Trezor recovery issues

Wallet Backup - general info

In cryptocurrencies, a Wallet Backup (formerly recovery seed) is a list of words in a specific order which store all the information needed to recover a wallet.

Failed backup

Your Trezor device may accidentally lose power during the backup procedure. This might be caused by a poor cable connection or other mishaps. As the Wallet Backup is displayed only once, there is no way to read it again if the device is disconnected during the backup procedure. You have to erase your device and start over with the setup process. Although the process takes several minutes, it is strongly recommended to complete it as a very first step before you start to use your Trezor. Otherwise, you will not be able to restore access to your wallet in case of loss or damage.

Please follow the instructions below depending on your situation.

Case 1: There are no cryptocurrency funds in your wallet.

This case also applies to you if you have not used other Trezor services yet, such as GPG, SSH or Trezor Password Manager.

• Go to Trezor Suite and connect your Trezor device.
• Unlock your Trezor device with your PIN. Ignore this step if you have not set up the PIN protection yet.
• Wipe your Trezor. Information on how to wipe your Trezor device can be found here:
  • Wipe your Trezor Model One
  • Wipe your Trezor Model T
  • Wipe your Trezor Safe 3
  • Wipe your Trezor Safe 5
• Reconnect your Trezor device to initialize a new wallet with a new backed-up Wallet Backup.
• In case you have written the original Wallet Backup down, throw it away and keep only the Wallet Backup generated after the wipe.

Case 2: You do have cryptocurrency funds in your wallet.

This case also applies to you if you have been using other Trezor services, such as GPG, SSH or Trezor Password Manager.

• Go to Trezor Suite and connect your Trezor device.
• Unlock your Trezor device with your PIN. Wait for Trezor Suite to load your accounts.
• Send all your funds to a different wallet.
• Repeat step three for all your cryptocurrencies. Remember that you might have stored some cryptocurrencies that are not natively supported in Trezor Suite using a 3rd party wallets.
• If you have been using the Trezor Password Manager, please save your passwords elsewhere. You will not be able to access this database again.
• Make sure that all your funds have been moved elsewhere. You will not be able to access this wallet and any accounts in it again.
• Wipe your Trezor. Information on how to wipe your Trezor device can be found here:
  • Wipe your Trezor Model One
  • Wipe your Trezor Model T
  • Wipe your Trezor Safe 3
  • Wipe your Trezor Safe 5
• Reconnect your Trezor device to initialize a new wallet with a new Wallet Backup.
• Now you can send your funds back to your newly generated wallet.

Check Backup (test of Wallet Backup)

The dry-run recovery is a useful way to test your Wallet Backup. It is recommended to test your Wallet Backup before you wipe or factory reset the Trezor device. It is also useful to test it before every firmware update. It allows you to double check that your Wallet Backup is correct, which may come handy if something goes wrong during a firmware update and your Trezor is wiped.

• Check Backup on Trezor Model One
• Check Backup on Trezor Model T
• Check Backup on Trezor Safe 3
• Check Backup on Trezor Safe 5

Recovery process

You can recover your wallet with all its accounts, addresses and private keys using your Wallet Backup. This feature is used after your wallet is wiped from your Trezor or you lose/damage your Trezor and need to recover your wallet using another device.

• Information on how to perform the recovery process using your Trezor Model One
• Information on how to perform the recovery process using your Trezor Model T
• Information on how to perform the recovery process using your Trezor Safe 3
• Information on how to perform the recovery process using your Trezor Safe 5

Invalid Wallet Backup

In case you perform a recovery process or dry-run recovery and the result is "Recovery failed", "Invalid Wallet Backup", "Invalid Recovery Share", "The entered recovery shares are valid but do not match what is currenly in the device" or "The entered wallet backup is valid but does not match the one in the device", there are two possible options:

• You are not entering the words in the correct order (applies to Trezor Model One). Please note that the Trezor Model One instructs you to enter the words from your Wallet Backup in a particular order. Follow the order shown on your Trezor's display, which is different from the order in which they are written down.

If using the Trezor Model T, Safe 3, or Safe 5, the words must be entered in order, directly on the device.

• You have misspelled a word. Luckily, the Wallet Backup is always comprised of words drawn from a limited, very specific and public list. It is recommended to go through the list and try to find all of the words you have written down. If there is a word which you cannot find on the list, it is not spelled correctly. Looking out for similar words like boy/box, aware/awake might also be helpful.

The full list of words is available at: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0039/english.txt

Wallet Backup is lost

Your Wallet Backup is the essential 'record' of your Trezor device. Without the Wallet Backup, you will not be able to recover your wallet if your Trezor device is ever wiped, lost, or damaged. 

Please follow the instructions below depending on your situation.

Case 1: Wallet is accessible

You need to move your funds to another wallet with the knownWallet Backup as soon as possible.  More information on how to proceed in this situation can be found here.

Case 2: Wallet is inaccessible

If your Wallet Backup is lost and you are unable to access your wallet with your Trezor device, unfortunately there is nothing we can do to help you access your wallet.

We have no control over your Wallet Backup, thus the loss of a Wallet Backup is terminal, unfortunately.