> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tapioca.money/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Tapioca handles sign-in and wallet creation with Privy

> Privy powers Tapioca's email authentication and creates a secure embedded wallet for you — no browser extension or seed phrase required.

When you sign in to Tapioca, you're using [Privy](https://privy.io) — a web3 authentication provider that creates and securely manages an embedded wallet on your behalf. You don't need MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, or any other browser extension. Privy generates a signing key for you, encrypts it, and stores it using their secure infrastructure. From that point on, every action you take in Tapioca is signed using that key without you needing to manually approve each transaction.

<Info>
  Privy is a leading web3 authentication provider trusted by hundreds of applications across the Ethereum ecosystem.
</Info>

## What Privy does for you

When you first sign in to Tapioca with your email address, Privy:

1. Authenticates your identity using a magic link sent to your inbox
2. Creates a new embedded wallet (an Ethereum signing key) linked to your account
3. Encrypts your private key and stores it in Privy's secure infrastructure
4. Returns your wallet address to Tapioca so your smart account can be set up

On every subsequent sign-in, Privy re-authenticates you and restores access to the same wallet — no seed phrase required.

## Your key stays yours

Privy is non-custodial. Your private key is encrypted in a way that only you can decrypt it — not Privy, and not Tapioca.

<Note>
  Tapioca never sees your raw private key. Privy encrypts it before it leaves your device and stores only the encrypted form. Your key can only be decrypted in your authenticated session.
</Note>

## Sign-in methods

Tapioca currently supports the following sign-in options through Privy:

| Method    | How it works                                                                 |
| --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Email** | A magic link is sent to your inbox — click it to sign in, no password needed |

<Tip>
  If you don't receive your magic link within a minute, check your spam folder. The email comes from Tapioca via Resend.
</Tip>

## Frequently asked questions

**What happens if I lose access to my email?**
Contact Tapioca support. Because your key is tied to your Privy-authenticated session, regaining access to your email restores access to your wallet.

**Can I export my private key?**
Tapioca does not currently expose private key export in the app interface. Your signing key remains accessible through your Privy-authenticated session — if you need to migrate, contact [support](mailto:hello@beautomata.com).

**Is my wallet the same as my smart account?**
No. Your Privy wallet is your *signing key* — it's used to authorize actions. Your *smart account* is the on-chain ERC-4337 account managed by ZeroDev. See the [ZeroDev integration page](/integrations/zeroDev) for details.