The safest migration starts by identifying what you are actually moving. Restoring the same self-custody wallet on a replacement device uses its existing recovery method; moving funds to a newly created wallet uses a new recovery phrase and on-chain transfers. In neither case should you type the phrase into a website, send it to support, photograph it, or store it in an unencrypted digital note.
If the phrase may already be exposed, do not restore or reuse it. Treat the wallet as compromised, create a fresh wallet with a new phrase on a secure device, and transfer remaining assets after checking every address and network. Exchange accounts follow the exchange’s account-recovery process instead of seed-phrase procedures.
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Decide which kind of migration you need
“Migrating a wallet” can describe two different operations. Confusing them is a common cause of lost access or unnecessary exposure.
| Situation | What changes | What you do | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replacement phone or computer, same wallet | The device changes, but the wallet’s keys and addresses are intended to remain the same. | Install the official wallet application on the new device and use the recovery method that provider supports. | Using a fake app or exposing the existing phrase during import. |
| Move funds to a newly created wallet | A new wallet and a new recovery phrase control the destination. | Create the destination wallet, verify its receiving addresses, and send assets from the old wallet using its normal signing flow. | Sending to a wrong address or network; blockchain transfers generally cannot be reversed. |
| Phrase may have been seen, copied, or entered elsewhere | The old keys must be considered unsafe. | Create a fresh wallet on a secure device and transfer remaining assets. Stop using the old phrase. | An unknown person or program may already control the old addresses. |
| Exchange or custodial account | You are recovering an account with a third party, not importing self-custody keys. | Use the provider’s official account-recovery and security procedures. | Applying seed-phrase advice to a login, or giving account credentials to an impostor. |
A self-custody wallet leaves control of the private keys with you. An exchange or other custodian controls key access and provides an account system instead. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s investor bulletin describes this distinction and notes that its bulletin reflects staff views, not a rule or regulation.
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Why the seed phrase must never be disclosed
A recovery phrase is a control credential for a self-custody wallet. Anyone who obtains it may be able to restore the wallet and control its associated accounts and assets. It is not a customer-service password, identity check, troubleshooting code, or proof of ownership.
Ethereum.org’s security guidance states: “Never, for any reason, share your recovery phrase or private keys!” No legitimate wallet support agent needs the phrase to inspect a transaction, reset an application, or help with a device. A request for the phrase is a stop signal, even when the message appears to come from a familiar company.
- Do not paste the phrase into a web form, chat, browser extension, “recovery” tool, or troubleshooting script.
- Do not email it, text it, upload it, or enter it into an online document.
- Do not take a screenshot. Screenshots can synchronize to cloud services or photo backups.
- Do not photograph a paper backup or leave it in a shared workspace.
- Do not reveal selected words as a “verification” exercise. Partial disclosure can still help an attacker.
Wallet software stores or manages the keys that authorize transactions; the crypto assets themselves remain recorded on their respective networks. Losing control of the keys can therefore prevent you from authorizing a transfer even though the balances still appear on-chain.
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Prepare before touching the old wallet
Preparation reduces the chance that a rushed migration turns into a permanent loss. Perform these checks before entering any recovery information or signing a transaction.
- Identify custody. Confirm whether the application is a self-custody wallet or an exchange account. If it is an exchange, stop using this procedure and open the provider’s official recovery page or app.
- Define the goal. Decide whether you are restoring the same wallet on another device or moving funds to a new wallet with different keys. Do not create a new wallet merely because you are replacing a device unless you intentionally want a new set of keys.
- Verify the destination software. Download the wallet application from the provider’s official channel. Check the publisher, spelling, and release source. Avoid links sent through unsolicited messages, advertisements, or support chats.
- Secure the environment. Use a device you control, with current operating-system updates, a screen lock, and malware protection. Avoid public computers, shared phones, remote-control sessions, and unknown browser extensions.
- Keep the phrase offline. Have the physical backup available only when the official application requires it. Keep it out of cameras, microphones, screen-sharing sessions, clipboard managers, and cloud-backed notes.
