What a seed phrase is
Many self-custody wallets use a recovery phrase as a human-readable backup for wallet secrets. The exact wording and derivation process depend on the wallet standard. Treat the phrase as highly sensitive information.
Never share it
Legitimate support staff should not need your recovery phrase to inspect an account. Be suspicious of anyone asking for it by phone, chat, email or a website. Fake wallet-support scams frequently use urgent language to pressure users into revealing secrets.
Prefer offline storage
A written or otherwise offline backup can reduce exposure to online theft, but it must be protected from loss, theft, fire and unauthorized access. Consider the physical security of the backup as carefully as the digital security of the wallet.
Test recovery carefully
If a wallet provides a documented recovery process, learn it before you need it. Avoid experimenting with a valuable wallet. A small test environment can help users understand recovery without putting important assets at risk.