Generate your seed phrase inside a reputable wallet—preferably a hardware wallet—write every word down in the displayed order, verify the backup on the device, and keep multiple offline copies in separate secure locations. Never invent a sentence, use a website generator, photograph the phrase, or give it to support. Anyone who obtains the words can usually control the wallet and its assets.
What a seed phrase is and why it matters
A seed phrase is an ordered list of mnemonic words from which a wallet derives its master seed, private keys and addresses. In a deterministic wallet, the same valid backup can recreate addresses generated in the past and those generated later, subject to the wallet’s implementation, derivation paths and supported assets. The phrase is therefore not a password or a customer-service identifier; it is an unrestricted signing secret.
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Bitcoin.org describes a properly stored wallet backup as protection against computer failures and many human mistakes. It also calls hardware wallets the best balance between very high security and ease of use. The security benefit comes from keeping key-generating operations away from a general-purpose, internet-connected computer, not from the words being magical or recoverable by a company.
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Choose the wallet standard before creating anything
Do not begin by writing words. First identify the wallet’s backup standard, supported assets and derivation behavior. A phrase that looks familiar may be unusable if the restoring wallet expects a different standard or path.
BIP39
BIP39 commonly produces 12 or 24 words, with the checksum helping detect transcription errors. Many software and hardware wallets support it, but asset support and derivation paths differ. A BIP39 phrase alone may restore a different account if the wallet uses another path, account index or passphrase.
SLIP39
SLIP39 is a different scheme documented by Trezor. Supported devices can use a 20-word single share or multiple shares. Shares and BIP39 phrases are not universally interchangeable. Confirm that the wallet you may use for recovery supports the exact SLIP39 mode and threshold you selected.
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For your future self or an estate plan, record the wallet manufacturer, model family, standard, assets and any derivation-path or account information needed for recovery. Keep that information separate from the words. It should help a legitimate heir identify the correct recovery procedure without becoming a second copy of the secret.
How to create a seed phrase safely
The following workflow minimizes predictable randomness, transcription mistakes and exposure to malware or phishing.
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Select a trustworthy wallet and private setup area
Obtain a hardware wallet through a trusted sales channel. Inspect packaging and perform the device’s authenticity checks. Choose a private room, disable cameras and screen-sharing, and keep bystanders away. A phrase should appear only on the trusted device or its supplied backup materials during setup.
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Initialize the device yourself
Use the device’s official initialization flow rather than accepting a prewritten phrase. If a wallet arrives with words already printed, photographed or entered, stop using it and contact the manufacturer through its verified support channel without disclosing any secret.
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Let the wallet generate the words
Choose “create new wallet” or the equivalent on the device. The wallet should use its own hardware entropy or another documented cryptographically secure random source. Trezor says its words are generated from hardware entropy rather than a pattern a person could predict or recreate. Never use a random-generator website, chat bot, spreadsheet, command copied from an unverified page or a phrase supplied by another person.
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Write the words exactly as shown
Use the supplied card or a durable offline medium. Copy spelling, order and numbering exactly. Write one word per numbered line and check similar-looking words carefully. Do not add a PIN, wallet name, email address or explanatory sentence on the same sheet if it could be mistaken for part of the mnemonic.
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Complete the wallet’s backup check
Most reputable devices ask you to select or enter words in response to a confirmation test. Finish that test before depositing funds. If the device offers a recovery-check function later, use it to validate an existing record. A backup that has never been checked for transcription errors is not a dependable recovery plan.
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Finish security settings without exposing the phrase
Set the device PIN and any other local protections according to its instructions. A PIN normally protects the physical device; it does not replace the seed phrase. Never type the phrase into the device’s companion computer app unless the documented recovery procedure specifically requires it and you have verified the app and device.
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Test with a small, reversible operation
Before moving a significant balance, receive a small amount, confirm the address on the hardware screen, and perform a small send if appropriate. This checks that you understand address verification and transaction approval. It does not replace the backup verification test.
12 words or 24 words: which is better?
