Restore a wallet from a recovery phrase

Restore a seed wallet on a new phone or a fresh install with your 12 to 24-word recovery phrase, and fix the most common import problems.

Updated 3 min read
Short answer

Tap Import Wallet, set a PIN, choose Seed Phrase and enter your recovery phrase in the correct order. THORWallet accepts phrases with 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24 words, including phrases created in other wallet apps.

On this page

A seed wallet lives on the blockchain, not in the app. With the recovery phrase you can open the same wallet on any phone.

What you need

  • Your recovery phrase: 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24 words in the correct order.
  • The THORWallet app. See How to install THORWallet.
  • A private place. Nobody should see the words.
Warning

Enter your recovery phrase only inside the THORWallet app that you installed from the official store. Support will never ask for your recovery phrase.

Restore on a new or fresh install

  1. Open THORWallet and tap Import Wallet.
  2. Choose a 6-digit PIN and enter it again to confirm it.
  3. Tap Seed Phrase.
  4. Tick the three statements of the Seed Phrase Security Checklist and tap Continue.
  5. Optional: enter a wallet name.
  6. Select the number of words of your phrase.
  7. Type the words in order. THORWallet suggests words while you type. You can also paste the whole phrase.
  8. Tap Import.
  9. If your phone supports biometrics, tap Enable biometrics or Skip.

THORWallet loads your addresses and balances. An imported wallet counts as backed up.

Add the wallet to an app that already has one

  1. On the Wallet screen, tap the wallet name above your balance.
  2. Tap Import.
  3. Tap Seed Phrase and follow steps 4 to 8 above.

Your other wallets stay in the app. Switch between them with the wallet name above the balance.

Other ways to import

OptionWhat you need
Seed PhraseThe 12 to 24-word recovery phrase.
KeystoreThe keystore file and its password.
VaultThe vault backup file of this device and its password.

Vault appears only where vault import is available. See Multi-device vaults.

If something goes wrong

"Invalid seed phrase"

  • Check the spelling of every word. Pick the words from the suggestions.
  • Check the order and the word count.
  • Make sure you use the recovery phrase and not a PIN, a password or a private key.

The pasted phrase is too long

THORWallet ignores the extra words and tells you. Check the selected word count and compare every word with your backup.

"The wallet already exists under the name ..."

This phrase is already in the app. Tap the wallet name above your balance and switch to it.

Balances are missing after the import

  • Wait until the balances have loaded, then pull down to refresh.
  • Tokens outside the default list must be switched on. See Add, hide or import a custom token.
  • THORWallet restores the first account of a recovery phrase. Extra accounts that you created in another wallet app do not appear.
  • For Zcash, THORWallet can ask for the date of your first transaction so that it knows how far back to scan.

You do not have the phrase

Without the recovery phrase, or a device that still holds the wallet, the funds cannot be recovered. THORWallet has no copy.

Common questions

Can I import a recovery phrase from another wallet app?

Yes. THORWallet accepts 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24-word recovery phrases generated by other wallets.

Can I restore my wallet without the recovery phrase?

No. THORWallet does not store your phrase and cannot restore it. If the wallet is still open on another device, view the phrase there under Settings, Security, Recovery Phrase.

Is it safe to have the same wallet on two phones?

It works, because both phones hold the same keys. Each phone is then a place where the keys can be stolen, so protect both.

Why does the app say Invalid seed phrase?

At least one word is wrong, misspelled or in the wrong position, or the word count does not match. Check every word against your backup.

Do I need my old PIN?

No. The PIN belongs to one device. On a new install you choose a new PIN.

How do I restore a multi-device vault?

A vault has no recovery phrase. You import the backup file of each device. See the vault articles.

Was this article helpful?