# Fixing "Sync failed: can't decrypt your tasks"

**URL:** <https://community.wingtask.com/t/fixing-sync-failed-cant-decrypt-your-tasks/52>\
**Category:** Documentation\
**Created:** [September 30, 2026, 2:50am UTC](https://community.wingtask.com/t/fixing-sync-failed-cant-decrypt-your-tasks/52 "2026-09-30T02:50:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![timcase](https://community.wingtask.com/user_avatar/community.wingtask.com/timcase/32/15_2.png) [@timcase](https://community.wingtask.com/u/timcase)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2026, 2:50am UTC](https://community.wingtask.com/t/fixing-sync-failed-cant-decrypt-your-tasks/52/1 "2026-09-30T02:50:01Z")

</div>

# Fixing “Sync failed: can’t decrypt your tasks”

## Overview

If WingTask shows **Sync failed: WingTask can’t decrypt your tasks** ,  
your Taskwarrior is encrypting your tasks with a different  
**Encryption Secret** than the one WingTask has.

`task sync` on your computer keeps working. Only WingTask is affected:  
it can’t read anything your computer uploads, so your tasks don’t  
appear in the web app.

This does not clear up on its own. WingTask will fail on every sync  
until the secrets match again.

* * *

## What the Error Means

TaskChampion, the sync engine behind Taskwarrior 3, encrypts every  
change before it leaves your computer, using the `encryption_secret`  
in your `~/.taskrc`. The sync server only ever stores the sealed data.

WingTask keeps its own copy of your tasks and decrypts them with the  
secret shown at Settings \> Taskwarrior Sync. When your computer uses a  
different secret, WingTask receives data it cannot unlock.

Your devices can still sync with each other, because they all share the  
same secret. WingTask is the one left out.

* * *

## If You Did This on Purpose

Some people use WingTask purely as a sync server and set their own  
secret so that WingTask can never read their tasks.

If that’s you, there is nothing to fix. Sync between your devices works  
normally. The web app just can’t show your tasks, and you’ll keep  
seeing this message when WingTask tries to sync.

* * *

## Before You Start

- **Tasks created or edited in WingTask since the secrets diverged  
exist only in WingTask.** Step 2 deletes them. The number next to the  
**Sync** button shows how many changes are waiting. Copy anything you  
need into Taskwarrior first.
- **Your tasks on your computer are safe.** They are re-uploaded at the  
end.
- **Rotating your credentials won’t fix this.** Rotation needs WingTask  
to read your existing history, which it can’t. Delete your data  
instead, as below.

* * *

## Fixing It

1. **Save anything made in WingTask.** Copy tasks you created or edited  
in the web app into Taskwarrior on your computer.

2. **Delete your WingTask data.** Go to Settings and use **Delete my  
data**. See [Deleting Your WingTask Data](https://community.wingtask.com/t/deleting-your-wingtask-data/48).

3. **Use WingTask’s secret on every device.** Copy the **Encryption  
Secret** from Settings \> Taskwarrior Sync into `~/.taskrc` on  
**every** machine that syncs:

4. **Rebuild each device.** Deleting your data resets your history on  
the server, so each device needs a fresh start. Follow  
[Fixing a 410 Gone Sync Error](https://community.wingtask.com/t/fixing-a-410-gone-sync-error/46)  
on each machine.

5. **Sync.** Run `task sync`. Your tasks upload, encrypted with the  
right secret, and appear in WingTask.

* * *

## Confirming It Worked

Open WingTask in a browser and check that your tasks are there. The  
“can’t decrypt” message should not come back. If it does, one of your  
devices still has the old secret. Run `task show sync` on each and  
compare.

* * *

## Notes

- Every device must use the same **Client ID** and **Encryption  
Secret**. Copy them from Settings \> Taskwarrior Sync.
- Your **Client ID** and **Encryption Secret** are effectively  
passwords. Do not paste them anywhere public.

* * *

## Related Topics

- [Fixing a 410 Gone Sync Error](https://community.wingtask.com/t/fixing-a-410-gone-sync-error/46)
- [Deleting Your WingTask Data](https://community.wingtask.com/t/deleting-your-wingtask-data/48)
- [Rotating Your Sync Credentials](https://community.wingtask.com/t/rotating-your-sync-credentials/47)