All Collections
FAQ
What happens if I lose access to my wallet?
What happens if I lose access to my wallet?

Learn about the different methods to restore an Exodus wallet. You can always restore your wallet with its 12-word secret recovery phrase.

Updated over a week ago

Everything you need to know about how to regain access to your wallet.

Need a crypto wallet that gives you full control of your assets? You can download Exodus here.


In this article:


What are the 5 ways you can recover your funds?

If your wallet's device was broken, lost, stolen, or had its data wiped, you can use the 5 methods below to attempt to restore your wallet and regain access to your funds.

You can always restore your wallet with your 12-word secret recovery phrase. If you keep your secret recovery phrase safe, you'll always be able to regain access to your funds. If you haven't written down the secret recovery phrase for your wallet yet, it's very important that you do so! Find more information about this important security step here: How do I always have access to my wallet with my 12-word secret recovery phrase?


Option 1: Restore from your 12-word secret recovery phrase

When you first created your wallet, you should have been prompted to write down your 12-word secret recovery phrase. If you have a safe, notebook, or file containing important documents, check to see if you can find your secret recovery phrase.

To refresh your memory, this article goes through the steps: How do I always have access to my wallet with my 12-word secret recovery phrase?

If you find your secret recovery phrase, you can restore your wallet to regain access to your funds: How do I restore from my 12-word secret recovery phrase?

If you restored your wallet with a secret recovery phrase, but the wallet is empty with no transaction history, then it is possible that the wallet you restored is not the wallet you were trying to restore.

If this is the case, please find troubleshooting steps here: Help! I restored with my 12-word phrase but my wallet is empty.


Option 2: Restore from a synced device

Do you have access to your original wallet on another device? For instance, if you have synced your wallet to another phone, desktop or laptop, or browser extension wallet, you can view your secret recovery phrase on those platforms and use it to restore your wallet.

If you have access to your wallet on another device, here's how to find your secret recovery phrase: How do I view my secret recovery phrase?

Retrieving your secret recovery phrase from a synced Exodus mobile wallet is only possible if that wallet hasn't been permanently erased. Formatting your mobile device, or uninstalling Exodus, will result in the permanent erasure of your secret recovery phrase and its associated wallet on that device.

In some cases, uninstalling Exodus from an iOS device may not result in deleting your secret recovery phrase. Nevertheless, it's safer to assume that it will.

After viewing and safely storing your secret recovery phrase, you can then restore your wallet.


Option 3: Restore from an email backup

If you created your wallet prior to February 2019, you would have been given an email backup link as an option to save your wallet information.

If this applies to you, search your email addresses for any correspondence from [email protected] or with the title Exodus Backup Link.

This backup link is an encrypted version of your secret phrase, and it can only be decrypted with the password you had set at the time the email was sent to you.

If you received an email backup, the following article will assist you with restoring your wallet: How do I restore from an email backup?


Option 4: Restore from your backup vault

Restoring with the backup vault is only available on Exodus Mobile.

Using the backup vault to recover your as a recovery method is only available if you backed up your wallet with the backup vault.

Creating a new backup in the backup vault is no longer supported for new customers.

If you have backed up your wallet with the backup vault, then you can still restore your wallet with the backup vault in Exodus Mobile. For more information on how to restore with the backup vault, visit: How do I restore a wallet from my backup vault?

To restore your wallet from the backup vault, you must have access to your iCloud or Google Drive and your confirmation email address or mobile phone number that you created the backup vault with.

After restoring your wallet with the backup vault, make sure to also back up your wallet by writing down the 12-word secret recovery phrase: How do I always have access to my wallet with my 12-word secret recovery phrase?


Option 5: Restore an overwritten wallet

If you have recently synced your wallet or restored your wallet using a secret recovery phrase, and now your assets are gone, there is a chance that you have overwritten your wallet.

Exodus is a self-custody wallet, so all the information needed to access your wallet is stored locally on your device.

When you overwrite your wallet, it means that you have replaced the previous wallet with a new wallet that has a different secret recovery phrase. If you believe this applies to you, use the following article to assist you: How do I rescue an overwritten wallet?

On Desktop, your wallet backup files will only be kept for 90 days after overwriting them. On Mobile, your secret recovery phrase will be permanently deleted if you format your mobile device, or uninstall Exodus.

In some cases, uninstalling Exodus from an iOS device may not result in deleting your secret recovery phrase. Nevertheless, it's safer to assume that it will.


What should I do if my device was lost or stolen?

If your device has been lost or stolen, the best way to secure your funds is to create a new wallet (with a new secret recovery phrase).

Then you can send your funds to a different wallet. This will protect your funds if someone has access to your device and is working on guessing your password.

It's incredibly important to keep your secret recovery phrase, backup link, and password safe! Anyone with access to your recovery options can use them to gain access to your funds, so make sure to protect them from prying eyes.

For more information on keeping your crypto safe, visit: How do I keep my money safe?

Did this answer your question?