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Everything you need to know about your 12-word secret recovery phrase
Everything you need to know about your 12-word secret recovery phrase

How does your 12-word secret recovery phrase work? How to back up your crypto wallet with your 12-word phrase, also known as a seed phrase.

Updated over a week ago

Your 12-word secret recovery phrase is the key to your wallet and controls access to all your funds, so write it down and keep it safe!

If your device is lost or stolen, the only way to recover your funds is with your secret recovery phrase.


In this article:



What is a secret recovery phrase?

Your secret recovery phrase is the key to your wallet and controls access to all your crypto.

A secret recovery phrase is a set of words that correspond to numbers. These numbers make up a seed integer that generates all of the private keys in your wallet.

Each address for every crypto has its own private key. Private keys are used to authorize transactions and prove ownership of your funds. All private keys in Exodus are generated from and tied to your 12-word secret recovery phrase.

If anything happens to the device your wallet is on, like your phone is lost or stolen, or your computer crashes, the only way to recover your funds is with your 12-word secret recovery phrase. You can restore your wallet on another device by entering your secret recovery phrase into a new wallet.

Secret recovery phrases, also known as mnemonic phrases, or seed phrases, can be any length, but they are usually 12, 18, or 24 words.

Exodus secret recovery phrases are always 12 words.


How is a secret recovery phrase generated?

First, the wallet generates a large random number on your device. For a 12-word secret recovery phrase, this number is 128 bits, which means it is 128 0s or 1s (binary).

In binary, a set of 11 bits can represent a number between 0 and 2047.

128 bits are split into 11 numbers, with 4 bits left over (the checksum) to make a 12th.

Each word in the English-language wordlist of the BIP39 standard (which has 2048 words) is mapped to a number.

So the 12 numbers correspond to specific English words, which becomes your 12-word secret recovery phrase.

This secret recovery phrase, which can also be converted back to a number, known as a seed integer, generates all the key pairs (public keys, addresses, and private keys) used in the wallet.

If the phrase contains 12 words, the number of possible combinations would be 2048^12 = 2^132, meaning 2 to the power of 132, and the phrase would have 132 bits of security.

However, some of the data in a BIP39 phrase is not random, so the actual security of a 12-word BIP39 seed phrase is only 128 bits. This is approximately the same strength as all Bitcoin private keys, so most experts consider it sufficiently secure.

To learn more about how big 2^128 is, you can look at The Bug Charmer's helpful post here: How big is 2**128?

When your secret recovery phrase is converted into a seed integer for your wallet, the seed integer is used with a standard derivation algorithm, or formula, to derive and generate your master private key.

From this master private key, a very large number (almost infinite) of private and public keys can be derived. When the same master private key and derivation path are used, the same private and public keys will always be generated.

Different blockchain assets have different derivation paths, which prevents differing assets from generating overlapping keys. To see the derivation paths used in Exodus, please visit: Derivation paths in Exodus.

The seed integer is used to derive your private and public keys in a series of processes described in the following Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs):

Below is a basic summary of each BIP:

BIP32: Describes how to use a master private key to generate (derive) child private keys. These child keys are guaranteed to be 256-bit because of the process that is used to derive them.

BIP39: Describes how a seed is generated. Although the 12-word seed is 128-bit, the derivation process described in BIP32 will ensure that the child keys are 256-bit, but the randomness (entropy) of those keys will be equal to 128-bit.

BIP44: Describes a derivation path. In basic terms, it sets the properties that are used to derive private keys as described in BIP32. These properties, for example, can indicate what type of coin this is (BTC, BCH, etc.).


What is an 18- or 24-word secret recovery phrase?

Exodus generates a 12-word secret recovery phrase to back up your wallet. However, other wallets might generate 18-word or 24-word secret recovery phrases.

For example, the Trezor Model T automatically generates a 12-word phrase, while the Trezor One creates a 24-word phrase.

Although 12-, 18-, or 24-word secret recovery phrases all provide excellent security, some platforms choose a 24-word phrase because it provides 256-bit security rather than the 128-bit offered by the 12-word phrase. If you want to dive into the math, you could start with this video about 256-bit security or this article about cryptographic algorithms.

Also, keep in mind that different wallets use different derivation paths. Exodus and Trezor both use the BIP39 standard. However, other wallets might use an older incompatible standard. So not every secret recovery phrase can be entered in every wallet successfully.


Where is my 12-word secret recovery phrase stored?

Your 12-word secret recovery phrase is encrypted and stored on the device where you install Exodus.

We do not store your secret recovery phrase on our servers, nor do we have any access to it. As the owner of the wallet, you are the only one with access to your secret recovery phrase and private keys. As Andreas Antonopoulos famously said: "Your keys, your Bitcoin. Not your keys, not your Bitcoin".

This also protects you in the unlikely event of a hack on our servers. The hacker wouldn't find any information that gives access to your wallet and funds.

However, this means that you are solely responsible to ensure your wallet's safety and security. If you lose your secret recovery phrase, your funds are irretrievable. We can't help you retrieve your secret recovery phrase because we never have access to it.


How do I keep my 12-word secret recovery phrase safe?

Anything online is hackable! This is also true for your 12-word secret recovery phrase. Never store your secret recovery phrase as an unencrypted digital copy.

