Your Safepal Wallet Setup Complete Steps to Protect Your Recovery Phrase

Write down your 12-word recovery phrase on the provided card before you connect your new Safepal hardware wallet to the app. This step happens during the initial device activation, and the words will only appear on the wallet’s secure screen. Treat this moment with complete focus; it is the single most important action you will take.

These words are your absolute master key. Anyone who possesses this phrase gains full control over every asset in your wallet, with no way for you to stop them. The Safepal company cannot recover these words for you, and they will never ask for them. Your security now depends entirely on how you manage this paper backup.

Store the card in a place only you can access, like a fireproof safe or a secure deposit box. Avoid digital copies entirely–never take a photo, store it in a cloud note, or type it into any website or messaging app. Digital storage exposes the phrase to hackers and malware, defeating the purpose of your hardware wallet’s isolation.

After securing the physical copy, use the wallet’s built-in function to verify the phrase. The device will ask you to re-enter several random words from the list to confirm your accuracy. This check ensures you have a correct, legible backup you can use if your wallet is ever lost, damaged, or needs to be restored on a new device.

Generating and Physically Writing Down Your 12-Word Phrase

Follow your SafePal app’s instructions until the interface displays your 12-word recovery phrase in the correct order.

Use the pen and paper included in your SafePal hardware wallet package. A standard pen on standard paper creates a permanent, offline record. Avoid typing these words on any phone, computer, or note-taking app connected to the internet.

Write each word clearly on a single line, numbering them from 1 to 12. Double-check your handwriting for legibility; a smudged or unclear letter could cause problems later. Verify that you have copied every word exactly, including spelling.

After writing, use the app’s verification step. It will ask for specific words from your list, like the 3rd, 7th, and 11th. This confirms your written copy is accurate before the phrase disappears from the screen.

Store this paper in a secure, dry place immediately. Consider using a fire-resistant and waterproof container or a dedicated metal backup plate designed for this purpose. Your written phrase is the master key to your assets, so treat it with corresponding care.

Storing the Secret Phrase: Options Beyond Paper

Consider splitting your recovery phrase into multiple parts. Write 12 words on one steel plate and the other 12 on another, storing them in separate, secure locations like a safe deposit box and a home safe. This method, called sharding, prevents a single point of failure.

For long-term durability, invest in a cryptographic steel wallet. These devices, such as Billfodl or Cryptosteel Capsule, let you stamp or engrave your words onto fireproof and waterproof metal. They are specifically designed to survive physical disasters that would destroy paper.

You can also create a memorable passphrase. Turn your 24 words into a story or a sentence only you can understand, and memorize that narrative instead of the raw words. Practice recalling it weekly until it’s firmly embedded. Keep a secure, encrypted digital hint–not the phrase itself–in a password manager as a backup trigger for your memory.

A more advanced technique involves using a passphrase (often called a 25th word). This is an extra word you add to your standard 24-word phrase, creating a completely new wallet. Store the standard phrase on steel, but keep the passphrase only in your memory or in a separate, highly secure location. This adds a critical layer of security; even if someone finds your physical backup, they cannot access your funds without the additional component.

If you store a digital copy–which is generally not recommended–ensure it is on an air-gapped, encrypted device. Use a USB drive that is never connected to the internet, encrypt it with strong software like VeraCrypt, and consider storing it in a secure physical location separate from any paper backups. Never store a plaintext phrase on a cloud service or a computer connected online.

Verifying Backup and Restoring Your Wallet for Confirmation

Perform a test restoration of your wallet before funding it. This single action confirms your recovery phrase is both correct and in the right sequence.

Locate the “Import Wallet” or “Restore Wallet” feature in your SafePal app. Select the option to recover using a 12 or 24-word mnemonic phrase.

Enter your entire recovery phrase manually, exactly as you wrote it down. Double-check each word for spelling errors and confirm the order matches your backup. Do not let auto-correct alter any words.

Complete the restoration process. If the app successfully generates a wallet with your expected public address, your backup is verified. You will now see two identical wallets in your app–one from the original setup and one from your test.

Delete the test wallet immediately after confirmation. Navigate to the wallet settings, find the removal option, and erase the wallet you just restored. Your original, primary wallet remains untouched and ready for secure use.

This verification step ensures you can regain access if your device is lost. Only after a successful test should you transfer significant assets to your new SafePal wallet.

FAQ:

I just set up my Safepal wallet. The app showed me 12 words but I didn’t write them down yet and now I can’t find them. How do I get my recovery phrase back?

The recovery phrase is only shown once during the initial wallet creation. For security reasons, the app does not store it anywhere and cannot display it again. If you did not write it down, the only way to access it now is to reset the wallet. This will create a completely new wallet with a new 12-word phrase. Any funds sent to the old wallet address will be permanently lost because you cannot recover them without the original phrase. Go to the wallet settings, choose to reset or create a new wallet, and this time, write the new phrase down immediately on paper.

What’s the safest physical way to store my 12-word recovery phrase? I’m worried about fire or water damage.

