A seed phrase, also known as a recovery phrase or mnemonic phrase, is a set of 12, 15, 18, 21, or 24 English words used to recover access to a wallet.

The seed phrase gives you full access to all your coins and tokens in different blockchains and enables you to perform any transactions with them.

However, it’s important to note that anyone who gains access to your seed phrase can use it. Unlike card-generated keys, a seed phrase is not secure and can be copied or stolen. If someone gains access to your seed phrase, they can access your crypto assets.

Therefore, it is crucial to keep your seed phrase in a safe place and follow basic rules of crypto hygiene:
— Never store your seed phrase online.
— Never enter your seed phrase into any app/website without ensuring it is safe.
— Never share your seed phrase with anyone.
— Do not lose your seed phrase.

For more information about seed phrase technology and our approach, please visit our blog article: Everything About Seed Phrases in Tangem Wallet.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

When you set up a wallet with a seed phrase, you will only see it during the wallet setup process and can only record it at that moment. The seed phrase created during the wallet setup process is not stored on the card and cannot be restored later.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

Seed phrases are generated during the wallet setup process. The app selects 12 (or 24) random words from a list of 2048 words based on the BIP39 seed-phrase standard.

The selected combination of these words is converted into a binary seed phrase, which is used to generate a set of private keys and public address pairs. The private keys are transferred and stored on Tangem cards.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

In Tangem Wallet, you can generate a seed phrase of 12 or 24 words.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

The seed phrase is not stored on the Tangem device or in the app. Instead, a private key is generated based on it and imported into the chip. The key never leaves the chip in unencrypted form. The primary purpose of the wallet is to keep the key safe.

Important: This applies to the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

You can generate and import the seed phrase without needing an internet connection. This means you can use a phone without Wi-Fi or a SIM card.

However, you need an internet connection to create a backup and upload certificates. These certificates are necessary for end-to-end card authentication, which allows the app to verify that Tangem made the card and is running Tangem firmware.

You can generate a seed phrase without the internet and complete the backup process with internet access, even on another device.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

If you encounter the error “wrong seed phrase” during import, it may be due to several reasons:

1. Wrong seed phrase: Ensure you entered the correct phrase. Check its correctness and make sure there are no typos.

2. Wrong order: Make sure you enter the words in the correct order.

3. Wrong word spelling: A seed phrase consists of words taken from a limited, very specific, and publicly available list. We recommend that you go through the list and find all the words you have written down. If you can’t find a word in the list, it means it is spelled incorrectly. Searching for similar words, such as cake/cage/cave, cool/cook, is also useful. The list is available on GitHub.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

You cannot add a seed phrase when a wallet has already been created. However, you can reset the wallet to factory settings and create a new one with a seed phrase.

Before resetting the card to factory settings, move all the cryptocurrency stored in your Tangem wallet to another location for a while (e.g., another wallet or exchange). This is important because resetting a card will completely erase all funds stored in the wallet!

You must reset each card. Our blog post provides detailed instructions: How to reset Tangem Wallet to factory settings.

To create a seed phrase for the Tangem Wallet, follow these instructions:
1. Open the Tangem app.
2. Tap Scan Tangem and scan the card.
3. Select Other options.
4. Tap Generate seed phrase.
Your 12-word and 24-word seed phrase will be displayed. Select the number of words, write down the seed phrase in the order specified, and store it in a safe and secret place.
5. Click Continue.
Check whether you have written down your seed phrase by entering the words in the correct order.
6. Tap Create wallet and scan the card.

To fully understand the process of setting up a Tangem seed-phrase wallet, watch a video demonstration and refer to our step-by-step guide in our blog article.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

No, the seed phrase is only randomly generated when you create a wallet. To change the seed phrase, reset the wallet to factory settings and create a new wallet.

Before a full reset, temporarily move all cryptocurrency stored in your Tangem wallet to another location (e.g., a different wallet or exchange). This step is crucial because resetting a wallet will completely erase all funds stored in it.

You must reset each card in the wallet. Our blog post provides detailed instructions on this: How to reset Tangem Wallet to factory settings.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

If you imported your seed phrase but see a zero/incomplete balance, it may be due to several reasons. Let’s look at each of them in more detail and suggest possible solutions.

1. You didn’t add the right tokens to the main screen of your wallet.
When importing a seed phrase into a new wallet, the tokens that you used in the original wallet may not be displayed automatically. You need to manually add them to the home screen. To do this, go to the Manage tokens section and add the required tokens to the home screen. Detailed instructions are available in our blog: How to add cryptocurrencies to the Tangem app.

2. Incorrectly imported seed phrase.
Make sure you have entered the correct seed phrase. Even one wrong letter or word can invalidate the entire phrase.

3. Incorrect word order in the seed phrase.
It is important that the words of the seed phrase are entered in the correct order. Check and, if necessary, correct the word order.

4. Missing passphrase.
If you used a passphrase in your previous wallet but forgot to enter it during import, it may be the reason for the lack of balance. In this case, you must reset each card to factory settings and import the wallet again with the passphrase.
Detailed instructions can be found in our blog: How to reset Tangem Wallet to factory settings.

