Frequently Asked Questions

These are your two keys that work together:

npub (public key) = Your username

• Starts with: npub1...
• SAFE TO SHARE 🟢
• This is your public identity on Nostr
• Share it everywhere you want people to find you

nsec (private key) = Your password

• Starts with: nsec1...
• NEVER SHARE 🔴
• This proves you own your npub
• Anyone with this can post as you
• Lose it = lose your account forever

Simple rule: If it starts with “npub”, share it. If it starts with “nsec”, guard it like your life depends on it.

Learn more: Keys & Security →

No. There is no recovery.

Nostr has no:

• “Forgot password” button
• Customer support
• Admin who can reset accounts
• Account recovery process

This is by design. Nostr is decentralized, which means there’s no central authority to ask for help.

What you can do:

1. Prevention: Back up your nsec in 3+ places (follow the 3-2-1 rule)
2. Mitigation: Create a new key pair and tell your followers about your new account
3. NIP-05: If you have a NIP-05 identifier, you can redirect it to your new npub

Real talk: People lose access to accounts every day. Don’t be one of them. Back up your keys NOW.

Learn more: The 3-2-1 Backup Rule →

Those “long strings” are cryptographic keys. Here’s why they look like gibberish:

256-bit security: The number of possible keys is 77 digits long, roughly in the same league as the count of atoms in the observable universe. Nobody guesses their way to one.

One-way math: You can’t figure out the private key from the public key. It’s mathematically impossible.

No central database: Unlike Twitter or Facebook, there’s no company storing “username: password” pairs. Your keys ARE your identity.

Why not something simpler?

• Simple passwords get hacked
• Centralized databases get breached
• Your identity needs to be truly yours, and that requires serious cryptography

The good news: You don’t type these often. Most clients store them securely. You just need to back them up safely.

Learn more: Understanding Keys →

A NIP-05 identifier is like a human-readable username for Nostr.

Without NIP-05: You’re identified by your npub

• npub1qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

With NIP-05: You’re identified by something readable

• you@example.com or you@nostrplebs.com

Benefits:

• Easy to remember and share
• Looks more professional
• Can be checked automatically (the owner of the domain vouches that this name points to your key, which counts for most when the domain is your own)
• Some clients prioritize NIP-05 users in search

Do you need one?

• Not required. You can use Nostr perfectly fine without it
• Recommended if you’re serious about Nostr
• Essential if you’re building a brand or public presence

How to get one:

1. Buy from providers (nostrplebs.com, nostrcheck.me) - $5-15/year
2. Set up your own domain (if you own one) - Free
3. Free options from some services

Learn more: Get a NIP-05 →

There are dozens of Nostr clients, each with different strengths. Here’s a quick guide:

For Beginners (Start Here):

• Iris (Web) - Works on any device, no install needed, simple interface
• Primal (Web/iOS/Android) - Beautiful design, easy discovery features
• Damus (iOS) - Clean, simple, great for iPhone users

For Power Users:

• Amethyst (Android) - Highly customizable, feature-rich
• Coracle (Web) - Fast, minimal, keyboard shortcuts
• Snort (Web) - Great performance, active development

Specialized Clients:

• YakiHonne (Web/iOS/Android) - long-form articles, for writing pieces rather than short posts
• 0xchat - built around encrypted private messaging
• noStrudel (Web) - a sandbox for the protocol itself; it shows you the raw events behind every post

How to choose:

1. Pick by platform (iOS, Android, Web, Desktop)
2. Try 2-3 that appeal to you
3. Use the one that feels right
4. Remember: You can switch anytime!

Pro tip: Start with Iris or Primal. They work everywhere and are beginner-friendly.

Pick a client →

Yes! This is the magic of Nostr.