- Check access before moving value. If the old wallet still opens, confirm that you can sign a transaction and identify the assets and networks you intend to move. Never send a test transaction to an address you have not independently verified.
- Plan fees and liquidity. A transfer may require the network’s native asset for a fee. The amount, fee estimate, supported assets, and available networks vary by wallet and chain; use the wallet’s current instructions rather than assuming one network’s rules apply to another.
Path 1: restore the same wallet on a replacement device
Restoration is appropriate when the original wallet is still trusted and your objective is device replacement or recovery of the same addresses. A compatible wallet application can restore a wallet from its recovery method, but compatibility is not universal. Different providers can use different account structures, recovery standards, derivation choices, supported networks, and import flows.
Safe restoration procedure
- Install the official app. Obtain the replacement application from the wallet provider’s official distribution channel. Confirm the app name and publisher before opening it.
- Choose the existing-wallet option. Select the option labeled for restoring, importing, or recovering an existing wallet. Do not choose “create new wallet” if you intend to retain the old addresses.
- Enter the phrase only in the trusted app. Type or otherwise provide the phrase directly on the secure device, following the provider’s current instructions. Never transfer it through a clipboard, website, chat, or note.
- Preserve spelling and order. If the provider requires manual entry, use the exact words and sequence on your physical backup. Do not improvise punctuation, capitalization, translations, or substitutions.
- Complete any provider-specific verification. Some applications may ask you to confirm selected words or set a new local password. These steps protect the device installation; they do not replace the recovery phrase.
- Verify addresses before using the wallet. Compare a receiving address shown on the new device with an address you recognize from the old wallet, using the full string rather than a shortened preview. Confirm the network as well.
- Secure the old device. After confirming the restoration, remove wallet data from a device you are retiring or wipe it according to the manufacturer’s procedure. Do not discard a still-valid physical phrase backup.
A successful import does not prove that every account, token, or network is visible automatically. Wallet applications may require you to add supported networks or accounts through their own menus. Do not enter the phrase into a second application simply because an asset is not displayed; first consult the provider’s official documentation and confirm that the network and account type are supported.
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Path 2: create a fresh wallet and transfer assets
This path changes control to a new recovery phrase. It is the appropriate response when you want a clean key set, are retiring an old wallet, or suspect that the old phrase was exposed. The new phrase is just as sensitive as the old one and must never be shown to support or entered into a website.
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- Create the wallet on a secure device. Use the official wallet application or an initialized hardware wallet. Follow its setup screens without recording the phrase digitally.
- Write down the new phrase using the provider’s instructions. Preserve the exact spelling and order on a private physical backup. Keep anyone else from seeing it while you record and verify it.
- Confirm the wallet’s local protection. Set the device password, PIN, or other lock requested by the provider. This protects the installation but is not a substitute for the recovery phrase.
- Display a receiving address for each intended asset and network. Keep the destination device available so you can verify the complete address. A token’s name alone is not enough; the network must match the sending route.
Send from the old wallet
- Open the old wallet normally. Sign in or unlock it using its existing local controls. Never export its phrase to make a transfer.
- Start a send transaction. Select the asset and the network supported by both wallets. Fees, minimums, confirmation times, and network choices are chain-specific.
- Verify the recipient address independently. Compare the full destination address on the old wallet with the full address displayed by the new wallet. Malware can replace copied addresses, so do not rely solely on the clipboard.
- Check the network before confirming. An address format that looks familiar may still be intended for a different network. Confirm the network in both applications and in the provider’s current instructions.
- Review the amount and fee. Leave enough native network asset for the fee and any later transaction you may need. Do not assume a fee quoted for one asset or network applies to another.
- Confirm and wait for finality. Record the transaction identifier if the wallet provides one. Wait for the receiving wallet and network explorer to show the expected status before sending additional funds.
- Repeat asset by asset. Some tokens, collectibles, staking positions, or smart-contract permissions require separate handling. The wallet provider and network documentation determine what can be transferred directly.
Ethereum.org emphasizes that Ethereum transactions are irreversible. The same practical caution applies broadly: once a transaction is accepted by a network, a wallet provider may not be able to undo it. Treat the final confirmation screen as the last opportunity to correct the address, network, amount, and fee.
