity. Important to note is that this happens without any intervention and knowledge of the TeamViewer infrastructure.
Activate Zero Knowledge Account Recovery
To activate Zero Knowledge Account Recovery please follow the steps below:
1. Log in with your TeamViewer account at login.teamviewer.com.
2. Click Edit profile under your profile name (upper right corner).
3. Go to Security in the left menu
4. Click the Activate Zero knowledge account recovery button
📌 Note: The password recovery code is a unique 64 characters code that allows you to regain access if you forgot your password. It is absolutely essential that you print/download your recovery code and keep this in a secure place.
🚨 IMPORTANT: Without the recovery code you won't be able to recover your account. Access to your account will be irreversibly lost. The data is encrypted with the key and you are the only owner of this key. TeamViewer has no access to it.
5. A PopUp window appears sharing the above information. Click on Generate Recovery Code to proceed.
6. The Recovery Code is shown. You have to download or print the code as well as you tick the check box confirming that you acknowledge and understand that if you lose your zero knowledge account recovery code, you won't be able to recover your password and you will lose access to your account forever
🚨 Do not tick the box unless you understand the meaning.
7. Once you either downloaded or printed the recovery code and ticked the acknowledge box, you can activate the Zero knowledge account recovery by clicking Activate.
Deactivate Zero Knowledge Account Recovery
To deactivate Zero Knowledge Account Recovery please follow the steps below:
1. Log in with your TeamViewer account at login.teamviewer.com.
2. Click Edit profile under your profile name (upper right corner).
3. Go to Security in the left menu
4. Click the Deactivate Zero knowledge account recovery button
5. A PopUp appears. You have to tick the check box confirming that you acknowledge and understand that if you will be deactivating your zero knowledge account recovery
6. Click Deactivate to deactivate the Zero Knowledge Account recovery for your TeamViewer Account.
Reset your password
To reset your password for your TeamViewer account, please follow the steps below: (More info here: Reset account password)
1. Go to https://login.teamviewer.com/LogOn#lost-password
2. Type in your email to the form, confirm you´re not a robot and click Change password
3. You´ll get the following notification:
4. Check your email inbox for an email from TeamViewer and click the button within the email
5. You´ll get to a page where you are asked to fill in your Zero Knowledge Account Recovery Code and a new password:
6. Confirm the chosen password by inserting it again and finish the process by clicking OK