Seed phrase or Recovery Phrase: everything you need to know

The most important elements of secure cryptocurrency storage are choosing the right crypto wallet and keeping its seed phrase safe.

The importance of a seed phrase is difficult to overstate, so we will explain why it should be the starting point for protecting your digital assets, what it means, whether a seed phrase can be guessed and how to store a crypto wallet recovery phrase securely.

Key Takeaways

• A seed phrase is the primary backup key to a non-custodial crypto wallet. It does not store private keys in plain text but is used to create a binary seed from which the wallet deterministically generates private keys and addresses.
• Never enter an active seed phrase on websites or internet-connected devices, save it in cloud storage, notes, emails or screenshots, or share it with anyone.
• If the phrase has been exposed or may have fallen into someone else’s hands, create a new wallet on a trusted device and transfer the assets to it as quickly as possible. The seed phrase of an existing wallet cannot be changed.

Brief AI Summary:

What Is a Seed Phrase or Recovery Phrase?

The idea of using a sequence of words instead of a cryptographic secret that is difficult to back up was described in 2013 in the draft document Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 39 (BIP39). The BIP39 standard defines a method for converting initial entropy into a mnemonic phrase and then into a binary seed, from which a compatible HD wallet generates private keys and addresses. A separate list of 2,048 words is used for each supported language. The English word list is generally recommended for maximum compatibility between wallets.

This idea simplified the secure backup and recovery of cryptocurrency wallets and allowed users to control their assets with a single mnemonic phrase instead of storing numerous individual private keys.

In a genuine non-custodial wallet, this phrase is initially available only to the user who created the wallet. The application’s developers and third-party services should not have access to it unless the user has shared the phrase, saved it in a cloud backup or entered it on a third-party resource.

Seed Phrase Examples

The words in a mnemonic phrase are not chosen arbitrarily: they encode cryptographically generated entropy and a checksum in accordance with the BIP39 standard. The mathematical probability of guessing a correctly generated seed phrase is not zero, but with sufficient entropy and proper generation it is so small that a complete brute-force search is considered practically impossible with modern computing resources.

BIP39 mnemonic phrases may look approximately like this:

• 12 words: alpha afford bundle fit fatigue vast upper youth wood vacuum toddler skirt

or

• 24 words: smoke sketch until typical pause network object random banner attitude common divert coral excite furnace frequent green harsh increase laugh level vendor whip year

How Does a Seed Phrase or Mnemonic Phrase Work?

All non-custodial crypto wallets use private keys to control assets. The difference lies in how users create, store and recover those keys: some wallets allow individual private keys or key files to be exported, while HD wallets usually provide a seed phrase as a convenient backup of the entire key tree.

If a wallet generates a seed phrase — Trustee Wallet is one example — the phrase is converted into an initial seed from which the wallet deterministically creates private keys and addresses. The seed phrase itself is not a repository of ready-made private keys and does not contain them in plain text.

In Trustee Wallet, direct private key export is not included in the main interface for security reasons. In exceptional circumstances, a technically experienced user can derive compatible keys from a seed phrase using the offline version of BIP39 Tool. An active seed phrase must never be entered on the online iancoleman.io page. Instead, download the bip39-standalone.html file from the official repository and run it only in a completely offline, trusted environment. The procedure is described in this article.

How to Get a Seed Phrase in Trustee Wallet

A seed phrase is generated when a new wallet is created during the first launch of Trustee Wallet. The unique recovery phrase may contain 12 or 24 words, depending on the wallet version and the creation method used.

To display the recovery phrase, open the wallet settings and select “My Wallets”. Then open the menu for the required wallet, select “Recovery Phrase” and press and hold the application screen to reveal the words. The names and locations of interface elements may change after application updates, so consult the latest official instructions where necessary. Copy the phrase exactly as shown, paying particular attention to the correct word order. Do not take a screenshot or copy it into notes or the clipboard.

How to Restore a Wallet in Trustee Wallet

Because a seed phrase is a backup method for restoring the key tree, a user who possesses it is not tied to a single application or device on which the wallet is installed. Access to the assets may be restored by importing the phrase into another compatible application or onto another device.

However, BIP39 support alone may not be sufficient. To display the same addresses, the network, address type, derivation path, account number and additional BIP39 passphrase, where used, must all match. Before importing a phrase into a third-party application, you must therefore confirm that it is compatible with the original wallet.

Let us consider the main recovery options using Trustee Wallet as an example:

• restore your previous Trustee Wallet by reinstalling the application on a new device, for example after replacing or losing your smartphone;

or

• import a compatible seed phrase from a third-party wallet, such as MetaMask, MEW or Trust Wallet, into Trustee Wallet. Before transferring large amounts, check that the application displays the expected public addresses and supported networks.

