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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe safest migration depends on your goal. To use the same wallet on a replacement device, restore it only in the wallet provider’s official, compatible app while keeping the recovery phrase offline and private. To move control to new keys, create a completely new wallet with a new phrase and send assets to its verified receiving addresses. If anyone may have seen or copied the old phrase, do not restore it: treat that wallet as compromised and move remaining assets to a new wallet created on a secure device.
A recovery (seed) phrase is a control credential. Anyone who possesses it may control the associated accounts and assets, so no legitimate support agent, website or migration service needs it. Ethereum.org’s security guidance states, “Never, for any reason, share your recovery phrase or private keys!”
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First decide what “migration” means
People use “migrate” for three different operations. Choosing the wrong one can expose a phrase unnecessarily or leave assets behind.
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| Situation | What changes | Correct method | Where the phrase belongs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replacing a lost, damaged or inconvenient device | The device changes, but you want the same wallet and addresses | Restore the existing wallet in its official compatible app | Only in the app’s legitimate recovery screen; never in a website, chat or support form |
| Moving to a new set of keys | The destination wallet has a different phrase and different addresses | Create a new wallet, then send assets from the old wallet to verified destination addresses | Keep both phrases private; the old wallet signs transactions and the new wallet receives them |
| Recovering an exchange or custodial account | The provider’s account access changes; you do not directly control the wallet keys | Use that provider’s official account-recovery and security process | There may be no seed phrase for you to restore; never substitute self-custody instructions |
The SEC Office of Investor Education and Assistance distinguishes self-custody, where you manage the private keys, from third-party custody, where the custodian controls key access. Its bulletin represents staff views, not a rule or regulation. Confirm custody before following any wallet-recovery guide.
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Why the seed phrase must never leave your control
A recovery phrase is effectively a master authorization for the wallet accounts derived from it. It is not a password that support can reset, and it is not a proof-of-purchase code. A person who obtains it can usually recreate the wallet in compatible software and sign transactions without your device, identity documents or permission.
- Never send the phrase to support, a moderator, a “recovery expert,” a friend or a hardware-wallet seller.
- Never type it into a browser page, online form, remote-assistance session or chat.
- Do not photograph or screenshot it. Ethereum.org warns that images can synchronize to cloud services or backups.
- Do not keep an unencrypted copy in email, cloud storage, a notes app, a password-free document or a clipboard history.
- Do not read it aloud while another person, camera or microphone can capture it.
Coinbase Wallet’s documentation illustrates that backup behavior differs by product: each recovery-phrase wallet has its own independent phrase, and a manual backup must preserve spelling and order. Those are provider-specific instructions, not universal rules about every wallet’s phrase format, account count or derivation path.
Prepare before opening a recovery screen
Preparation reduces the chance that urgency, a fake app or a wrong network turns a routine move into an irreversible loss.
- Identify the exact wallet and custody model. Record the provider, app name, device type and whether an exchange or other custodian holds the keys.
- Use a trusted device. Install operating-system updates, remove unknown remote-access software and run the wallet only on a device you believe is free of malware. If the old phrase may be exposed, do not use the old device to create the replacement wallet.
- Verify the app source. Start from the wallet provider’s official documentation or official app-store listing. Check the developer identity, spelling and update information; phishing apps often imitate familiar logos.
- Write down the migration inventory. List the networks, assets, account numbers and any collectibles or tokens you actually hold. Do not assume that restoring one account automatically exposes every account or chain.
- Check the destination capability. Confirm that the destination wallet supports the asset and network you intend to use. Compatibility, derivation paths, account discovery and import screens vary by provider.
- Plan fees and timing. A transfer may require the network’s native fee asset. Fees, confirmation times, supported assets and network choices are chain-specific and can change.
- Secure a private recording location. Have paper or another durable method ready for the new phrase. Keep it out of camera view and away from connected devices while creating the wallet.
Do not begin by searching the web for a generic “seed phrase recovery” form. Generic forms are a common way to collect the secret you are trying to protect.
Path 1: restore the same wallet on a replacement device
Use this path only when you want the same keys and addresses and you have no reason to believe the phrase was exposed.
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- Confirm the goal. If the old phrase was photographed, typed into a website or shown to another person, stop and use the compromise procedure instead of restoring it.
- Obtain the official app. Follow the provider’s current documentation and verify that the app is genuine before opening any recovery screen.
