19.07.2026
If you have ever used a personal wallet like MetaMask to store cryptocurrency you will have likely encountered the idea of a ‘seed’ (or ‘recovery’) phrase. Maybe the software you were using gave you a stern warning to “never share your seed phrase”. You were probably told to write it down somewhere safe. But what is a seed phrase, and what should you do with it? Let’s look at why your seed phrase is so important and how you can protect it so that it is always available to you if you need it.
What is a seed phrase?
Seed phrases are a common feature shared by most crypto wallets today. Usually, the seed phrase is a list of 12 or 24 English words. When you read these words like a sentence, you’ll find they probably don’t make much sense. That’s because the words in your seed phrase don’t have any meaning to humans: they’re intended to be read by a computer.
To a computer, your seed phrase is just another way to describe your cryptocurrency wallet. Each of the words (and their overall order) corresponds to a chunk of data. The wallet software can translate the list of seed words into the ‘key’ which allows you to access your wallet. Technically, all the information you need to access your wallet is contained within the seed phrase. No matter what happens, if you have your seed phrase, you’ll be able to access your wallet and any coins inside.
Why is it important?
We don’t typically use our seed phrases every day because it wouldn’t be very efficient. So why have them in the first place? The seed phrase provides an easy way to make a physical copy of your wallet. They’re made up of a fixed number of common words that are easy to write down without making mistakes. If you lose access to your wallet for any reason, you’ll be able to use your seed phrase to get your wallet back.
Surprisingly, seed phrases were not always the norm for cryptocurrency. The original Bitcoin software didn’t provide users with a seed phrase. Instead, wallet information was stored solely in a digital file on your computer. If you didn’t make copies of this file, you could lose your Bitcoin. There are many old horror stories of people throwing out a hard drive only to one day remember it contained a wallet worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
Tips on how to store your seed phrase
You should definitely store your seed phrase in a secure location, where it won’t be lost or damaged. It might one day save you from losing your entire crypto wallet.
Firstly, your seed phrase should never – under any circumstances – be stored on any device with an internet connection. The seed phrase should be kept completely offline. Remember: anyone with the seed phrase can access the wallet associated with it. Seed phrases can’t be changed, either. If your seed phrase is ever compromised, your only option will be to move your funds to a new wallet – if you are lucky enough to do so before they disappear.
Looking at your seed phrase, you may be tempted to try to memorise it. But don’t be too hasty. If you forget your seed phrase or jumble up the words, you will be unable to access your wallet, and out of luck.
It might be appealing to simply copy your seed phrase into a text file on your computer. However, if your computer is ever hacked, you can be sure the hacker will rub their hands together with glee when they see your seed phrase sitting unprotected on your desktop.
Likewise, you should never share the seed phrase with anyone – just as you wouldn’t share the login details for your bank account. As a rule, nobody legitimate will ever ask you for your seed phrase. Treat any emails or messages you receive asking for your seed phrase with the utmost caution, no matter how official they seem. Many people have lost their coins after being tricked into revealing their seed phrase.
Writing your seed phrase down on paper can be a good option, as long as you store it in a safe location. Always double-check that you wrote your seed phrase down exactly as it was displayed by your wallet software. You may wish to make multiple copies of your seed phrase and store them in several secure locations – such as a fireproof safe or bank deposit box.
If you write your seed phrase down on paper, don’t store it haphazardly where it might be lost or discovered. You might be used to writing down login details for the websites you commonly use. However, unlike the password to your Facebook or Gmail account, nobody else can restore your seed phrase in an emergency. If you lose it, it’s gone forever – which could be financially disastrous.
For long-term storage of your seed phrase – or if you have a large cryptocurrency holding – you should consider making a more durable backup. Many users choose to engrave or stamp their seed phrase on a metal plate. This is a much more durable form of storage than paper and protects your seed phrase against the elements.
You can do this yourself with a steel plate and a letter punch set if you are confident. Otherwise, there are now ready-made alternatives designed for cryptocurrency users. Products like Cryposteel Capsule, Keystone Tablet, and ELLIPAL Mnemonic Metal are convenient methods for making a durable physical copy of your seed phrase.
No matter how you choose to store your seed phrase, it should be in a safe location where you will be able to find it again if you ever need it. Digital technology is prone to error and malfunction, so a physical copy of your wallet is a much-needed safeguard against the loss of your funds.