After payment, download VQPro_Setup.zip. This package contains a complete VQPro folder. VQPro must run from inside that extracted folder because the vault creates and reads its support files beside the EXE.

On first launch, VQPro detects that no vault exists and enters Setup Mode. This is a one-time process that initialises all 49 security stages, binds VQPro to your hardware, and creates your encrypted vault structure.

1. VQPro scans your hardware and generates a unique hardware fingerprint from your CPU, motherboard, and TPM 2.0 chip. This takes approximately 5–10 seconds.
2. You are prompted to create a Master Password. Choose a strong passphrase of at least 20 characters. Write it down and store it physically in a secure location. See Choosing a Password below.
3. VQPro generates all cryptographic keys — AES-256-GCM session keys, Argon2id-derived master key, Ed25519 signing keypair, X25519 sealed-box keypair, and ML-KEM-768 post-quantum keys. This takes 10–30 seconds depending on your hardware.
4. The hardware binding is sealed — your vault is now cryptographically fused to this machine.
5. VQPro initialises the vault structure: all chambers, the audit log, the FIM manifest, the SIEM event log, and all Crown Jewel subsystems.
6. First-run setup is complete. The vault opens to the main dashboard.

The verified shortcut method is the normal Windows Send to -> Desktop (create shortcut) method. The real VQPro.exe stays inside the extracted VQPro folder. The shortcut is only a pointer back to that real app.

1. Open the extracted VQPro folder.
2. Right-click VQPro.exe - the application with the VQPro logo/icon.
3. Click Show more options.
4. Click Send to.
5. Click Desktop (create shortcut).
6. Use the new shortcut Windows creates, usually named VQPro - Shortcut or similar.
7. Move or rename the shortcut if you want. Do not drag, copy, rename, or move VQPro.exe by itself.

Most launch problems are caused by one of four things: running the app from inside the ZIP, moving only VQPro.exe to the Desktop, using a broken shortcut, or Windows keeping a downloaded-file block on the EXE.

VQPro is zero-knowledge — your password is never stored, never transmitted, and never recoverable. If you forget it, your vault cannot be opened by anyone, including us. Choose carefully and preserve it physically.

Launch VQPro via the desktop shortcut or directly from VQPro.exe. The authentication sequence runs through multiple security stages before the vault opens:

1. Hardware Verification — VQPro checks your machine's hardware fingerprint against the stored binding. If the fingerprint does not match, access is denied regardless of password.
2. TOTP 2FA — if enabled, you are prompted for your current 6-digit TOTP code from your authenticator app.
3. Password Entry — enter your master password. Argon2id derives your vault key — this takes 2–8 seconds. This delay is intentional and is part of the brute-force resistance.
4. Integrity Check — VQPro verifies the cryptographic integrity of your vault structure before opening.
5. Vault Opens — all tabs become active and your chambers are accessible.

Failed authentication attempts are logged in the Audit Log and trigger progressive lockouts. After the configured maximum, the Staged Self-Destruct may activate if enabled.

Chambers are independent encrypted storage containers within your vault. Each chamber has its own encryption context, its own access controls, and its own health status. Think of them as separate secure rooms within the vault.

Depositing a file encrypts it and stores it inside the vault. The original file on your machine is not modified — unless you choose to shred it after deposit. Extraction decrypts a file and saves it to a location you specify.

The Passwords tab is a built-in encrypted credential store — website logins, application passwords, API keys, seed phrases, and any other text-based secrets. All entries are encrypted with your vault master key.

Notes are encrypted freeform text entries — ideal for recovery phrases, software licence keys, security codes, personal instructions, or any sensitive information that doesn't fit the Passwords tab format.

1. In the Notes tab, click New Note.
2. Enter a title and your note content in the text area.
3. Click Save — the note is encrypted immediately.
4. To retrieve, click the note title. You may be prompted to re-authenticate depending on your Settings configuration.
5. To delete: select the note → Delete → confirm. Deleted notes are shredded — overwritten before removal, not simply marked as deleted.

The Health tab gives you a real-time overview of your vault's security status across all monitored dimensions. Each metric is independently scored and contributes to an overall Health Score.

AT RISK status means one or more critical metrics have failed their check. Investigate each flagged item before continuing to use the vault. The Health tab shows specific remediation instructions for each failed item.

The Audit Log records every significant vault event — authentications, deposits, extractions, setting changes, failed attempts, Crown Jewel activations, and security alerts. Each entry is Ed25519 signed and hash-chained — making the log tamper-evident and forensically valid.

Use Preview only from inside the unlocked VQPro session. It is designed for checking stored material without changing the original vault structure.

