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Upgrading Keys

Upgrading a key associates it with your own DID (Decentralized Identifier), making it easier to identify and verify your signatures.

What is Key Upgrading?

When you upgrade a key:

  • The key is bound to your user DID (e.g., did:web:proof-keys.studio:user:alice)
  • Your key appears in your DID document
  • Others can verify your signatures using your DID
  • Your key becomes part of your persistent identity

Note: Only registered users can upgrade keys. Anonymous users only get did:key identifiers.

When Can You Upgrade?

You can upgrade keys that:

  • Are not your default key (default keys cannot be upgraded)
  • Are custom-labeled keys you created (e.g., "production-key", "testing")
  • Belong to you

How to Upgrade a Key

  1. Go to the Keys page
  2. Select the key you want to upgrade (not the default key)
  3. Click Upgrade key in the key details
  4. In the Upgrade Key modal:
  5. The Target DID is pre-filled with your user DID
  6. You can edit it to use a different DID if needed
  7. Click Upgrade

After upgrading, the key card shows your DID instead of just the did:key identifier.

Your User DID

Registered users automatically get a user DID:

  • Format: did:web:proof-keys.studio:user:yourusername
  • Example: did:web:proof-keys.studio:user:alice
  • This is your persistent identity on the platform

When you upgrade a key, it's bound to this DID by default.

Why Upgrade?

Upgrading a key provides:

  • Persistent identity: Your DID stays the same even if you create new keys
  • Easier verification: Others can verify your signatures using your DID
  • Professional appearance: Your signatures show your user DID instead of just a key identifier
  • Integration: Your keys become part of your DID document

Limitations

  • Default keys cannot be upgraded: Only custom-labeled keys can be upgraded
  • One upgrade per key: A key can only be upgraded once
  • Anonymous users: Cannot upgrade keys (they don't have a user DID)