Step-by-Step Process

1. When installing the Trustee Wallet application, select the “Restore Wallet” option.
2. Enter the saved recovery phrase — the seed phrase — in the exact order and without errors. Do this only in the official application installed from a trusted source.
3. If necessary, specify the wallet name by opening the “Settings” section. The names and positions of interface elements may differ depending on the application version.
4. After the correct recovery phrase has been entered, the wallet will be ready to use. Before carrying out any transactions, check the public addresses and balances on the required networks.

Why a Seed Phrase Is So Important

By this point, an attentive reader will already have understood the main rule: a seed phrase is the primary backup key to the assets in a compatible non-custodial wallet. If an additional BIP39 passphrase is used, it will also be required for recovery. Some wallets may use other backup formats as well.

However, if you store the seed phrase carefully and securely, you will be able to:

• restore access to the assets by installing a compatible wallet on another device;
• import it into another wallet that supports BIP39 and a compatible derivation scheme;
• technically transfer control of the assets as a gift or inheritance, although this should be done only as part of a carefully prepared security plan: the person who supplied the phrase may retain a copy, and any disclosure creates a risk of theft;
• restore control of the assets from another part of the world without physical access to the previous device. However, you must never send a seed phrase over the internet or enter it on someone else’s computer.

Disadvantages and Risks of Seed Phrases

Converting a cryptographically generated seed into a human-readable, albeit unrelated, sequence of words makes backups considerably easier. Nevertheless, secure seed phrase storage remains one of the most important responsibilities of a non-custodial crypto wallet owner.

Experts do not recommend relying solely on memory. No single storage method is completely reliable: each option protects against certain threats but may create others. Below, we consider the most common approaches and the risks associated with them.

How to Store a Seed Phrase Securely

This is one of the most important aspects of cryptocurrency security. The storage method should be chosen with possible theft, fire, flooding, loss of the storage medium, unauthorised access and the risk that the owner may be unable to recover the record in mind.

The methods used and discussed by the cryptocurrency community include:

1. Memory
2. A paper record
3. Metal backup devices
4. Secure hardware devices and secret managers
5. Cloud services — not recommended for seed phrase storage

Some elements of these methods may be combined, using approaches appropriate to your circumstances and threat model. However, internet-connected and cloud-based storage should not be used for an active seed phrase. You should also avoid complicating the record with untested encryption methods or schemes that you may later forget.

Memory

Relying solely on memory is generally not recommended. Illness, injury, stress, a long period without practice or natural forgetfulness may lead to irreversible loss of access.

If you nevertheless use memorisation as an additional, but not the only, backup measure, you may apply mnemonic techniques and practices from eidetic memory, for example:

• Creating narratives. Divide the phrase into sections between which you can establish an associative link. The idea is to create independent short stories that can later be connected after each has been memorised. Such stories should not be written down or published online.
• Abbreviations. You may try to create an acronym from the first letters of a group of words. If it can be pronounced, it may serve as a prompt. However, an acronym alone is not a substitute for a complete offline backup and may reveal part of the phrase’s structure.
• The “Memory Palace” technique — also known as the method of loci or Roman Room method. This technique creates associations between seemingly unrelated images. Mentally place the words in a familiar room in a strictly defined order. Then imagine moving through the room and try to reproduce the sequence.

Paper

The most common method of preserving a seed phrase is writing it on paper.

To make this method more reliable and resistant to different risks, consider the following recommendations:

• create several backup records only if you have secure, separate storage locations, remembering that every additional copy increases the risk of discovery;
• use durable ink or pencil after checking the readability and longevity of the record;
• laminate the paper only after confirming that the material and ink will not be damaged by heat;
• store the paper in a tamper-evident envelope, understanding that a seal indicates access but does not prevent it;
• use waterproof and fire-resistant protective cases;
• consider a bank safe-deposit box after assessing the risks of third-party access, restrictions, inheritance arrangements and loss of access to the box;
• store the record in a high-quality fire-resistant safe;
• keep the backup separately from the device containing the wallet so that a single theft or emergency does not destroy everything at once;
• do not split the phrase into sections using a homemade scheme without understanding the consequences: losing one section may make recovery impossible, while a discovered section may sometimes make brute-force attempts easier;
• do not replace the original phrase with a homemade cipher unless there is a reliable and separately stored method of decryption;
• do not encode the phrase in a painting, text or other creative object as the sole backup method: such a scheme can easily be forgotten, misinterpreted or accidentally exposed.

Metal Backup Devices

These may include ordinary plates made from an appropriate grade of steel with engraved words or specialised devices designed to record them, such as Cryptosteel.

High-quality metal backups are more resistant than paper to fire, water and physical damage. Their size and shape may also make storage and transportation easier. However, they solve only part of the problem: the phrase on such a device is usually unencrypted, so anyone who obtains physical access can read it. Before purchasing one, consider the results of independent testing of the specific material and design.

