diff --git a/app/api/users/generateUnlockCode.ts b/app/api/users/generateUnlockCode.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ba3b669be2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/api/users/generateUnlockCode.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import crypto from 'crypto';
+
+export const generateUnlockCode = () => crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
diff --git a/app/api/users/passwordRecoveriesModel.js b/app/api/users/passwordRecoveriesModel.js
index 9123aaaa7a..a92ae1f841 100644
--- a/app/api/users/passwordRecoveriesModel.js
+++ b/app/api/users/passwordRecoveriesModel.js
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@ import mongoose from 'mongoose';
 
 import { instanceModel } from 'api/odm';
 
+const ONE_DAY = 60 * 60 * 24;
+
 const schema = new mongoose.Schema({
   key: String,
   user: { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'users' },
+  expiresAt: { type: Date, expires: ONE_DAY, default: Date.now() },
 });
 
 export default instanceModel('passwordrecoveries', schema);
diff --git a/app/api/users/specs/users.spec.js b/app/api/users/specs/users.spec.js
index ebae63a4d1..15a8e84ee0 100644
--- a/app/api/users/specs/users.spec.js
+++ b/app/api/users/specs/users.spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 /* eslint-disable max-statements */
 
 import { createError } from 'api/utils';
-import SHA256 from 'crypto-js/sha256';
 import crypto from 'crypto';
 import mailer from 'api/utils/mailer';
 import db from 'api/utils/testing_db';
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@ import fixtures, {
 import users from '../users.js';
 import passwordRecoveriesModel from '../passwordRecoveriesModel';
 import usersModel from '../usersModel';
+import * as unlockCode from '../generateUnlockCode';
 
 describe('Users', () => {
   beforeEach(async () => {
@@ -510,10 +510,11 @@ describe('Users', () => {
       jest.restoreAllMocks();
       jest.spyOn(mailer, 'send').mockImplementation(async () => Promise.resolve('OK'));
       jest.spyOn(Date, 'now').mockReturnValue(1000);
+      jest.spyOn(unlockCode, 'generateUnlockCode').mockReturnValue('ABCDEF1234');
     });
 
     it('should find the matching email create a recover password doc in the database and send an email', async () => {
-      const key = SHA256(`test@email.com${1000}`).toString();
+      const key = unlockCode.generateUnlockCode();
       const settings = await settingsModel.get();
       const response = await users.recoverPassword('test@email.com', 'domain');
       expect(response).toBe('OK');
@@ -524,13 +525,13 @@ describe('Users', () => {
         from: emailSender,
         to: 'test@email.com',
         subject: 'Password set',
-        text: `To set your password click on the following link:\ndomain/setpassword/${key}`,
+        text: `To set your password click on the following link:\ndomain/setpassword/${key}\nThis link will be valid for 24 hours.`,
       };
       expect(mailer.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expectedMailOptions);
     });
 
     it('should personalize the mail if recover password process is part of a newly created user', async () => {
-      const key = SHA256(`peter@parker.com${1000}`).toString();
+      const key = unlockCode.generateUnlockCode();
       const settings = await settingsModel.get();
 
       const newUser = await users.newUser(
@@ -590,7 +591,7 @@ describe('Users', () => {
     describe('when the user does not exist with that email', () => {
       it('should not create the entry in the database, should not send a mail, and return an error.', async () => {
         jest.spyOn(Date, 'now').mockReturnValue(1000);
-        const key = SHA256(`false@email.com${1000}`).toString();
+        const key = unlockCode.generateUnlockCode();
         let response;
         try {
           response = await users.recoverPassword('false@email.com');
diff --git a/app/api/users/users.js b/app/api/users/users.js
index c0074007ed..2e8dff14a4 100644
--- a/app/api/users/users.js
+++ b/app/api/users/users.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import SHA256 from 'crypto-js/sha256';
-import crypto from 'crypto';
 
 import { createError } from 'api/utils';
 import random from 'shared/uniqueID';
@@ -15,16 +14,15 @@ import mailer from '../utils/mailer';
 import model from './usersModel';
 import passwordRecoveriesModel from './passwordRecoveriesModel';
 import settings from '../settings/settings';
+import { generateUnlockCode } from './generateUnlockCode';
 
 const MAX_FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS = 6;
 
-const generateUnlockCode = () => crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
-
 function conformRecoverText(options, _settings, domain, key, user) {
   const response = {};
   if (!options.newUser) {
     response.subject = 'Password set';
-    response.text = `To set your password click on the following link:\n${domain}/setpassword/${key}`;
+    response.text = `To set your password click on the following link:\n${domain}/setpassword/${key}\nThis link will be valid for 24 hours.`;
   }
 
   if (options.newUser) {
@@ -34,7 +32,8 @@ function conformRecoverText(options, _settings, domain, key, user) {
       `The administrators of ${siteName} have created an account for you under the user name:\n` +
       `${user.username}\n\n` +
       'To complete this process, please create a strong password by clicking on the following link:\n' +
-      `${domain}/setpassword/${key}?createAccount=true\n\n` +
+      `${domain}/setpassword/${key}?createAccount=true\n` +
+      'This link will be valid for 24 hours.\n\n' +
       'For more information about the Uwazi platform, visit https://www.uwazi.io.\n\nThank you!\nUwazi team';
 
     const htmlLink = `<a href="${domain}/setpassword/${key}?createAccount=true">${domain}/setpassword/${key}?createAccount=true</a>`;
@@ -288,7 +287,7 @@ export default {
   },
 
   recoverPassword(email, domain, options = {}) {
-    const key = SHA256(email + Date.now()).toString();
+    const key = generateUnlockCode();
     return Promise.all([model.get({ email }), settings.get()]).then(([_user, _settings]) => {
       const user = _user[0];
       if (user) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bb86c55b97..65720488a6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "uwazi",
-  "version": "1.168.0-rc4",
+  "version": "1.168.0-rc5",
   "description": "Uwazi is a free, open-source solution for organising, analysing and publishing your documents.",
   "keywords": [
     "react"