1---
2layout: docs
3page_title: operator seal - Command
4sidebar_title: <code>seal</code>
5description: >-
6  The "operator seal" command seals the Vault server. Sealing tells the Vault
7  server to
8
9  stop responding to any operations until it is unsealed. When sealed, the Vault
10
11  server discards its in-memory master key to unlock the data, so it is
12
13  physically blocked from responding to operations unsealed.
14---
15
16# operator seal
17
18The `operator seal` seals the Vault server. Sealing tells the Vault server to
19stop responding to any operations until it is unsealed. When sealed, the Vault
20server discards its in-memory master key to unlock the data, so it is physically
21blocked from responding to operations unsealed.
22
23If an unseal is in progress, sealing the Vault will reset the unsealing process.
24Users will have to re-enter their portions of the master key again.
25
26This command does nothing if the Vault server is already sealed.
27
28For more information on sealing and unsealing, please the [seal concepts
29page](/docs/concepts/seal).
30
31## Examples
32
33Seal a Vault server:
34
35```text
36$ vault operator seal
37Success! Vault is sealed.
38```
39
40## Usage
41
42There are no flags beyond the [standard set of flags](/docs/commands)
43included on all commands.
44