What is Seed Phrase?
The 12 or 24 words that control everything in a crypto wallet.
Definition
A seed phrase (also called a recovery phrase or mnemonic phrase) is a sequence of 12, 18, or 24 words generated by a cryptocurrency wallet. It encodes the master private key for all accounts in that wallet. Anyone who possesses the seed phrase has full, irrevocable control of every asset in the wallet — regardless of platform, device, or password.
How It Works
Seed phrases follow the BIP-39 standard, using a dictionary of 2,048 English words. The randomness is generated at wallet creation and is never transmitted to any server. Because the seed phrase is the root of all wallet access, it must be protected with the same security as the assets themselves. Common failure modes: writing it on paper (fire, flood, theft risk), storing it in a notes app (hacked), or not storing it at all (irreversible loss).
How VaultPass Uses This
Seed phrases are exactly what VaultPass is designed to protect. You encrypt your seed phrases in a VaultPass vault using AES-256-GCM. The encrypted vault is stored on our servers — your seed phrases never are. When you die or become incapacitated, your heir receives the encrypted vault and a decryption key shard via the Heir Portal.
Common Questions
Should I take a photo of my seed phrase?
No. Photos are backed up to cloud services (iCloud, Google Photos) that can be hacked or subpoenaed. Your seed phrase should be stored offline and encrypted.
Is it safe to type my seed phrase into VaultPass?
Yes. VaultPass encrypts your input in the browser before it touches any network connection. Your seed phrase never leaves your device in plaintext.
What happens if I lose my seed phrase?
If you lose your seed phrase and have no backup, your crypto is permanently inaccessible — to you and everyone else. There is no recovery mechanism. This is why secure backup and inheritance planning are critical.