How to configure a duress profile that silently alerts your guardians

A duress profile in Vaultr is a special vault slot that acts as a silent alarm. When you unlock it, the app behaves exactly like a normal profile, but in the background Vaultr logs an invisible alert and notifies your nominated guardians that you may be under coercion.

What is a duress profile?

Each Vaultr account can hold up to 16 vault slots, each protected by its own password. A duress slot is one of these slots, configured specifically for high‑risk situations where someone is forcing you to open your wallet.

When you unlock a duress slot:

1. Vaultr returns a perfectly normal success response – the app opens as if it were a regular profile.
2. A silent, invisible alert is logged on Vaultr’s side.
3. A fire‑and‑forget notification is sent to your nominated guardians.

There is no banner, no sound, and no error. To anyone watching, it looks like you simply unlocked a normal vault slot.

How does it stay undetectable?

Duress slots are designed so a coercer cannot tell they’ve been triggered:

• The server always reports every slot’s type as “normal”. It never reveals whether a slot is duress, decoy, or destruct.
• The unlock experience is identical to a normal profile: no extra dialogs, no visible alerts, no delays, and no audible cues.
• The guardian notification is fire‑and‑forget – it’s dispatched in the background while the app continues as usual.

This combination makes the duress slot a true silent alarm: it calls for help without leaving any visible trace on screen.

How to configure a duress profile

Follow these steps to set up a duress slot:

1. Unlock your normal profile
   • Sign in to Vaultr using your everyday vault password.
2. Open the slot manager
   • Go to your vault management or slot manager section, where you can see and configure your up to 16 vault slots.
3. Add a new vault slot
   • Choose to create or add a new slot.
4. Choose the duress slot type
   • When prompted for the slot type, select duress.
5. Set a dedicated duress password
   • Create a password used only for duress situations.
   • Make sure it is distinct from your real and any decoy passwords.
   • This is the password you will deliberately enter when you are under threat.
6. Nominate your guardians
   • Select trusted contacts who will receive the silent alert.
   • Choose people who:
     • Will treat the alert as serious and act quickly.
     • Are reachable and likely to see notifications promptly.
     • Understand how to respond (for example, checking on you or contacting authorities).
7. Confirm and save
   • Review your settings and save the new duress slot.
   • Memorize the duress password so you can enter it naturally and quickly under pressure.

You can configure or review your duress setup in the Vaultr vault.

When should you use the duress password?

Use your duress password when you are being forced to open your wallet and want help dispatched without alerting the coercer.

• Enter the duress password instead of your normal one.
• The wallet will open normally, showing a believable profile.
• In the background, your guardians are silently notified.

Because the response is indistinguishable from a normal unlock, you don’t need to stall, act nervous, or explain anything unusual.