Your written backup is probably the most valuable thing you will ever copy out by hand. It takes about 15 minutes, and doing it carefully once saves a lot of worry. This how-to is part of our seed phrase backup guide. If the idea is new, start with why a seed phrase differs from a password.
- STEP 01Prepare
Private room, pen, good paper, no phone nearby.
- STEP 02Write
Clear block letters, numbered 1 to 24, in order.
- STEP 03Check
Compare every word and confirm it on the wallet.
- STEP 04Store
Dry, hidden, away from the device. Never online.
Before you start
Your wallet will show the words only during setup, so prepare first:
- A quiet room with the door shut.
- A good ballpoint or archival pen. Avoid pencil.
- Thick paper, or the recovery card that came with your hardware wallet.
- A hard surface, with no pad of paper underneath to catch impressions.
Move your phone out of the room. Smart speakers, webcams, security cameras and glass that reflects the screen all count as things that could see your words.
Step 1: Start in private
Start the wallet setup only when you are ready and alone. Do not rush, and do not do this in an office, a café or on a video call.
Step 2: Gather your materials
If your hardware wallet came with a recovery card, use it. If you are using plain paper, draw numbered lines from 1 to 12 or 1 to 24 before the words appear.
Step 3: Write every word in order
Copy each word exactly, next to its number:
- Use clear block capitals so that no letter can be mistaken for another.
- Take care with letters that look alike, such as
uandv, orrandn. - Do not abbreviate or change the spelling, however obvious the word seems.
- Write nothing else on the sheet. Do not label it "crypto" or "wallet".
Step 4: Check each word
Go back to word one and compare the whole list against the screen, letter by letter. All BIP39 words are on a fixed list, so a word that looks misspelled is a mistake worth fixing.
Your wallet will then usually ask you to confirm some of the words. Treat this as a check of your written copy, and read them from the paper, not from memory.
Step 5: Test the backup
A backup you have never tested is a hope, not a backup. Before you put significant funds in the wallet:
- Use the wallet's built-in backup check, if it has one. Several hardware wallets offer this, and our guide to testing your backup has more.
- Or reset a hardware wallet and restore it from your paper, on the device itself. Confirm you see the same receiving address.
Do the test only on your own hardware wallet or a wallet you already trust. Never test on a website.
Step 6: Store it safely
Paper is cheap and offline, but it burns, gets wet and fades. Keep it:
- Dry, ideally in a sealed bag, or on metal.
- Hidden, in a place a burglar would not check first.
- Away from the wallet itself, so that one thief does not get both.
| Method | Fire | Water | Theft | Remote hack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper at home | Poor | Poor | Depends | Good |
| Paper in a fire safe | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
| Stamped steel | Good | Good | Depends | Good |
| Two copies, two places | Good | Good | Fair | Good |
| Photo or cloud note | Good | Good | Poor | Poor |
Mistakes to avoid
| Mistake | Why it is dangerous |
|---|---|
| Taking a photo "just for now" | Phones sync to the cloud, and malware reads galleries |
| Saving it in a notes app or email | Any account hack exposes it |
| Storing it in a password manager | Puts your master secret on an internet-connected device |
| Splitting it across two sheets | Makes it easier to lose without making it safe |
| Accepting a phrase that came pre-written | The seller has a copy, so it is a scam |
| Keeping only one copy | One fire or flood ends your access |
What to do next
Once your backup exists, look at what happens if you lose a seed phrase so you know why a second copy in another place is worth the effort. Experienced holders can add a passphrase, which must be backed up separately.