Can I recover my Trust Wallet if I lose my 12 words?

If you lose your Trust Wallet recovery words, your wallet becomes permanently inaccessible—store them securely to prevent irreversible loss.

Jul 02, 2025 at 12:35 pm

Understanding the Role of the 12 Recovery Words in Trust Wallet

When using Trust Wallet, users are provided with a set of 12 recovery words during the initial setup. These words serve as the primary backup for your wallet and are crucial for restoring access if you lose your device or uninstall the app. The 12-word phrase is generated based on the BIP39 standard, which ensures compatibility across many cryptocurrency wallets.

The recovery phrase is not stored anywhere by Trust Wallet—not on their servers, not in the cloud, and not even within the app after setup. This means that if you lose your 12 words, there is no centralized authority to contact for retrieval. It also implies that if someone gains access to your recovery phrase, they can control your funds.

Your 12 recovery words are the only way to regain access to your Trust Wallet.

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What Happens If You Lose Your 12 Recovery Words?

Losing your 12 recovery words typically means losing access to your wallet forever. Since Trust Wallet is a non-custodial wallet, it does not hold your private keys or recovery phrases. This design ensures user privacy and security but also places full responsibility on the user to safeguard their recovery information.

If you’ve lost your 12 words and cannot recover them, your wallet cannot be restored. This includes situations where:

• You forgot where you saved them
• The paper you wrote them on was destroyed
• You did not store them securely
• You never wrote them down at all

There is no customer support team at Trust Wallet that can assist in recovering your 12-word phrase.

Once your recovery words are lost, your wallet becomes permanently inaccessible.

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Steps You Can Take to Recover Lost Recovery Words

Unfortunately, the steps available for recovering lost recovery words are limited due to the decentralized nature of Trust Wallet. However, here are some things you can try:

• Check All Possible Storage Locations: Look through notes, digital files, or physical papers where you might have written them down.
• Search Encrypted Backups: If you used an encrypted password manager or secure note-taking app, check those backups.
• Review Emails or Messages: Sometimes users send themselves the recovery phrase via email or messaging apps for safekeeping.
• Device Backup Files: If you backed up your phone before deleting the app, your recovery words might still exist in encrypted form.

These methods rely entirely on whether you had previously taken precautions in storing your recovery phrase somewhere else.

Trust Wallet does not store your recovery words under any circumstances.

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Can I Use My Private Key Instead of the 12 Words?

In some cases, users may wonder if they can use their private key to recover their wallet instead of the 12 recovery words. While both the private key and the recovery phrase provide access to your funds, they function differently.

The 12-word phrase generates multiple private keys (one for each cryptocurrency address), allowing you to restore all assets at once. In contrast, a single private key only grants access to one specific address.

If you have a private key for a particular asset, you can import it into Trust Wallet manually, but this will not restore your entire wallet. You’ll need to repeat this process for every individual address you want to recover.

Recovery via private key is possible but limited to individual addresses.

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How to Prevent Future Loss of Recovery Words

To avoid repeating such a scenario, consider implementing these best practices:

• Write Down the Phrase Immediately: During wallet creation, write down the 12 words right away and store them securely.
• Use a Secure Location: Store the phrase in a fireproof safe, safety deposit box, or other secure physical location.
• Avoid Digital Storage Unless Encrypted: Never save your recovery phrase in plain text on your computer or cloud storage unless it's strongly encrypted.
• Make Multiple Copies: Create two or three copies and store them in different secure locations.

These measures help ensure that even in case of emergencies like house fires or theft, you can still recover your wallet.

Prevention is the most effective strategy when dealing with recovery word loss.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Trust Wallet keep a copy of my 12 recovery words?

A: No, Trust Wallet does not store or have access to your 12 recovery words. They are generated locally on your device and never transmitted to any server.

Q: Can I change my 12 recovery words after setting up my wallet?

A: No, the recovery phrase is tied directly to your wallet’s seed and cannot be changed. If you want a new recovery phrase, you must create a new wallet and transfer your funds to it.

Q: What should I do if someone finds my 12 recovery words?

A: If someone discovers your recovery phrase, immediately move all your funds to a new wallet created with a new recovery phrase. Your original wallet is now compromised.

Q: Is it safe to take a screenshot of my 12 recovery words?

A: Taking a screenshot increases the risk of exposure. If you must store it digitally, use an encrypted file or secure password manager. Avoid regular photo albums or cloud backups.