The Report area is for reviewing vault state, health, and relevant security information. It helps you understand what VQPro is seeing without exposing your master password or vault contents to support.

The Shredder securely deletes files from your machine — not just marking them deleted (which leaves recoverable data), but overwriting the file content with multiple random passes before deletion, making forensic recovery impossible.

1. In the Shredder tab, click Add Files to Shred or drag and drop files.
2. Review the list carefully. Shredding is permanent and irreversible — there is no undo, no recycle bin, no recovery.
3. Select your overwrite pass count — 1 pass (fast, sufficient for SSDs), 3 passes (standard), or 7 passes (Gutmann-style, for HDDs).
4. Click Shred and confirm the warning dialog.
5. VQPro overwrites and deletes each file. A completion report shows the shred result for each file.

Always use Lock & Exit — never close VQPro by clicking the X button or using Task Manager. Using Lock & Exit ensures:

• → All session keys are zeroed from memory
• → The clipboard is cleared of any copied vault data
• → The audit log entry for your session is written and signed
• → The Dead Man's Switch check-in is recorded
• → All file handles are closed and vault_data is properly flushed to disk

The Hidden Volume is a second, completely invisible vault nested inside your primary vault. It uses a different password and is cryptographically indistinguishable from random data.

The cascade model is part of VQPro's layered vault architecture. Use it as a defensive design principle: strong password, hardware-bound vault, intact folder structure, offline backups, and clean Windows hygiene working together.

File integrity monitoring helps detect whether important local files have changed unexpectedly. If VQPro reports integrity concerns, stop using the affected vault copy until you understand the warning.

Remote wipe is a high-risk security feature. Only configure or trigger destructive workflows when you fully understand the result. Wipe and destroy actions are designed to be final.

The local SIEM-style view is for understanding vault activity and security events on the machine. VQPro is offline-first, so the important record is local, not a cloud dashboard.

Use this area when reviewing failed unlocks, lockout events, shortcut/launch issues, and health warnings.

Tripwire-style warnings are meant to tell you something has changed or may be unsafe. Treat them as stop signs, not suggestions.

Self-destruct protection is for extreme threat cases. It should be configured only by users who understand the trade-off between protection and recoverability.

Geofencing and time-lock style rules are designed to reduce access risk outside approved conditions. Configure carefully and test only with non-critical data first.

M-of-N means a required number of approved keyholders or factors must participate before a protected action is allowed. Use it for inheritance, business continuity, or controlled recovery workflows.

The Dead Man's Switch requires you to check in at configured intervals. If you miss a check-in, VQPro triggers a sequence of actions: notifications, vault locking, and optionally inheritance key distribution.

1. Settings → Dead Man's Switch → Enable.
2. Set your check-in interval: daily, weekly, or custom period.
3. Add designated recipients with their contact details and their public encryption keys.
4. Configure the action sequence: 1st miss = alert. 2nd miss = lock. 3rd miss = inheritance trigger.
5. Check in each session via Settings → Dead Man's Switch → Check In Now, or configure auto-check-in on each successful vault unlock.

1. Before travel, go to Settings → Travel Mode.
2. Select the chambers or vaults to hide.
3. Enter your master password to confirm activation.
4. The selected vaults vanish from the VQPro interface completely. No evidence of their existence remains visible.
5. On arrival at your destination: Settings → Travel Mode → Deactivate → enter master password. All hidden vaults are instantly restored.

If you replace your motherboard, CPU, or reinstall Windows, the hardware fingerprint changes and your vault will refuse to open. Rebinding re-registers the new hardware.

1. Open PowerShell in your VQPro MASTER folder:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Force
   .\Rebind_Vault.ps1

2. Delete vault_data\config\vault.cfg to clear the old binding record.
3. Launch VQPro — it detects the missing binding and initiates re-registration with the new hardware.
4. Enter your master password. The vault re-binds to the new hardware and opens normally.

Destroy Vault performs a complete, irreversible destruction of your entire vault. All encryption keys are shredded. All vault data is overwritten with multiple random passes. All configuration is wiped. Nothing recoverable remains.

When to use: decommissioning a device, selling a machine, or in an extreme security situation where total data annihilation is required.

1. Settings → Danger Zone → Destroy Vault.
2. You are shown a full warning dialog explaining the irreversibility.
3. You must type the confirmation phrase exactly as shown.
4. Enter your master password.
5. VQPro executes the multi-stage destruction sequence. This takes 30–120 seconds depending on vault size.
6. When complete, VQPro exits. The vault no longer exists.