Path 3: respond when the old phrase may be exposed
Exposure includes typing the phrase into a fake site, sending it to “support,” storing it in an unencrypted cloud note, photographing it, or allowing an unknown person to see the written backup. You cannot reliably tell whether an exposed phrase has already been used, so treat the wallet as compromised rather than attempting to secure it by changing an app password.
Incident-response sequence
- Disconnect the affected device from the internet. Kraken’s current compromise guidance recommends disconnecting an affected device while you move to a secure environment. This can limit additional malware activity, although it cannot revoke a phrase that someone already copied.
- Use a different, trusted device. Prefer a device that has not been used with the suspicious website, extension, or remote-support session. Update it and avoid restoring an untrusted backup.
- Create a new wallet with a new phrase. Do not import the exposed phrase into the new wallet. Record and secure the new phrase offline.
- Transfer remaining assets promptly. From the old wallet, send assets to verified addresses in the new wallet. Check each address and network before signing. Prioritize assets that could be moved by an attacker immediately, while retaining enough fee asset for required transactions.
- Review token approvals and connected applications. Revoke suspicious token approvals and disconnect unknown decentralized applications where the wallet or network provides that capability. Disconnecting an app does not recover assets already transferred.
- Stop using the compromised phrase. Do not keep it as a backup, reuse it for another wallet, or import it into a different application. Mark the old wallet as permanently unsafe.
- Document what happened. Keep transaction identifiers, suspicious URLs, device details, and dates for your own records and for any official security report. Never include the phrase in that report.
Kraken also warns that it cannot freeze a self-custody seed-phrase wallet or retrieve assets sent to another address. Contacting a provider can help with application security or reporting, but it cannot turn an exposed phrase back into a secret.
Exchange accounts require a different recovery process
If your “wallet” is an exchange balance, you may not possess a recovery phrase at all. The exchange controls the keys and authenticates you through an account, password, multifactor method, identity checks, and its own recovery workflow.
- Open the provider’s official website or app by typing the address yourself or using a trusted bookmark.
- Use the account-recovery, password-reset, and security-review tools supplied there.
- Contact support through the official channel, not a social-media direct message or unsolicited phone number.
- Never give an exchange employee a self-custody phrase, password, multifactor code, or remote access to your device.
- After regaining access, change the password, review active sessions and withdrawal addresses, and enable the strongest available multifactor method.
Do not apply a self-custody import procedure to an exchange login, and do not assume that an exchange can recover funds held in a separate self-custody wallet.
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Choose storage and hardware deliberately
Convenience and isolation involve trade-offs. A hot wallet keeps keys available on an internet-connected phone or computer, which can make frequent use easier but increases dependence on device and application security. A hardware wallet is designed to keep signing keys in a dedicated device and may suit a new destination wallet or larger, infrequently moved balances. It does not make a careless setup safe, and buying a device does not guarantee compatibility with every asset or network.
| Choice | Useful when | Advantages | Risks and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot wallet | Frequent transactions and applications that require quick access. | Convenient, generally fast to install, and easy to carry. | Exposure to malware, phishing, malicious extensions, and a lost or unlocked device. |
| Hardware wallet | Longer-term storage or signing on a device intended to isolate keys. | Can keep private keys away from the ordinary computer or phone during signing. | Must be initialized correctly; device loss, counterfeit hardware, unsupported networks, or a poorly stored phrase can still cause loss. |
| Paper or written backup | Offline retention of the recovery phrase. | No cloud synchronization or account breach is required to copy it. | Can be read, stolen, destroyed by water or fire, or misplaced. |
| Durable metal backup | Readers seeking resistance to fire, water, or corrosion. | Ledger describes metal storage as protection against those physical hazards. | The plate contains the secret itself and must be secured like cash; durability does not prevent unauthorized reading. |
| Digital note, photo, or cloud backup | Not recommended for a recovery phrase. | Easy to duplicate and access. | May synchronize, be copied by malware, remain in backups, or be exposed through an account breach. |
The recommendation for durable physical storage is vendor guidance, not a guarantee. Whatever medium you choose, restrict access, consider physical damage and theft, and maintain only the copies you can secure and audit.