Using only paper is risky. A good method is to use a metal backup solution. You can purchase a stainless steel seed phrase kit, where you stamp the words onto metal plates. These resist fire, water, and corrosion. If you don’t want to buy a kit, you can write the words on multiple pieces of paper and store them in separate, secure locations like a home safe and a safety deposit box. Never store the phrase digitally: no photos, cloud notes, or text files. The goal is to keep it offline and protected from physical disasters.

Is it okay if I store my recovery phrase in a password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden?

No, this is not recommended. While password managers are secure for passwords, they create a digital copy of your recovery phrase. This exposes it to potential online threats like hacking or malware. The core security model of a crypto wallet relies on the recovery phrase being completely offline. A digitally stored phrase becomes a single point of failure. The safest practice is to keep it on physical, offline media like paper or metal, stored in a secure place only you can access.

I’ve written my phrase down. How can I check that I wrote it correctly without risking my wallet?

Safepal has a built-in feature for this. After you write down the phrase, the app will ask you to verify it. It will present you with a screen asking you to select the words in the correct order from a list. This process confirms you have the right words written down without ever exposing the phrase again. Do not skip this step. If you make a mistake during verification, the wallet will typically let you start the verification over. Never enter your written phrase into any other website or app to “check” it—this is a common scam.

My family doesn’t know about crypto. What should I plan for them regarding my recovery phrase if something happens to me?

This requires careful planning. Simply leaving the phrase in a drawer might not be enough. Consider creating clear instructions in a sealed letter, stored with your important documents like a will. The instructions should explain what the phrase is for (e.g., “This recovers access to a cryptocurrency wallet”) and which wallet it belongs to (Safepal). You might also need to leave instructions on how to use the phrase with the safepal extension device or app. It is wise to inform a trusted person that this document exists and where to find it, without giving them the phrase itself unless absolutely necessary.

I’ve written down my 12-word recovery phrase, but is it really safe to just keep it on a piece of paper? What are better options?

Keeping your phrase on paper is a good start, but paper can be damaged or lost. For stronger security, consider splitting the phrase. You could engrave the words on metal plates, which resist fire and water. Another method is to use a secure, encrypted digital vault, but only if it’s completely offline, like on a USB drive stored in a safe. Never store a photo or typed copy on any internet-connected device, including your phone, computer, or cloud storage. The safest approach is often a combination: keep one copy on metal in a secure location like a safe, and if needed, a second copy with a trusted family member in a different physical location, but only if you fully trust them.

Reviews

AuroraFlux

Oh, the “write this down on paper” part. I felt so delightfully ancient, like a medieval scribe, but for crypto. My cat looked deeply unimpressed as I hid the sheet. A solid guide—thanks for the nudge to actually do it properly instead of my usual “I’ll remember it” optimism (I never do).

Liam Schmidt

Another gadget, another list of words to guard with your life. They make it sound so straightforward. Write it down, they say. Don’t store it digitally. As if a piece of paper can’t be lost, burned, or simply found by the wrong person. The whole concept hinges on a user’s perpetual, flawless vigilance. One moment of distraction, a single misplaced slip, and the promise of security evaporates. It’s a fragile system dressed up as fortification. The guide itself is pointless if human error is the constant, unaddressed variable. We’re trusting a sequence of random words against sophisticated threats, and our own inevitable carelessness. Feels like building a vault on sand.

Iris

Another little ritual of trust. Write these words down, guard them with your life. For what? So your numbers on a screen don’t vanish into the void. The irony of securing a secret to protect something that feels so intangible. Do it perfectly, or the silence afterward is absolute.

Benjamin

Ah, the sacred ritual of scribbling twelve random words. Because nothing says “financial sovereignty” like becoming a paranoid archivist overnight. Let’s be honest, you’ll treat that seed phrase with more care than your last dying relationship. Laminated? Check. Buried in a fireproof box under the floorboards? Obviously. Meanwhile, your actual life admin is a chaotic mess of forgotten passwords and overdue library books. The sheer, beautiful irony of guarding a piece of paper with your life so you can… what, buy a cartoon monkey JPEG? Priceless. Just don’t store it in a cloud note titled “My Crypto Secrets.” The universe, and every script kiddie, finds that hilarious. And if you lose it? Poof. Gone forever. A modern tragedy written not in blood, but in your own tragic handwriting on a Post-it the dog ate. The ultimate test: can you protect a secret from your own spectacular future incompetence? Place your bets.

**Female First Names :**

Reading this felt like having a wise friend walk me through the most important part of crypto. That moment with the recovery phrase used to make me so nervous. Your point about writing it by hand, not typing, was a real lightbulb moment—I never considered how a keyboard could leave traces. The suggestion for a metal backup is brilliant; my old paper note felt so fragile near my desk. I’m guilty of almost taking a photo for convenience, so your clear warning was exactly what I needed to hear. You turned a scary, technical step into something manageable. This guidance builds real confidence. Now I feel ready, not rushed, to set everything up properly. Thank you for the clarity and care!