# Nostr: What are Nostr public and private keys?

Your public key identifies the signer of your events and is meant to be shared.

2026-08-13
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Switchboard Tech Services


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## Short answer

Your public key identifies the signer of your events and is meant to be shared. Your private key signs events and must remain secret; anyone who obtains it can publish as you. Unlike a password for a hosted account, a Nostr private key is not something a relay can simply reset. Back it up securely before relying on it as a long-term identity.

## Sources

[NIP-01: Basic protocol](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/01.md), [NIP-19: Human-readable encodings](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/19.md).

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Canonical URL: https://switchboardtechservices.com/guides/nostr-what-are-nostr-public-and-private-keys/

Language: en-us

Content type: guide

Author: Switchboard Tech Services

Published: 2026-08-13T09:07:22+00:00

Description: A practical answer to What are Nostr public and private keys?