Backup Verification
Backup verification confirms on the hardware wallet that a written recovery phrase is complete and correct, without restoring the wallet.
What Is a Backup Verification?
Backup verification checks the recovery phrase before it is needed. The user enters the words on the hardware wallet itself, and the device confirms whether they match the wallet's seed. Trezor offers this as "Check backup", Ledger as the Recovery Check app, and several other wallets offer a similar dry run.
It catches a wrong word, a swapped order or a missing word while the wallet still works and can be re-backed up. Doing it on the device matters: typing the phrase into a computer or phone to "test" it exposes it to malware.
A verified backup says nothing about the passphrase, if one is used; that has to be checked separately.
A backup in cryptocurrency is a secure copy of a wallet's seed phrase or private keys. It enables recovery of funds if the original wallet is lost or damaged.
Read full definitionA mnemonic phrase is a set of words that stores a cryptocurrency wallet's private keys, allowing users to recover access if lost.
Read full definitionTrezor is a hardware wallet by SatoshiLabs. It stores private keys offline to secure cryptocurrencies.
Read full definitionLedger is a brand of hardware wallets that securely store cryptocurrency private keys offline, such as the Ledger Nano series.
Read full definitionRecovery is the process of restoring access to a cryptocurrency wallet using its seed phrase or mnemonic backup if the original wallet is lost or inaccessible.
Read full definitionMalware is malicious software that steals or redirects crypto, for example by logging keystrokes, swapping copied addresses or reading wallet files.
Read full definitionA passphrase is an additional security layer for cryptocurrency wallets, acting as a 25th word in the BIP39 seed phrase, protecting access to hidden wallets.
Read full definitionReal-World Examples
Example 1: After stamping a metal backup, a user runs the device's backup check and finds word 17 was misread.
Example 2: A user verifies their backup every year as part of an inheritance plan, on the device only.
A metal backup is a durable metal plate or device engraved with a cryptocurrency wallet's seed phrase, providing fireproof and waterproof protection for offline key storage.
Read full definitionA backup in cryptocurrency is a secure copy of a wallet's seed phrase or private keys. It enables recovery of funds if the original wallet is lost or damaged.
Read full definitionReady to Choose a Secure Wallet?
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