Write down your secret recovery phrase on a piece of paper. It's a good idea to have multiple copies of your secret recovery phrase, and store it in multiple locations to prevent loss from disasters like floods, earthquakes, fires, etc.

Write down your secret recovery phrase in the correct order without any spelling mistakes! The words need to be in the correct order to restore your funds. Entering the secret phrase incorrectly (wrong order or incorrect spelling) will result in you not being able to access your wallet.

Do not store your secret recovery phrase as an unencrypted digital copy such as in a text document, screenshot, email, text message, PDF, etc. You might expose your secret recovery phrase to unknown threats such as malicious software, malware, viruses, and hackers.

For more information on how to keep your secret recovery phrase safe, visit: How do I keep my secret recovery phrase safe?


How do I restore my wallet with the secret recovery phrase?

With the secret recovery phrase, you can restore and recover your Exodus wallet on any device.

For a guide on how to restore your wallet in Exodus with the secret recovery phrase, visit the guide: How do I restore from my 12-word secret recovery phrase?


How do I back up my wallet and write down my 12-word secret recovery phrase?

Mobile

  1. a) Tap the Profile icon, then b) tap Security.

  2. Tap Backup.

  3. Make sure no one is around to see your 12-word secret recovery phrase, then a) check the box to confirm that you understand the risks of sharing your secret phrase, and b) tap View Secret Phrase.

    We recommend writing down your 12-word secret recovery phrase on more than one piece of paper, and keeping the copies in separate secure locations to prevent a single point of loss from events like fires, floods, etc.

    • Your secret recovery phrase is your secret master seed that generates all your wallet’s addresses and private keys. It is incredibly important for you to keep your secret recovery phrase safe.

    • Do not store your secret recovery phrase as an unencrypted digital copy, because it's possible for hackers to access digital information like text files and screenshots. Learn more about how to keep your crypto safe.

  4. To see your secret recovery phrase, a) press and hold your finger on the Press and Hold to Reveal button. Once you have written it down, b) tap Done.

  5. Next, to check your backup, you will receive a question about your secret recovery phrase. a) Choose the correct answer, then b) tap Done.

  6. Now that you have your 12-word secret recovery phrase secure, it is time to add a passcode to lock your wallet. In the Security menu, toggle on Secure with a Passcode.

  7. Once you have created your passcode, you will be asked to re-enter it to confirm it. This will enable your passcode on your mobile Exodus wallet.

And that's it! You only have to go through the backup process once! As long as you have your 12-word secret recovery phrase safe, you won't lose access to your funds.

If you would like to set up Face ID on an iOS device, or Touch ID on an Android device, you can visit: How do I secure my wallet with Face ID or Touch ID?


Desktop

  1. Click on the Settings icon in the top right corner of your Exodus wallet.

  2. a) Click the Backup tab. b) Create a strong, secret and unique password, enter it in the box, and c) click Next.

    Make sure your Exodus wallet password is not the same or similar to any other password you have ever used! We recommend using a password manager to create your password, as they can generate highly random and strong passwords for you as well as store them.

    If you forget or lose your password, no one can recover or reset it for you. You can only reset your password with your secret recovery phrase.

  3. a) Re-enter the password and b) click Next.

  4. a) Check the box to confirm you understand the risks of sharing your secret phrase, then b) click View secret phrase.

  5. a) Check the box to show your secret recovery phrase and then write it down in the correct order. Double-check that they are spelled correctly. When you are finished writing down the secret recovery phrase, put it in a secure place that only you can access and b) click Done.

    We recommend writing down your 12-word secret recovery phrase on more than one piece of paper, and keeping the copies in separate secure locations to prevent a single point of loss from events like fires, floods, etc.

    • Your secret recovery phrase is your secret master seed that generates all your wallet’s addresses and private keys. It is incredibly important for you to keep your secret recovery phrase safe.

    • Do not store your secret recovery phrase as an unencrypted digital copy, because it's possible for hackers to access digital information like text files and screenshots. Learn more about how to keep your crypto safe.

  6. Next, a) read the verification question carefully, b) select the correct answer, and c) click Done.

    And that's it! You only have to go through this process once.


Web3 Wallet

  1. a) Click the Profile icon, then b) click Security.

  2. Click Back Up.

  3. a) Check the box to confirm you understand the risks of sharing your secret phrase. Next, b) enter your password, and c) click View Secret Phrase.

  4. You can now view your secret recovery phrase by clicking Reveal secret recovery phrase. Write down your secret recovery phrase and store it in a secure place so you always have access to your funds. Be sure to double-check that the words have been written down in the correct order and that no words are misspelled.

    We recommend writing down your 12-word secret recovery phrase on more than one piece of paper, and keeping the copies in separate secure locations to prevent a single point of loss from events like fires, floods, etc.

    • Your secret recovery phrase is your secret master seed that generates all your wallet’s addresses and private keys. It is incredibly important for you to keep your secret recovery phrase safe.

    • Do not store your secret recovery phrase as an unencrypted digital copy, because it's possible for hackers to access digital information like text files and screenshots. Learn more about how to keep your crypto safe.

  5. After you have written down your secret recovery phrase, and checked that all the words are spelled correctly and are in the correct order, you can click Next.

  6. Next, to check your backup, you will receive a question regarding the secret recovery phrase you have written down. a) Choose the word that is in your secret recovery phrase, b) then tap Done.

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