- Choose the provider’s recovery option. Labels differ—such as restore, import or recover—but use only the flow documented for that wallet. Do not assume an “import” option accepts every phrase standard.
- Enter the phrase locally. Type it only into the verified app on the trusted device. Keep screens, cameras, screen-sharing tools and observers away. Never paste it from a digital note.
- Preserve the exact phrase data. Follow the wallet’s required spelling and order. Do not add spaces, substitute similar words or “correct” a word based on memory.
- Check the result before moving funds. Compare the first receiving address and visible account names with records from the old wallet. A different address can indicate a wrong phrase, account, network or derivation path rather than a successful restoration.
- Secure the device and backup. Lock the device, enable its supported security controls and return the physical phrase backup to private storage. Do not leave the phrase in the app’s clipboard, screenshots or diagnostic logs.
Why a compatible app matters
Ethereum.org explains that a phrase can restore a wallet in a compatible application. “Compatible” is important: wallets can differ in phrase standards, derivation paths, account discovery, network support and the number of accounts they display. A successful import may show one account while another remains undiscovered until you follow that provider’s documented account-addition process. Do not conclude that funds are missing until you have checked the provider’s official instructions for those differences.
Path 2: create a fresh wallet and transfer assets
This is the appropriate path when you want a new set of keys, are retiring an old wallet, or suspect the old phrase is no longer secret. The destination phrase is generated by the new wallet and must never be exposed during setup.
- Create the destination wallet on a secure device. Use the official wallet app and select its option to create a new wallet, not restore an existing one.
- Record the new phrase offline. Follow the app’s exact wording and order. Do not photograph it, store it in an unencrypted digital file or enter it into a website. Confirm the app’s requested words while the screen is private.
- Verify the destination before funding it. Unlock the new wallet again and check that the receiving address is displayed as expected. If the provider offers an address-verification or anti-phishing feature, use it.
- Choose one asset and network deliberately. The destination must support that asset on the same intended network. A similar-looking address on a different network is not a safe substitute.
- Copy or scan the receiving address, then compare it. Compare the beginning, middle and end of the complete address against the destination wallet. Malware can alter copied addresses, so do not trust a quick visual glance at only the first characters.
- Open the old wallet through its normal signing process. You should be approving a transaction from the old wallet, not exporting or disclosing its phrase.
- Send a small test amount when practical. Wait for the destination to show the expected receipt before sending the remainder. The amount and feasibility of a test depend on the asset, network fees and minimum-transfer rules.
- Review the transaction screen. Confirm the complete recipient address, asset, amount, network and fee. Ethereum.org emphasizes that Ethereum transactions are irreversible; a wrong address or network generally cannot be undone by support.
- Transfer remaining assets separately as required. Some assets or networks require distinct transactions. Follow the wallet and network’s official sequence instead of assuming one send operation covers every holding.
- Retire the old wallet only after verification. Confirm the destination balances and transaction status. Preserve records needed for tax or accounting purposes without preserving the old phrase in an exposed digital file.
The exact fees, supported assets, network selections and confirmation behavior are wallet- and chain-specific. If the app presents a network choice you do not understand, stop and consult that network’s official documentation rather than guessing.
If the old phrase may have been exposed
Exposure includes typing the phrase into any website, sending it to support, storing it in a cloud-synchronized image, showing it on a video call or entering it on a device you cannot trust. Treat the wallet as compromised even if no unauthorized transaction is visible yet. A thief can wait, and a transaction may be irreversible.
Kraken’s compromise guidance, updated September 15, 2026, recommends this response:
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- Disconnect the affected device from the internet. This limits further interaction while you plan. Do not reconnect it merely to “check” the wallet.
- Use a secure device. Create the replacement wallet on a device you believe is clean and not controlled by the person or software that saw the phrase.
- Create a new wallet with a new phrase. Never restore the exposed phrase into the destination and never reuse it as a backup.
- Secure the new phrase offline. Keep it private and durable before receiving or transferring anything.
- Transfer remaining assets. From a wallet environment you trust, send assets to the new wallet’s verified addresses. Check each address and network immediately before signing.
- Review permissions. Where the wallet and chain support it, revoke suspicious token approvals and disconnect unknown decentralized applications. Disconnecting an app does not reverse a transaction or erase a previously granted approval, so use the chain’s documented revocation process.
- Stop using the compromised phrase. Do not keep it for a “small balance,” and do not use it to create another account.
Kraken also notes that a service cannot freeze a self-custody seed-phrase wallet or retrieve assets already sent to another address. That limitation is specific to self-custody: it is different from an exchange account investigation, where the custodian controls account access.