Both are valid BIP39 lengths when produced by a compatible wallet. The practical choice is usually the wallet’s default and the security level justified by the value and threat model.
| Backup | Entropy represented | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-word BIP39 | 128 bits of initial entropy, plus checksum | Shorter to write, inspect and restore; widely supported | Fewer words to protect against exhaustive guessing than a 24-word phrase, although correctly generated 128-bit entropy is already beyond practical brute-force attack |
| 24-word BIP39 | 256 bits of initial entropy, plus checksum | Larger security margin and the default on Ledger devices, according to Ledger Developers’ master-seed documentation | Longer backup; more opportunities for a transcription or storage mistake |
| 20-word SLIP39 | SLIP39 share format; exact security depends on the configured scheme | Can be used as a single share or as part of a multi-share recovery on supported devices | Not interchangeable with ordinary BIP39; recovery requires compatible SLIP39 support |
Do not add words to a 12-word phrase, remove words from a 24-word phrase or mix standards to make a phrase seem stronger. If you want a different length, create a new wallet and transfer funds after verifying its backup.
How to store the backup
The goal is confidentiality, durability and recoverability. A backup must survive a lost device, a damaged home and your own future uncertainty without becoming available to an attacker.
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| Method | Strength | Main weakness | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper card | Cheap, simple and offline | Can burn, tear, fade, get wet or be photographed | Small balances or a temporary setup while a durable backup is arranged |
| Metal backup plate | Better resistance to fire, water and physical wear | Costs more and still reveals the words to anyone who finds or opens it | Long-term self-custody when stored in a controlled location |
| Hardware-wallet backup | Words are generated and used on a dedicated device, reducing exposure to a computer | Device loss, phishing, supply-chain tampering and poor physical storage remain risks | Regular signing and larger balances |
| Multisignature or secret shares | Reduces dependence on one key or one location | More setup, more records and a more complicated recovery process | Higher-value holdings, organizations or shared custody |
Make separate copies
Keep at least two verified copies in different secure locations. Separation protects against a single fire, flood, theft or misplaced item destroying the only recovery path. Do not leave both copies in the same drawer or safe if that location is the single point of failure.
Use controlled physical access
A hidden location is not automatically secure. Consider who can enter the room, who can open a safe and whether maintenance, guests or a future house move could expose the words. A metal plate can resist environmental damage, but it does not defend against a person who reads it. If you use a safe-deposit or professional storage service, understand who can access the contents and whether the provider has any record of them.
Keep digital copies out of the normal backup system
Do not photograph or screenshot the phrase. Do not place it in email, cloud storage, a notes application, a password manager or an automated computer backup. Trezor’s backup guidance says not to keep digital copies, including screenshots, photographs, emails and Dropbox. Digital copies can be indexed, synced to other devices, recovered from deleted files or stolen by malware.
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Passphrases: an extra secret with an extra failure mode
Some BIP39 wallets support an optional passphrase sometimes called a hidden-wallet passphrase. It changes the derived wallet: the same words with a different passphrase produce different addresses and balances. Treat it as a second secret, not as a replacement for the seed phrase.
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- Keep the passphrase separate from the words if your threat model is protection against discovery of the primary backup.
- Ensure your recovery instructions explain that a passphrase exists without revealing it in an easily found inventory.
- Understand that forgetting the passphrase can restore an apparently empty wallet even when every seed word is correct.
Before funding a passphrase-protected account, perform a complete recovery drill with the words and passphrase, then verify the expected receiving address. Never assume that a plausible-looking account is the one containing your funds.
What to do if the hardware wallet is lost
A lost or broken hardware wallet does not normally destroy funds if you still have the correct backup and know the wallet’s standard, derivation details and passphrase. The assets are recorded on their respective blockchains; the device stores or protects the keys used to authorize transactions.
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Acquire a replacement device or compatible wallet through a trusted channel.
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Confirm that it supports the original standard, assets and any passphrase or share arrangement.
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Initialize the replacement using its official “restore,” “recover” or “import existing wallet” flow. Do not create a new wallet and assume it will contain the old accounts.
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Enter the words only where the verified device or its documented recovery interface requires them. Never enter them into a website or send them to support.
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Apply the exact passphrase, account and derivation settings, if any.
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Verify receiving addresses on the replacement device and compare them with a previously recorded address or transaction history.
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If the original device may have been stolen while unlocked or its PIN exposed, move funds to a newly generated wallet after establishing a verified new backup.
A recovery phrase is not automatically enough to recover every asset. Some wallets require a particular network, account type, derivation path or token-discovery step. If an account appears empty, stop before making changes: check the standard, passphrase, network and derivation path rather than generating random new phrases.
