How do you recover a Bitcoin wallet from a seed phrase?
A Bitcoin wallet can be recovered from its seed phrase by entering the words into any compatible wallet application, which will then regenerate all private keys and addresses derived from that seed. The seed phrase - typically 12 or 24 words - is the master key to your funds. If you have the words, in the right order, you can restore access to your bitcoin on new or replacement hardware or software.
What a seed phrase actually is
A seed phrase (also called a recovery phrase or mnemonic) is a human-readable encoding of a large random number. That number is the starting point for generating every private key in a hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallet. The phrase itself follows the BIP-39 standard, which maps each word from a fixed list of 2048 words. The order of the words matters: the same 24 words in a different order produce a different wallet.
The seed phrase does not contain your bitcoin. It contains the ability to derive the private keys that control your bitcoin on the blockchain. Anyone with the phrase can spend those funds.
Before you begin: what you need
- The complete seed phrase. Every word, in the correct order. A missing or wrong word will restore a different wallet.
- Knowledge of any passphrase. Some wallets add an extra passphrase (sometimes called a "25th word") on top of the seed. Without it, the restored wallet will appear empty, even with the correct seed.
- The derivation path, if the wallet used a non-standard one. Most modern wallets follow the BIP-84 path for native SegWit addresses (
m/84'/0'/0'/0). If you used an unusual wallet or an old one, you may need to try several paths during recovery. - A compatible wallet app. The software you choose must support the same seed standard and derivation path your original wallet used. Most wallets support BIP-39, but some add proprietary steps.
Step-by-step recovery procedure
1. Choose a wallet application
You can recover into a software wallet on a phone or computer, or into a hardware wallet. If you are recovering because your previous device was lost or broken, a hardware wallet is the safer option for the long term. If you just need temporary access, a software wallet is faster.
Do not enter your seed phrase into any website, browser extension, or online service that asks for it. Legitimate wallets never require you to paste a seed into a web form.
2. Select the recovery option
Open the wallet app and look for "Restore wallet", "Recover from seed", or "Import wallet". This is usually on the setup screen, separate from the option to create a new wallet.
3. Enter the seed phrase
The app will present a series of blank fields. Type or select each word in order. Most wallets auto-complete as you type, because the word list is fixed. Check that every word matches the standard BIP-39 list - a misspelling or a word not on the list will produce an error.
Some wallets let you paste the entire phrase as a single string of words separated by spaces. If you do this, double-check that no extra spaces or line breaks are included.
4. Set a new wallet password
After the seed is accepted, the app will ask you to create a new spending password or PIN for this device. This password encrypts the wallet on this specific device. It does not change the seed. You can use a different password every time you restore the same seed.
5. Confirm the addresses and balance
Once the wallet loads, it will scan the blockchain for transactions associated with the derived addresses. This scan may take a few minutes, especially on a mobile wallet. After scanning, your bitcoin balance should appear.
Check a few receiving addresses against records you kept from the original wallet. If the addresses do not match, you may have entered the wrong seed, the wrong passphrase, or the wrong derivation path.
Common problems during recovery
Wrong seed phrase. Even a single word wrong will restore a different wallet with different addresses. If the balance shows zero and you are certain the phrase is correct, verify the spelling against the BIP-39 word list.
Missing passphrase. If your original wallet used an extra passphrase (often called a "BIP-39 passphrase" or "25th word"), you must enter it during recovery. Without it, the wallet generates different keys and shows no balance. The passphrase is case-sensitive and can be any string of characters, not just a single word.
Wrong derivation path. Older wallets may use BIP-44 (m/44'/0'/0'/0) for legacy addresses, or BIP-49 (m/49'/0'/0'/0) for SegWit-compatible addresses. Some wallets, like Electrum, use their own custom path. If the balance is missing, try selecting a different address type during recovery. Many modern wallets automatically check the most common paths.
Wallet app does not support the same script type. A wallet that only handles legacy addresses cannot restore a wallet that used native SegWit (bech32) addresses. Choose a wallet that supports the same address format as your original.
Security after recovery
Once you have restored access, consider transferring the bitcoin to a new wallet generated on a device you trust. If the device you used for recovery was compromised - for example, a phone with malware, or a computer with a keylogger - the seed phrase may have been exposed. Moving the funds to a fresh wallet with a new seed eliminates that risk.
Keep the original seed phrase stored securely offline. Do not type it into any device more often than necessary. The fewer times a seed touches a screen or keyboard, the lower the risk of it being captured.
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