Your identity (keys) works across all clients. When you switch:

What comes with you:

• ✓ Your identity (same npub)
• ✓ Your followers (they follow your npub, not the app)
• ✓ Your posts (stored on relays, not in the app)
• ✓ Your profile information
• ✓ Your follows list

What might not transfer:

• ✗ App-specific settings (themes, preferences)
• ✗ Draft posts (if not published)
• ✗ Local bookmarks (depends on implementation)

How to switch:

1. Get your nsec out of your current client, or take it from your backup
2. Install the new client
3. Log in. How you do this matters: in a web client, use a signer browser extension (Alby, nos2x) so the website never receives your nsec at all. On Android, a signer app like Amber does the same job. Type the nsec straight into an app only when it is an installed app you trust and it offers no signer option
4. Wait a moment for data to sync from relays
5. You’re back in business!

This is why Nostr is powerful: you’re never trapped in one app.

Learn more: Keys & Security →

No! One account works everywhere.

Unlike traditional social media where Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are completely separate, Nostr uses one identity across all apps.

How it works:

• Your keys (npub/nsec) ARE your account
• These keys work on every Nostr client
• You log in with the same keys everywhere

Example:

• Create keys once
• Use them on Damus (iOS app)
• Use them on Iris (web app)
• Use them on Amethyst (Android app)
• Same followers, same posts, same identity

Think of it like email:

• You have one email address
• You can check it in Gmail, Apple Mail, or Outlook
• Same emails everywhere
• Nostr works the same way

That portability is one of Nostr’s superpowers.

Relays are the post offices of Nostr.

They store and forward your messages. Here’s the simple version:

What relays do:

• Store your posts
• Share posts with others
• Deliver messages to your followers
• Keep your data available

Why you choose them: Nostr is decentralized. There is no central server, so you pick which post offices to use. Different relays have different:

• Speed
• Reliability
• Content policies
• Cost (some free, some paid)

How many do I need?

• Minimum: 3-5 reliable relays
• Sweet spot: 5-10 quality relays
• Maximum: More isn’t always better

Popular free relays:

• wss://relay.damus.io
• wss://nos.lol
• wss://relay.snort.social

Don’t overthink it: Most clients auto-connect to good relays. You can always adjust later.

Learn more: Relay Guide →

Not automatically. This confuses many beginners.

How it actually works:

1. You post to Relay A
2. Only people connected to Relay A see it immediately
3. If your followers are on Relay B, they won’t see it… yet

But here’s the good news:

• Most clients publish every post to all your relays at once, not just one
• Relays never copy posts to each other, but the people who reply to you or repost you push your note out to their relays as well
• Anyone can add the relays you post to

How to maximize reach:

1. Connect to popular relays (more people see your posts)
2. Publish a relay list, so other people’s apps know where to come looking for your posts. This is NIP-65, the outbox model [ADVANCED]
3. Cross-post to multiple relays

The trade-off:

• More relays = wider reach
• More relays = more data usage
• Find your balance

Bottom line: Start with the default relays. As you grow, you can optimize.

Learn more: The Outbox Model →

The #1 beginner issue! Here’s why and how to fix it:

Why it’s empty:

1. No relays connected - You need to connect to servers that store posts
2. Not following anyone - Your feed only shows people you follow
3. New account - Takes time to discover and sync content

Quick Fix (2 minutes):

1. Add popular relays:

   • Go to Settings → Relays
   • Add these:
     • wss://relay.damus.io
     • wss://nos.lol

2. Find people to follow:

   • Search for topics you like (#bitcoin, #photography)
   • Check “Suggested Users” in your client
   • Look at who popular accounts follow
   • Post: “New here, who should I follow?”

3. Wait 30-60 seconds for content to load

Still empty?

• Check your internet connection
• Try a different client
• Some relays might be down (try others)
• Clear cache/restart the app

Use our Troubleshooting Guide →

Start with these reliable, free relays:

Essential (Add These First):

wss://relay.damus.io          (Most popular, very reliable)
wss://nos.lol                 (Fast, well-maintained)

Recommended Extras:

wss://relay.snort.social      (Popular, good uptime)
wss://relay.primal.net        (Fast, widely connected)
wss://nostr.mom               (Reliable, lightly filtered)

How to choose:

• Start with 3-5 from the list above
• Add more if you want more content diversity
• Remove slow or unreliable ones
• Pay attention to which ones work best for you

[ADVANCED] Specialized relays:

• Some focus on specific topics (Bitcoin, nostr development)
• Some require payment before they will accept your posts. nostr.wine, for instance, charges a one-time admission fee of 18,888 sats, so don’t add it expecting a free relay
• Some are regional (better for local content)

Pro tip: Don’t add too many. 5-10 quality relays is better than 50 random ones.

