seed phrase

A seed phrase, also called a recovery phrase or mnemonic phrase, is a sequence of 12 to 24 ordinary words generated by your Bitcoin wallet when you set it up. These words are not random gibberish: they follow a standard called BIP-39, which maps a large number to a specific word from a list of 2048 English words. Together, they encode the master private key that controls all addresses in your wallet.

The seed phrase is the single most important piece of information in Bitcoin self-custody. If your device is lost, stolen, or breaks, you can restore your entire wallet on any compatible device by entering the words in the correct order. No company, no server, and no account is involved. The words are the wallet. This is what makes Bitcoin different from a bank account: there is no customer service to call, and no password reset. The seed phrase is the only way back in.

Because of this, how you store your seed phrase matters as much as where you store your bitcoin. Write it down on paper, store it in a place protected from fire and water, and never photograph it or type it into any device connected to the internet. A hardware wallet is the most secure way to generate and protect a seed phrase. The words should never be shared with anyone, for any reason.