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Self-custody, exchange accounts and support boundaries
Self-custody wallet
You control the signing keys and carry responsibility for the recovery phrase, device security and transaction approvals. Support can explain documented app behavior, but it should not need the phrase. If a person claiming to be support asks for it, end the conversation and use the provider’s official contact route.
Exchange or other third-party account
The provider controls key access and normally supplies login recovery, identity verification, withdrawal holds and security-review procedures. Do not import an exchange login into a self-custody app and do not treat an exchange password or two-factor code as a seed phrase. Contact only the provider through its official website or app; never follow recovery links sent in unsolicited messages.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing storage for a phrase and device
| Option | Benefit | Risk or limitation | Practical control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written paper kept privately | No network exposure and inexpensive | Can burn, tear, fade or be found | Store in a private, access-controlled location and protect against moisture and fire |
| Durable metal phrase plate | Ledger’s vendor guidance says metal can resist fire, water and corrosion | The plate contains the secret itself; theft is still catastrophic | Secure it like cash or a key, and do not photograph the completed plate |
| Encrypted digital vault | Convenient and searchable | Malware, account takeover, cloud synchronization or a lost decryption key can expose or destroy it | Use only a security design you fully understand; never rely on an unencrypted note or screenshot |
| Hot wallet on an internet-connected device | Fast access and broad convenience | Phishing and device compromise remain possible | Use a trusted device, verify transactions and minimize unnecessary permissions |
| Hardware wallet | Can keep private-key operations more isolated from a general-purpose device | Setup mistakes, counterfeit devices, loss and phishing still matter; purchase alone does not guarantee safety | Follow the manufacturer’s official setup, verify addresses on the device display and protect the phrase separately |
Hardware wallets and metal backups are optional tools, not substitutes for private phrase handling. A physical backup is valuable only if unauthorized people cannot reach it.
Final checks before every transfer
- Recipient: Compare the complete address, not just its first and last few characters.
- Network: Confirm the sending and receiving networks match the asset you intend to move.
- Asset: Check the token or coin symbol and contract or network context shown by the wallet.
- Amount: Leave enough of the network’s fee asset for the transaction and any required follow-up.
- Destination ownership: Make sure the receiving address came from your newly created wallet or the intended custodian, not an edited message.
- Approval: Read the wallet’s signing prompt, including fees and any permission request, before confirming.
- Irreversibility: Ethereum.org specifically warns that Ethereum transactions cannot simply be reversed. Assume a confirmed on-chain transfer is final unless the recipient voluntarily returns it.
Common failure modes and recovery actions
A search result asks for your phrase
Close it. No migration requires pasting a phrase into a website. Reopen the wallet only from its verified official app and documentation.
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The restored wallet shows no balance
Do not immediately create another phrase or send funds again. Check that you used the exact original phrase, the correct provider, the correct account and the correct network. Then consult the provider’s documented account-discovery or derivation-path guidance. Wallets do not all display the same accounts automatically.
The receiving address looks unfamiliar
Stop before signing. A new wallet should have its own new addresses, but an unexpected address can also indicate a wrong account, network, app or clipboard replacement. Generate the address again inside the destination wallet and compare it character by character.
You sent on the wrong network
Do not assume support can reverse it. Record the transaction hash, destination, network and asset, then follow the official guidance for both the sending and receiving networks. Recovery may be impossible, and never give anyone your phrase while asking for help.
The old device is infected or remotely controlled
Do not create the new wallet on it. Disconnect it, use a separate trusted device, and treat any phrase entered on the affected device as exposed. Transfer remaining assets only after establishing the new wallet and verifying its addresses.
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End the interaction. Legitimate support does not need the recovery phrase. Report the impersonation through the provider’s official channel and review the wallet for unauthorized transactions or approvals.
A simple decision rule
- If the phrase is private and you only changed devices, restore it in the official compatible app.
- If you want new keys, create a new wallet and transfer assets after checking every address and network.
- If the phrase may have leaked, abandon it, create a new wallet on a secure device and move remaining assets immediately.
- If an exchange or custodian holds the keys, use its account-recovery process instead of seed-phrase instructions.
The wallet provider’s current documentation remains the authority for exact screens, supported assets, fees, account discovery and network selection. The safety principles do not change: keep every recovery phrase private, verify where every transaction is going, and assume confirmed blockchain transfers cannot be undone.
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