Lost or Stolen Device Recovery

Don't Panic: Your Funds Can Be Recovered

If your hardware wallet is lost, stolen, or damaged, your cryptocurrency assets are not necessarily lost. Hardware wallets are designed with recovery in mind, and as long as you have your recovery seed phrase, you can restore access to all your funds.

Important: The security of your assets relies on your recovery seed phrase, not the physical device itself. Anyone who has access to your recovery seed can access your funds, but without it, the device is useless to thieves.

Step 1: Assess the Situation

First, determine what exactly happened to your device:

Lost Device: You cannot find your hardware wallet but have no reason to believe it was stolen
Stolen Device: You have evidence or strong suspicion that someone has taken your hardware wallet
Damaged Device: Your hardware wallet is physically damaged and no longer functioning

The recovery steps will vary slightly depending on your situation.

Step 2: Check Your Recovery Seed Security

Verify that your recovery seed phrase is still secure and accessible:

Locate your recovery seed backup (the 12-24 word phrase you wrote down during setup)
Ensure it is complete and legible
Verify that no unauthorized person has had access to it

If you cannot locate your recovery seed or suspect it has been compromised, proceed immediately to Step 3.

Step 3: Secure Your Funds (If Seed May Be Compromised)

If there's any chance that both your device and recovery seed have been compromised, you need to act quickly to secure your funds:

Using another device or wallet, immediately transfer your cryptocurrency to new addresses that you control
Prioritize moving larger holdings first
If you have many different cryptocurrencies, focus on the most valuable ones first

This step is only necessary if you believe your recovery seed may have been compromised. If your seed is secure, your funds are safe even if the device is lost or stolen.

Step 4: Obtain a New Hardware Wallet

To regain access to your funds, you'll need to purchase a new hardware wallet. You have two options:

Purchase the same model you had before (simplest option)
Purchase a different model or brand (may require additional steps during recovery)

Most hardware wallets use compatible recovery standards, so you can usually restore your funds even on a different brand of device.

Step 5: Restore Your Wallet Using Recovery Seed

Once you have your new device:

Set up the new hardware wallet following the manufacturer's instructions
When prompted, select the option to "Restore from recovery phrase" rather than creating a new wallet
Enter your recovery seed phrase exactly as it appears on your backup
If using a passphrase (sometimes called a "25th word"), enter that as well
The wallet will regenerate all your accounts and addresses

After restoration is complete, your new device will have access to all the same accounts and funds as your original device.

Step 6: Verify Your Balances

After restoration, verify that all your cryptocurrency balances are correct:

Install the necessary apps for each cryptocurrency you hold
Check each account to ensure the balance matches your records
If balances don't match, ensure you've entered the correct recovery phrase and passphrase (if applicable)

In some cases, you may need to add custom derivation paths for certain cryptocurrencies to see all your accounts.

Step 7: Consider Creating a New Wallet

If your original device was stolen (rather than just lost or damaged), consider creating an entirely new wallet with a new recovery seed for maximum security:

Set up a second hardware wallet with a new recovery seed
Transfer all funds from your restored wallet to the new wallet
Securely store the new recovery seed

This step is optional but recommended if there's any possibility that someone might eventually bypass your device's security protections.

Quick Action Checklist

Assess situation (lost/stolen/damaged)
Locate recovery seed backup
Transfer funds if seed compromised
Purchase replacement device
Restore wallet using seed phrase
Verify all balances are correct
Consider creating new wallet

Common Recovery Issues

Incorrect recovery phrase entry
Missing or incorrect passphrase
Selecting wrong recovery standard
Missing accounts after recovery

If you encounter any of these issues, please contact our support team for assistance.

Never Share Your Seed Phrase

Our support team will never ask for your recovery seed phrase or private keys. Anyone requesting this information is attempting to steal your funds.

Preventive Measures for the Future

How to better protect yourself against loss or theft

Multiple Seed Backups

Create multiple copies of your recovery seed and store them in different secure locations. Consider using metal seed storage products that are resistant to fire, water, and physical damage.

For critical holdings, some users split their seed phrase into multiple parts and store them in separate locations.

Use a Passphrase

Add an optional passphrase (sometimes called a "25th word") to your recovery seed. This creates a completely separate wallet that can't be accessed even if someone finds your recovery seed.

Remember that if you forget your passphrase, even with the recovery seed, you won't be able to access those funds.

Multiple Hardware Wallets

Consider using multiple hardware wallets with different recovery seeds to distribute your assets. This creates redundancy and limits your risk exposure if one device is compromised.

You might use one wallet for frequent transactions and another for long-term storage.