Stay Safe
Seed Phrase Security
Your 12 or 24-word seed phrase is the master key to your entire wallet. Lose it and the funds are gone forever. Leak it and someone else owns them. There is no customer support, no reset button, no second chance.
What a seed phrase actually is
When you create a self-custody wallet, the app generates a sequence of 12 or 24 random words drawn from a fixed dictionary (the BIP-39 list). These words encode the master private key for your entire wallet — every Bitcoin address, every Ethereum address, every NFT, every chain. Anyone holding the phrase can restore the wallet on any compatible app, from anywhere in the world, with no password.
That's why the phrase is power and danger in equal measure. Treat it like a winning lottery ticket — physical, secret, and irreplaceable.
How to store it (the safe way)
Write it on paper with a real pen. Two copies. Store them in two physically separate locations — for example, a home safe and a bank safe deposit box. For meaningful holdings, upgrade to a metal seed backup (Cryptosteel, Billfodl, or any stainless steel plate). Metal survives fire, water, and time in ways paper doesn't.
Some users split their seed using methods like Shamir's Secret Sharing (supported by Trezor Model T and Ledger via Recover), where you need M-of-N pieces to reconstruct. This is more advanced but reduces single-point-of-failure risk.
How NOT to store it (and why)
Never type the phrase into a website or wallet app you didn't initiate. Never store the phrase in a cloud notes app, password manager (debatable but mostly avoid), email draft, photo gallery, or screenshot. Never read the phrase out loud near a smart speaker. Never share the phrase with 'support' — no legitimate company will ever ask for it.
If a wallet ever asks you to 're-enter your seed phrase to upgrade,' close the tab and go directly to the official app. That prompt is a phishing pattern responsible for millions in losses every year.
Seed phrase do's and don'ts
- DO write it physically — Pen on paper, or engraved on metal. Never digital.
- DO make redundant backups — Two copies in two locations. One is too few.
- DO test recovery — Restore your wallet from the phrase on a separate device once, with no funds. Then wipe it.
- DON'T photograph it — Photos sync to the cloud. Cloud accounts get breached.
- DON'T store it in a password manager — If your password manager is compromised, your crypto goes too.
- DON'T reuse the same phrase across services — One seed phrase, one wallet. Don't import the same phrase into multiple apps and forget where it lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I lose my seed phrase?
If you still have access to the wallet (it's installed and unlocked), generate a new wallet and move all funds to it immediately, then back up the new seed properly. If you've lost both the phrase AND access to the wallet, the funds are unrecoverable.
Can someone steal my crypto with just my address?
No. Your address is public — that's how you receive funds. Only the private key (or seed phrase) can move them.
Should I store my seed phrase in a safe deposit box?
It's a reasonable second location, but understand that the bank can technically access the box and that legal seizures are possible. Many users split: one copy at home, one at the bank, both required to recreate.
What about Ledger Recover or other cloud seed services?
These split your seed across multiple custodians and let you recover via ID verification. They reduce loss risk but add trust assumptions. Many security-focused users avoid them; others prefer them over single-point-of-failure paper backups. Choose based on your threat model.
Are 24 words more secure than 12?
Slightly. Both are far beyond brute-force reach, but 24 words give 256 bits of entropy vs 128. For most people the practical difference is zero — the failure mode is leaks and theft, not brute force.