How to back up your Bitcoin wallet, and never lose access
Phones break. Devices get lost. Houses flood. If your Bitcoin is in your own wallet, the backup is what lets you get it back. Without it, there's no "forgot password" button and no support line that can help.
This guide shows you how to make a backup you can rely on, where to keep it, and how to check it works before the day you need it.
We will never ask for your recovery words, your backup or your password. Nobody genuine ever will. Anyone who asks is trying to steal your Bitcoin.
What your backup actually is
Most wallets give you a recovery phrase: usually 12 or 24 ordinary words in a set order. Those words can rebuild your private keys on any compatible wallet.
That means two things:
- Whoever has the words has your Bitcoin. They don't need your phone, your device or your PIN.
- If you lose the words and the wallet, the Bitcoin is gone for good.
Some wallets also offer an encrypted backup, for example on a memory card, protected by a separate password. Then you need both the backup and its password, so keep them in different places.
Your PIN is not a backup. It only unlocks one device.
Step 1. Write it down, by hand, on paper
- When the wallet shows your words, write them on paper or on the backup card that came with it.
- Number each word and use clear capital letters. Check the spelling of every word.
- Most wallets ask you to confirm a few words. Do it carefully.
- Read the whole list back against the screen before you continue.
Never:
- take a photo or screenshot of the words;
- type them into a phone, computer, email, notes app or cloud storage;
- store them in a chat with yourself;
- read them out where you can be overheard or recorded.
Anything that touches the internet can be copied without you knowing.
Step 2. Make it last
Paper can burn, fade or get wet. For savings, consider copying the words onto a metal backup: plates or tiles you stamp or engrave. Metal survives fire and water far better than paper.
Whatever you use, keep it in a dry, closed place.
Step 3. Keep it safe, and keep it apart
- Store the backup away from the wallet itself. If someone takes both, they have everything.
- Consider two copies in two different places, such as your home and somewhere you trust. One fire or flood shouldn't wipe out both.
- More copies means more places someone could find one. Two well-hidden copies is a sensible balance for most people.
- Don't label it "Bitcoin". Nobody needs to know what it is.
Step 4. Test it before you need it
A backup you've never tested is a hope, not a backup.
- Send a small amount to your wallet.
- Reset the wallet, or use a second compatible wallet, and restore from your backup.
- Check that the same balance and addresses appear.
- Only then move the rest of your savings in.
Do this on a quiet day, offline if your wallet allows, and never on a website.
Step 5. Check it from time to time
Once or twice a year, make sure the backup is still where you left it, still readable and still dry. If your wallet has an encrypted backup on a card, use its "check backup" option if it has one. Memory cards don't last forever.
An extra passphrase: only if you understand it
Many wallets let you add an optional passphrase (sometimes called the "25th word"). It adds protection: someone who finds your words still can't reach the Bitcoin without it.
But if you forget the passphrase, the words alone won't restore your Bitcoin. Only use one if you are sure you can keep it safe and remember it, and store it separately from the words.
Thinking ahead: your family
If something happened to you, could your family reach your Bitcoin? Without a plan, it can be lost forever.
- Leave clear written instructions with someone you trust, or with your will, saying that you have Bitcoin and where the backup is kept.
- Don't hand over the words themselves while you're alive unless you fully trust that person.
- For larger amounts, a solicitor can help you plan this properly.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Photo or cloud copy of the words | Can be stolen online | Paper or metal only |
| Backup kept with the device | One theft loses everything | Store them apart |
| Only one copy | One fire or flood loses everything | Two copies, two places |
| Backup never tested | You find out it's wrong too late | Restore once with a small amount |
| Forgotten passphrase | Words alone won't restore | Only use one you can keep safe |
| "Support" asks for your words | Theft | Never share them, with anyone |
Quick checklist
- ☐ Words written by hand, numbered and checked against the screen
- ☐ No photos, screenshots or typed copies anywhere
- ☐ Backup stored away from the wallet
- ☐ Second copy in a different place (paper or metal)
- ☐ Restore tested with a small amount
- ☐ Reminder set to check the backup once or twice a year
- ☐ Family knows that you have Bitcoin and where the backup is
This guide is general information about keeping your own Bitcoin safe. It is not financial, legal or investment advice, and we don't tell anyone whether to buy or sell. Wallets differ, so always follow their current instructions too.