Learn more: Relay Guide →

Finding your community is the key to enjoying Nostr. Here’s how:

Method 1: Search Topics

• Search hashtags: #bitcoin, #photography, #music, #nostr
• Find people posting about things you love
• Follow the interesting ones

Method 2: Suggested Users

• Most clients have “Suggested” or “Discover” sections
• Start with popular, active accounts
• Check their recent posts before following

Method 3: Follow the Followers

• Find one person you like
• See who they follow
• Follow people with good taste

Method 4: Engage Publicly

• Post: “New to Nostr, who should I follow?”
• Use hashtags relevant to your interests
• Reply to posts you find interesting
• People will find you

Method 5: Import from Twitter [ADVANCED]

• Some tools let you find Nostr users you follow on Twitter
• Search for “nostr twitter bridge”

Quality over quantity: Follow 20-30 interesting people rather than 1,000 random accounts. Your feed will be much better.

Zaps are Bitcoin tips sent over the Lightning Network.

Think of them as “likes with value”, a way to support creators you enjoy.

How zaps work:

1. Someone enjoys your post
2. They “zap” you (send Bitcoin)
3. You receive satoshis (tiny Bitcoin amounts)
4. Instant, low-fee, global

Why they’re cool:

• Support creators directly
• No platform takes a cut
• Instant and global
• Creates positive feedback loops
• Fun way to engage

How to receive zaps:

1. Get a Lightning wallet:

   • Your client’s built-in wallet, e.g. Primal (easiest)
   • Coinos (hosted web wallet)
   • Phoenix (mobile, more control)

2. Add to your profile:

   • Go to profile settings
   • Add Lightning Address (looks like: you@coinos.io)
   • Or add LNURL

3. Tell people:

   • Post about it
   • “Zaps welcome! ⚡”

How to send zaps:

• Look for the ⚡ button on posts
• Choose amount (can be tiny, like 10 satoshis)
• Confirm in your wallet
• Done!

Learn more: Zaps Guide →

This usually happens for one of three reasons:

Reason 1: Relay Issues

• Your posts are stored on relays
• If a relay goes down, posts may disappear temporarily
• Fix: Connect to multiple relays

Reason 2: New Client/Data Sync

• When you log into a new client, it takes time to fetch old posts
• Some clients only fetch recent history initially
• Fix: Wait a few minutes, or manually refresh

Reason 3: Client Cache

• Some clients cache data locally
• If cache clears, they need to refetch
• Fix: Pull to refresh, or restart the app

How to prevent this:

1. Use multiple relays - Don’t rely on just one
2. Post to reliable relays - They have better uptime
3. [ADVANCED] Use a backup service - Some services archive your posts
4. Export your data periodically - Save your content locally

Important note: Even if you can’t see old posts, they might still exist on relays. Try:

• Different clients
• Different relays
• Nostr explorers (njump.me, nostr.band)

Data permanence in Nostr:

• Posts can persist on relays indefinitely
• But relays can also delete old data
• Nothing is truly “permanent” unless you back it up

Learn more: Keys & Security Guide →

Usually relay connectivity issues. Messages may not deliver if: recipient is offline, relays are down, or you’re not connected to the same relays. Check your relay connections, try adding more relays, or wait for propagation. Use multiple relays for redundancy.

Common causes:

• Recipient’s relays are offline or slow
• You’re not connected to overlapping relays
• Network connectivity issues
• Relay rate limiting

Solutions:

1. Check relay status in your client settings
2. Add 2-3 additional popular relays
3. Wait 5-10 minutes for network propagation
4. Re-post if necessary

Nostr has no identity verification, only clues you weigh up. A NIP-05 name (alice@domain.com) with a checkmark beside it means exactly one thing: whoever runs domain.com says that name belongs to that key. That is worth a lot when the domain is the person’s own site or their employer’s. It is worth close to nothing when the name came from a public NIP-05 provider, because anyone can buy famousname@ from those. So read the domain, not the checkmark. Then cross-reference the npub somewhere you already trust the person, and for anything that matters, ask them on another channel.