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Most irreversible migration errors happen at confirmation time, not during wallet installation. Use a deliberate verification routine for every transfer.
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- Full address: Compare the complete recipient string on the sending and receiving devices. Do not trust only the first and last few characters.
- Network: Confirm that the sending network is the network the destination wallet expects. Similar-looking addresses can represent different routes.
- Asset: Select the exact token or coin, not a similarly named asset. Verify whether a token is native to the chosen network or represented as a token contract.
- Amount: Check decimal placement and whether the wallet displays the amount before or after fees.
- Fee: Confirm which asset pays the fee and leave sufficient balance for any follow-up transaction.
- Destination control: For a new wallet, display the address on the destination device rather than copying it from an untrusted message.
- Confirmation: Wait for the wallet and network to report the transaction as confirmed before assuming the migration is complete.
Wallet-specific instructions determine supported assets, network choices, fee behavior, account discovery, and any special handling for collectibles, staking, or smart-contract positions. If a provider’s current documentation conflicts with a generic checklist, follow the provider’s documented procedure and verify the security implications before proceeding.
Common failure modes and safer fixes
The app asks for a phrase on a website
Stop. Close the page and do not submit anything. A legitimate restoration flow should occur inside the official wallet application or the hardware device’s documented setup process. If you already entered the phrase, follow the compromised-phrase response immediately.
Support asks you to “verify ownership”
Refuse and end the conversation. Use the provider’s official support channel that you opened independently. Support may ask for public addresses, transaction identifiers, screenshots with secrets removed, or account information, but a recovery phrase is never an acceptable support credential.
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The restored wallet shows no funds
Do not enter the phrase into another random app. Confirm that you installed the correct official wallet, used the correct recovery method, selected the expected account, and enabled the relevant network through the provider’s instructions. A wallet may not display every supported account or network automatically.
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Check the transaction status using the wallet’s transaction history and the relevant network’s official tools. Do not send a duplicate transaction simply because the balance view has not refreshed. Fees and confirmation times vary by network.
The address changed after restoration
Stop sending and verify whether you restored the intended wallet, account, and network. Wallets can support multiple accounts or address formats, and provider-specific documentation is required to determine whether a displayed address belongs to the same key set.
The old device is lost but the phrase is safe
Restore the wallet on a secure replacement device using the official application. Then change local device protections and review transaction history and connected applications. If the phrase was stored digitally or may have been seen, treat it as exposed instead of assuming the lost device was the only risk.
After migration: secure the new wallet
- Store the new recovery phrase in a private location protected from unauthorized access and foreseeable physical damage.
- Do not keep an unencrypted digital copy merely as a convenience backup.
- Use a strong local password or PIN and lock the device when unattended.
- Review connected decentralized applications and token approvals periodically, removing access you no longer need.
- Keep wallet software and the operating system current, but verify updates through official channels.
- Test only with small, controlled transactions when learning a new network or application. Do not use a large balance to discover how an unfamiliar flow works.
- Maintain a personal inventory of wallet names, public addresses, networks, and transaction records without recording secret phrases in the same document.
A physical hardware wallet or metal backup plate can be useful options, but neither replaces careful verification or private custody. The secret itself remains the critical asset.
A concise decision checklist
- Is this a self-custody wallet or an exchange account?
- Am I restoring the same wallet, or intentionally creating a new one?
- Is the official application or device verified?
- Has the phrase stayed off websites, support chats, screenshots, cloud notes, and shared devices?
- If creating a new wallet, was its new phrase recorded and secured without digital exposure?
- Have I checked the full recipient address, asset, network, amount, and fee?
- Could the old phrase have been exposed? If yes, did I stop using it and move remaining assets to a fresh wallet?
The safest migration is the one that keeps the recovery phrase private from start to finish, uses the correct provider-specific procedure, and treats every blockchain confirmation as irreversible. When in doubt, pause the transfer and consult the wallet’s official current documentation without disclosing any secret.
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