Threats that defeat otherwise good backups
Phishing and fake support
Legitimate support should not ask for your wallet backup. Trezor states, “Do not share your wallet backup with anyone,” and says it will never ask for the backup, including during a support conversation. Treat an unexpected request, urgent warning or recovery offer as phishing. Navigate to the manufacturer’s known official site yourself instead of following a message link.
Malware on the connected computer
A hardware wallet can protect private keys while signing, but a compromised computer can replace a copied receiving address, display a fake wallet prompt or trick you into approving an unintended transaction. Keep the operating system and wallet software updated, verify important addresses on the hardware screen and review transaction details before approving.
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A phrase printed in a box, sent by a seller or composed from familiar words may be known to an attacker. Generate it during initialization and reject any device that asks you to use a supplied phrase.
Physical discovery
Anyone who reads an unprotected BIP39 phrase can usually restore the wallet elsewhere. Do not label a container with words such as “crypto seed,” and do not keep the PIN beside the device. Physical concealment reduces casual discovery but cannot replace access control and multiple locations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Recovery planning for heirs and future moves
A backup that only you understand can become unusable after an accident. Prepare a short, non-secret instruction sheet that identifies the wallet type, standard, supported assets and where the physical backup is held. Explain how to contact a trusted adviser or executor without giving that person the words in advance. Review the plan after changing wallets, adding a passphrase, moving house or adopting multisignature custody.
Keep the phrase itself out of legal, cloud and email records unless you have deliberately designed an expert-level encrypted custody system and understand its failure modes. For many individuals, two durable offline copies and clear recovery instructions provide a safer and simpler plan.
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Troubleshooting a failed recovery
The wallet rejects a word
Check spelling, word order and numbering against the wallet’s official word list. A checksum error usually indicates a transcription mistake or an incorrect word. Do not substitute a synonym or “correct” a word by memory.
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The phrase is accepted but the account is empty
Check whether a BIP39 passphrase was used, whether the wallet is on the correct network, whether the account index or derivation path changed and whether the asset is supported. Confirm that you restored the intended standard rather than confusing BIP39 with SLIP39.
Only some accounts appear
Use the wallet’s documented account-discovery process and compare addresses with records made before the device was lost. Different wallets may scan different derivation paths by default. Do not send funds until the expected addresses are confirmed.
A backup copy is damaged
Use the other verified copy rather than guessing missing letters. If both copies are incomplete or exposed, create a new wallet with a newly generated phrase and transfer funds while the old wallet remains accessible.
Operational checklist
- Generate the phrase on a trusted wallet, never on a website or from a sentence you invent.
- Confirm whether the wallet uses BIP39, SLIP39 or another format before recording anything.
- Write every word, in order and with exact spelling, on an offline medium.
- Complete the device’s backup confirmation and perform a recovery check when available.
- Keep the phrase private; support agents, friends and recovery services do not need it.
- Maintain separate copies in separate secure locations.
- Use metal or another durable medium when long-term environmental resistance justifies the cost.
- Keep passphrases, derivation information and recovery instructions organized without creating an easy digital copy of the words.
- Verify addresses and transaction details on the hardware device, not only on the computer screen.
- Update wallet software and the operating system, and treat unsolicited recovery messages as phishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover my wallet if the hardware wallet is lost?
Usually yes, if you have the correct seed phrase and know the wallet standard, derivation details and any passphrase. Restore only with a compatible, verified wallet and confirm the expected addresses before moving funds.
Is a 24-word phrase always safer than a 12-word phrase?
A correctly generated 12-word BIP39 phrase already represents 128 bits of entropy, while a 24-word phrase represents 256 bits. Twenty-four words provide a larger margin but also create more words to record and protect; the wallet’s supported format and your threat model matter more than length alone.
Should I store my seed phrase in a password manager?
For ordinary self-custody, no. Digital copies can be synced, photographed, indexed or stolen by malware. Keep verified copies offline and physically protected unless you have deliberately designed and tested an expert-level encrypted custody system.
What happens if I forget an optional wallet passphrase?
The seed words may still restore successfully but open a different, apparently empty wallet. The passphrase is part of the wallet’s derivation, so there is no general recovery shortcut for a forgotten value.
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Create the phrase with a trusted wallet’s secure random generator, verify it on the device, and store multiple exact copies offline in separate protected locations. The words—and any optional passphrase—must be treated as keys to the wallet, not as information to share or upload.
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