Verification methods:

1. NIP-05 identifier - Look at which domain the name sits on, not just at the checkmark
2. Cross-platform check - Find the same npub on their own site, their bio elsewhere, their newsletter
3. External confirmation - Ask them somewhere you already know it is them
4. Web of trust - See if people you trust follow them

If one relay deletes your content, it still exists on other relays you’re connected to. However, new users on that specific relay won’t see historical posts. This is why using multiple relays is recommended - your data is distributed, not centralized. You can always re-post to new relays.

How deletion works:

• ❌ Deleted from one relay ≠ deleted everywhere
• ✅ Content remains on other relays you’re connected to
• ✅ Your client can re-broadcast your notes to new relays
• ⚠️ New users on the deleting relay won’t see old posts

Nostr posts are immutable - they cannot be edited after posting. You can post a correction or follow-up note. For deletion, you can send a deletion request, but relays may or may not honor it. Think before you post - permanence is a feature of the protocol.

The reality:

• No editing - Post a correction instead
• Deletion requests - Sent but not guaranteed
• Relay discretion - Each relay decides whether to honor deletion requests
• Assume permanence - Always post with this mindset

Each client connects to different default relays. Your feed depends on which relays you’re connected to and who you follow. If Relay A has different users than Relay B, you’ll see different content. This is normal - add more relays or follow more people to see consistent content across clients.

Why feeds differ:

• Default relay lists vary by client
• Different relay connectivity = different content
• Sync timing varies between clients
• Personal relay settings affect visibility

Solution for consistency:

1. Use the same relays across clients
2. Import your relay list when switching
3. Follow more people to increase overlap
4. Allow time for initial sync

Your nsec is the only irreplaceable piece, so back that up first and in more than one place. Your posts themselves already sit on relays. For a local copy, check your client’s settings: several offer an export or backup option, and that is the easiest route for most people. Past that point the tooling gets technical fast.

Backup steps:

1. Private key - Most important! Back up your nsec
2. Client export - Look in settings for an export or backup option
3. Relay backup - Some paid relays keep everything you post
4. [ADVANCED] Command line - nak, the “nostr army knife”, can pull your events down from relays, and running your own relay (strfry, nostream, khatru) keeps a full archive

NIP-04 (deprecated) uses shared secret encryption with known vulnerabilities. NIP-17 (recommended) wraps each message so the sender is hidden from the relay. The recipient is not hidden: their public key travels in a plain tag so the relay knows who to deliver to. Migrate to a client that supports NIP-17, and read the NIP-17 guide before you rely on it for anything sensitive.

Comparison:

Popular options: strfry (C++, high performance), nostream (TypeScript, easy setup), or khatru (Go). Requirements: server (VPS ~$5-20/month), domain name, basic CLI knowledge. Benefits: data sovereignty, custom policies, learning experience. See our Relay Guide for detailed setup instructions.

Relay software options:

• strfry - C++, high performance, efficient
• nostream - TypeScript, easiest setup
• khatru - Go, well-maintained
• nostr-rs-relay - Rust, battle-tested

Requirements:

• VPS (DigitalOcean, Linode, etc.): $5-20/month
• Domain name: $10-15/year
• Basic Linux/CLI knowledge

Benefits:

✅ Complete data sovereignty ✅ Custom content policies ✅ Learning experience ✅ Supporting the network

Learn more: Relay Guide →

The content is encrypted either way. What differs is how much the relay can tell about the conversation around it. With NIP-17, each message is wrapped and signed by a throwaway key, so the relay cannot see who sent it. It can see who it is addressed to: the recipient’s public key sits in a plain, unencrypted tag, because that is how the relay knows where to deliver it. With old NIP-04, both ends are visible. Neither hides your IP address from the relay you connect to, so add a VPN or Tor if that matters to you.