5. The seed phrase was recorded incorrectly.
If the seed phrase was written incorrectly, you cannot regain access to your funds. Check and compare words in the phrase with the BIP39 wordlist to ensure that each word is correct.

6. The seed phrase is not a standard BIP39 seed phrase.
Some wallets use non-standard seed phrases. Check if your seed phrase is a standard BIP39.

7. Multiple addresses for the same coin.
Suppose you have multiple accounts for the same coin in the source wallet. In that case, only the first consecutive addresses on the derivation path in each blockchain are displayed when importing into Tangem. Either zero or an incomplete balance may be displayed.

You can try the following workaround:
— Check the coin’s derivation path in the source wallet. We recommend contacting the wallet provider’s support if you cannot find it.
— Add a custom token in the required network using the derivation path from the source wallet.
You can read more about derivation paths here: Navigating Derivation Paths in Tangem Wallet.

To add a custom token:
— Open the app and log in to your wallet.
— Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
— Select the desired wallet.
— Go to the Manage tokens section.
— Tap + in the top right corner of the token list.
— Fill in the fields according to your token/coin.
— Instead of the Default derivation path, choose Custom and enter the derivation path from the source wallet.
Detailed instructions on how to add a token are available in our blog: How to add your own token to the Tangem app.

8. Different address types.
If the funds in the source wallet are on an address whose type is not supported by Tangem Wallet, they will not show up in the import result.
For example, there are several types of addresses in the Bitcoin network, which can be easily distinguished by the characters at the beginning of the address:

— Legacy (P2PKH): starts with the number 1.
Example: 1N4Qbzg6LSXUXUXyXu2MDuGfzxwMA7do8AyL.
— Script (P2SH): begins with the number 3.
Example: 3J98t1WpEZ73CNmQviecrnyiWrnqRhWNLy.
— SegWit (P2WPKH): starts with the combination “bc1q”.
Example: bc1qfg9t7fwn0atn4yf9spca5502vk8dyhq8a9aqd8.
— Taproot (P2TR): starts with the combination “bc1p”.
Example: bc1peu5hzzyj8cnqm05le6ag7uwry0ysmtf3v4uuxv3v8hqhvsatca8ss2vuwx.

Tangem Wallet supports Legacy (P2PKH) and SegWit (P2WPKH) addresses. You cannot regain access to the funds if you import a wallet with the funds on Script (P2SH) and Taproot (P2TR) addresses.

9. Different cryptographic standards.
Different wallets may use cryptographic techniques and blockchain derivation methods. Having a seed phrase does not guarantee that users can access their funds in another wallet.

Tangem Wallet is compatible with many other wallets, such as Trust Wallet. This problem is not unique to our wallet; it reflects a broader industry problem, as there is no universal standard for all wallets.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

The seed phrase and access code are two different methods of securing access to your Tangem Wallet.

1. Seed phrase: These 12 or 24 words help you recover your wallet in case of loss or damage. It is the basis for recovering your wallet, as you can recover all the private keys needed to access your funds.

2. Access code: This is the code you set when you initially set up your Tangem Wallet. It protects the wallet from unauthorized access and can contain any word, phrase, or number you want.

The minimum number of characters is 4, and the maximum is unlimited.
The access code is required when you scan your wallet, such as when you open the app, sign a transaction, or reset your devices to factory settings if you do not use biometric authentication.

The key difference between the two lies in their functions and applications: the seed phrase grants access to your funds, while the access code secures your physical card and prevents unauthorized access.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.

If you suspect that someone has accessed your Tangem Wallet’s seed phrase, you must protect your funds as soon as possible. Here’s what you can do:

1. Transfer funds: Immediately transfer all your funds to another place for a while (such as another wallet or exchange). This will allow you to keep your cryptocurrencies safe until you take further action.

2. Reset the device to factory settings: Resetting it to factory settings erases everything. Before resetting, withdraw all cryptocurrency from the wallet.
Detailed instructions are in our blog: How to reset Tangem Wallet to factory settings.

3. Create a new wallet with a new seed phrase: After all devices are reset, you can create a new wallet with a new seed phrase. Then you should transfer your funds back to this new wallet.

4. Improve security: Unlike chip-generated keys, the seed phrase is not secure and can be copied or stolen. If someone gains access to your seed phrase, they can access your funds.

Keep your seed phrase in a safe place and follow the basic rules of crypto hygiene:
— Never store your seed phrase online.
— Do not enter it into any app without ensuring it is safe.
— Never give it to anyone, and never lose it.
— Don’t lose your seed phrase.

Remember that your wallet and funds’ safety depend on you. Be vigilant and take steps to protect your funds.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem 2.0 Wallets or later.

You can still manage your funds if you’ve lost your seed phrase but still have access to your wallet using at least one Tangem device.

We recommend transferring your funds to a different location, such as another wallet or exchange, as soon as possible. This is important because the lost seed phrase may be compromised.

After transferring your funds, reset the wallet to factory settings and create a new one with a new seed phrase.

However, if you’ve lost or damaged all your devices along with the seed phrase, you won’t be able to access your wallet.

Important: This information is valid for the second-generation Tangem Wallets or later.