Creating a Proton account for Proton Pass

Proton Pass comes with a Proton account. With that one account you can also use Proton's other services, such as Proton Mail and Proton Drive. Proton is a Swiss company. Your vault is stored on Proton's servers in Switzerland, Germany or Norway. You can't choose which country.

An account is free and you don't need a payment card. The free version already lets you store unlimited passwords on all your devices.

Two ways to sign up

• With your own email address. You keep your current address, for example an address on your own domain. You don't get a new mailbox. For most people this is the easiest choice.
• With a new Proton address. You choose a username and get a free address ending in @proton.me. This is useful if you want to set up emergency access later: Proton requires both you and your emergency contact to have a Proton Mail address (see Arrange emergency access in case you are no longer around).

How to create your account with your own email address

1. Go to account.proton.me/start. Or install the app or extension first (see Installing Proton Pass in your browser, on your computer and on your phone) and choose Create an account there.
2. Choose Use your current email. Don't see that option? Check that you're really on account.proton.me/start.
3. Enter your email address and choose your password. This password is your master password: it opens your entire vault. Read Your master password: create it, store it and never lose it first.
4. Click Create a free account now. If you're asked to choose a plan, pick the free plan first. You can always pay later.
5. Proton sends a code to your email address. Check your spam folder too. Enter the code and click Verify.
6. Download the recovery kit. It contains your recovery phrase: twelve words that get you back into your account if you forget your password. Print it or write it down.
7. Enter a name that others will see when you share something with them, and finish creating your account.

Please note: Proton doesn't know your password and can't reset it for you. Without your recovery phrase, a forgotten password also means losing your saved passwords. Keep the recovery phrase on paper, in a safe place. Not in Proton Pass itself: that's exactly where you won't be able to reach it. More in Forgot your master password? What you can still do.

Which email address should you use?

• Use an address you're sure to keep. Proton sends codes and important messages to it.
• Don't use a colleague's address or a shared address such as info@. Your vault is personal.
• For recovery, you'll set up a second email address later, preferably not with Proton (see Securing Proton Pass: two-step login, extra password and locking).

Proton in your language

The Proton Pass apps and extensions are available in many languages. They usually follow the language of your phone or computer. Are your Proton account settings in a different language? Here's how to change them:

1. Log in at account.proton.me.
2. Go to Settings and then All settings.
3. Choose Language and time and set Default language to your language.

In this guide, we write the names of buttons exactly as you see them on your screen.

Free or paid?

Pass Family is for 6 people, each with their own account. In November 2026, Proton's pricing page only showed prices in dollars. Pass Plus normally costs 35.88 dollars a year, Pass Family 59.88 dollars a year. The first year is often cheaper. For the current price in euros, see proton.me/pass/pricing.