Privacy levels:

NIP-17 (Use this!):

• ✅ Content encrypted end to end
• ✅ Sender hidden from the relay
• ⚠️ Recipient’s key sits in the clear, so the relay knows who is being written to, and when

NIP-04 (Deprecated):

• ✅ Content encrypted
• ❌ Both ends of the conversation visible to the relay
• ❌ Known vulnerabilities

Learn more: NIP-17 Private Messages →

No. Your npub (public key) is meant to be shared - it’s like your username. Your nsec (private key) is your password. Keep nsec secret. Knowing npub alone cannot compromise your account. Share your npub freely, protect your nsec religiously.

Key facts:

• npub = Public username ✅ Share freely
• nsec = Private password 🔒 Never share
• Math - Impossible to derive nsec from npub
• Security - 256-bit cryptography protects you

Nostr has no central moderation. Each client and user decides what to show/hide. You can: mute accounts, block users, use clients with spam filters, choose relays with content policies. It’s client-side moderation vs platform-side. Freedom comes with responsibility to curate your own experience.

How moderation works:

Your tools:

• Mute accounts
• Block users
• Choose clients with filters
• Select relays with policies
• Curate your follows carefully

Check if they’ve shared their npub on Twitter bio/posts. Use NIP-05 identifiers if they have one (easier to remember). Ask them directly. Some tools scan for Twitter users who’ve posted Nostr keys. Search their Twitter handle + “npub” on search engines.

Finding methods:

1. Bio check - Look for npub or NIP-05 in their Twitter bio
2. Pinned tweets - Many share their Nostr there
3. Search - “username npub” on Google
4. Direct ask - Tweet asking for their Nostr
5. Bridge tools - Some services scan for Nostr keys

Pro tip: When you find them, post their npub with a welcome message so others can find them too!

Spam filters are client-side algorithms that hide low-quality content. They analyze: account age, web of trust, content patterns, zap receipts. Each client implements differently. You can usually adjust sensitivity or disable. False positives happen - check “show all” if missing legitimate posts.

How filters work:

• Account age - Newer accounts filtered more strictly
• Web of trust - Who follows them matters
• Content patterns - Repetitive/spam behavior detection
• Zap history - Accounts receiving zaps are more trusted

Adjusting filters:

• Most clients let you change sensitivity
• Can disable entirely if desired
• Check filtered/spam folder regularly
• Report false positives to client developers

This happens when: you connect to a new relay with old data, your client re-syncs from relays, or someone zaps an old post bringing it to top. Nostr has no chronological “feed” - it’s aggregated from multiple sources. Old posts resurfacing is normal behavior.

Why old posts appear:

• New relay - Connected to relay with old cached data
• Re-sync - Client refreshing from relays
• Zap activity - Someone zapped an old post
• Algorithm - Some clients surface popular old content

This is normal!

Unlike Twitter’s chronological feed, Nostr aggregates from many sources. Content doesn’t have a single “time” - it exists where it exists.

Zaps use the Bitcoin Lightning Network, standardized by NIP-57. Process: 1) Your client sends a signed zap request (kind 9734) to the recipient’s wallet server, which is the LNURL service behind the Lightning address in their profile, 2) that server returns a Lightning invoice, 3) you pay it, 4) the recipient’s wallet server signs and publishes the zap receipt (kind 9735) to relays, 5) clients display the zap. No Nostr platform sits in the middle. The payment goes straight to whatever wallet the recipient’s Lightning address points at.

Technical flow:

1. Zap request - Sender’s client creates and signs a kind 9734 zap request and sends it to the recipient’s LNURL server (it is not published to relays)
2. Invoice creation - The recipient’s LNURL server returns a Lightning invoice committing to that zap request
3. Payment - Sender pays the invoice
4. Receipt - The recipient’s LNURL server (not the sender) signs a kind 9735 zap receipt and publishes it to the relays listed in the zap request
5. Display - Clients show zap with sender info

Key points:

• Uses NIP-57 standard
• The zap receipt is published by the recipient’s wallet server, and per the spec it is not proof of payment
• Near-instant settlement over Lightning
• Public receipts create social proof
• Optional private zaps available