A seed phrase, sometimes called a recovery phrase, is a list of 12 or 24 common words generated when you first create a wallet. Behind the scenes, this phrase mathematically encodes your private keys. If your phone is lost, broken, or stolen, you can enter the same seed phrase into a new wallet app and regain access to all your coins.
Because the seed phrase is effectively a master password to your funds, anyone who obtains it can move your coins with no way for you to reverse it. There is no customer support line in crypto that can undo a transaction once it is confirmed.
The safest practice is to write the phrase on paper, store it in more than one secure physical location, and never store it digitally as a photo, text file, or cloud note where it could be exposed in a data breach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I lose my seed phrase?
If you also lose access to the device where the wallet is installed, your funds become permanently inaccessible. There is no recovery process outside of the seed phrase itself.
Can I change my seed phrase?
You cannot change the phrase for an existing wallet, but you can create a brand-new wallet with a new phrase and transfer your funds over to it.
