# docker swarm unlock-key

**Description:** Manage the unlock key

**Usage:** `docker swarm unlock-key [OPTIONS]`








**Orchestrator:** Swarm

## Description

An unlock key is a secret key needed to unlock a manager after its Docker daemon
restarts. These keys are only used when the autolock feature is enabled for the
swarm.

You can view or rotate the unlock key using `swarm unlock-key`. To view the key,
run the `docker swarm unlock-key` command without any arguments:

> [!NOTE]
> This is a cluster management command, and must be executed on a swarm
> manager node. To learn about managers and workers, refer to the
> [Swarm mode section](/engine/swarm/) in the
> documentation.


## Options

| Option | Default | Description |
|--------|---------|-------------|
| `-q`, `--quiet` |  |  Only display token |
| `--rotate` |  |  Rotate unlock key |



## Examples

```console
$ docker swarm unlock-key

To unlock a swarm manager after it restarts, run the `docker swarm unlock`
command and provide the following key:

    SWMKEY-1-aabbccdd00112233aabbccdd00112233aabbccdd00112233aa-aabbccdd00112233...

Remember to store this key in a password manager, since without it you
will not be able to restart the manager.
```

Use the `--rotate` flag to rotate the unlock key to a new, randomly-generated
key:

```console
$ docker swarm unlock-key --rotate

Successfully rotated manager unlock key.

To unlock a swarm manager after it restarts, run the `docker swarm unlock`
command and provide the following key:

    SWMKEY-1-aabbccdd00112233aabbccdd00112233aabbccdd00112233aa-aabbccdd00112233...

Remember to store this key in a password manager, since without it you
will not be able to restart the manager.
```

The `-q` (or `--quiet`) flag only prints the key:

```console
$ docker swarm unlock-key -q

SWMKEY-1-aabbccdd00112233aabbccdd00112233aabbccdd00112233aa-aabbccdd00112233...
```

### `--rotate` {#rotate}

This flag rotates the unlock key, replacing it with a new randomly-generated
key. The old unlock key will no longer be accepted.

### `--quiet` {#quiet}

Only print the unlock key, without instructions.