Secure Devices and Secret Managers

This category includes specialised hardware devices and local secret managers protected by encryption, a PIN, a password or biometric authentication. For example, OnlyKey and Hideez are hardware solutions, while KeePass is a software password manager. Pastilda is a separate hardware project. These solutions have different architectures and do not provide identical levels of protection.

This method may partially reduce the risk of the secret being read if the storage device is physically discovered, but it creates dependence on the reliability of the hardware, software, master password and the ability to recover data after a failure. Connecting the device to an infected or networked computer may also result in compromise. Such a solution should not be used as the only copy without an independent offline backup.

Cloud Password Storage

Ordinary cloud storage, email, online notes, photo galleries and synchronised clipboard managers are among the least secure places for a seed phrase. The information is stored on third-party infrastructure and may be stolen through an account breach, malware, leaked backups, a synchronisation error or unauthorised account recovery.

Do not store a seed phrase in online services or enter it on equipment connected to the internet. Even an encrypted file may be vulnerable because of a weak password, a leaked decryption key or unnoticed data substitution.

How to Change a Seed Phrase

A seed phrase in Trustee Wallet, as in another compatible BIP39 wallet, is generated when a new wallet is created. It must be recorded using one of the secure offline methods described above, but not as a note, photograph or screenshot on a mobile device.

The seed phrase remains unchanged throughout the lifetime of a particular wallet. An individual word cannot be edited, and the phrase cannot be replaced without creating a new key tree.

This immutability and deterministic key-generation process make it possible to restore the same addresses if the device is lost, damaged or stolen — provided that the correct phrase, a compatible wallet, the derivation path and any additional passphrase are available.

How to Recover a Seed Phrase

If you have completely lost the seed phrase and have no access to the working wallet, another backup, a key file or private keys, recovery is generally impossible. In this situation, access to the digital assets may be lost permanently.

However, if you have forgotten only part of the mnemonic phrase, mixed up the order of known words or made an error while copying it, there may sometimes be a chance of restoring access using specialised software such as BTCRecover or Seed Savior.

To use such tools, you must remember a significant number of the words and their possible positions or order. It is also extremely useful to have at least one known public address, extended public key or another identifier against which the software can compare possible results. Knowing the final word may help, but it is not essential in every scenario: the possibility of recovery depends on the number of unknown words, the structure of the error, the wallet type and the available computing resources.

These methods involve serious security risks. Fraudsters may offer “recovery” services to obtain the known part of the phrase, while an online service may steal all the information entered. Use only open-source software obtained from its official source, verify its authenticity and run it locally in a completely offline environment. Never share even part of a seed phrase with another person.

Frequently Asked Questions About Seed Phrases

Can a Seed Phrase Be Guessed?

Brute-force guessing is theoretically possible, but the probability of guessing a correctly generated phrase is extremely small. A 12-word BIP39 mnemonic is generally based on 128 bits of entropy plus a checksum, while a 24-word phrase is based on 256 bits of entropy plus a checksum. Exhaustively searching such a space is practically impossible. However, weak generation, an exposed part of the phrase, a known passphrase or phishing may make an attack considerably easier, so security depends not only on mathematics but also on the owner’s behaviour.

How Can I View My Wallet’s Seed Phrase?

To view the seed phrase of your own wallet using Trustee Wallet as an example:

1. Open the “Settings” section on the main page.
2. Open the “My Wallets” page.
3. Select the required wallet and open its additional menu.
4. On the wallet settings page, select “Recovery Phrase”.
5. On the page that opens, press and hold the application screen to reveal the phrase and write it down on paper.

The names and locations of interface elements may change after an application update. Copy the words carefully, preserve the exact order and do not take photographs or screenshots. View the phrase only in a secure setting without cameras or other people present.

What Is a Seed Phrase Checker?

This term refers to a tool capable of checking the structure and checksum of a BIP39 mnemonic, comparing words with the official list, displaying derived addresses or generating a test phrase. Such a tool does not confirm that the phrase belongs to a particular wallet and must not be used as an online service for checking an active seed phrase.

One well-known tool is BIP39 Tool by Ian Coleman. To work with a real mnemonic, download the offline bip39-standalone.html file from the official repository, verify the source and run it only on a trusted computer with no network connections. The online version may be used only with test data that will never be used to store assets.

Technically experienced users may also use the offline version of this tool to derive addresses and private keys from their own seed phrase. This should be done only when genuinely necessary, in a completely isolated environment and after identifying the correct derivation path. Entering a mnemonic on an online website or third-party “checker” may result in the immediate theft of all assets.

In summary, a seed phrase is the primary method of backing up and restoring access to assets in compatible HD wallets, and its importance is difficult to overstate. This article has covered how mnemonic phrases work, secure and risky storage methods, wallet recovery and the steps to take if a phrase is lost or compromised.