Phantom seed phrase: how to back it up, view it and keep it safe
Your Phantom seed phrase (Phantom calls it the Secret Recovery Phrase) is 12 words that give full control of your wallet. You can view it in Phantom's security settings while signed in, and you should store it offline on paper or metal. Never share it or type it into any website: Phantom will never ask for it.
Quick steps
- Open Phantom somewhere private. Unlock the app or extension where you are alone, with no screen sharing or cameras pointing at the screen.
- Go to the security settings. Tap or click your profile avatar, open Settings and then the security and privacy section.
- Reveal the recovery phrase. Choose the option to show the recovery phrase and confirm the warning.
- Write the words down in order. Copy all 12 (or 24) words by hand, numbered, and check the spelling of each one.
- Store copies offline. Keep the paper or metal backup in a secure place, ideally with a second copy in another location.
- Never type it anywhere else. Only enter the phrase in the official Phantom import screen or another wallet app you have verified.
The recovery phrase is the master key to a Phantom wallet. Whoever has it controls every account created from it, on every network Phantom supports. Phantom does not keep a copy, so the phrase is also your only guaranteed way back in if you lose your device. This guide explains how it works, how to view it and how to store it, based on Phantom's help centre as of October 2026.
What the recovery phrase is
Phantom creates a 12-word phrase for every new recovery phrase wallet. It follows the BIP-39 standard, the same word-list system most wallets use. Phantom can also import a 24-word BIP-39 phrase from another wallet. People call it a seed phrase, secret phrase or mnemonic; Phantom calls it the Secret Recovery Phrase.
One phrase can create many accounts. Each account has its own addresses for Solana, Ethereum, Base, Polygon, Bitcoin and the other supported networks. You cannot change the phrase of an existing wallet. If you think someone has seen it, the only fix is to move your funds to a new wallet (see below).
| Recovery phrase | Private key | |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | Every account and network in the wallet | One account on one network |
| Format | 12 or 24 words | A long string of characters |
| Syncs to other devices when imported | Yes | No, import it on each device |
| Risk if leaked | Total loss of the wallet | Loss of that account |
How to view your recovery phrase in Phantom
You can only view the phrase while you are signed in to Phantom on a device. In both the app and the extension, open your profile avatar in the upper left, go to Settings, open the security and privacy section and choose to show the recovery phrase. Phantom asks you to confirm before it reveals the words (Phantom help centre, 2026).
Do this somewhere private, with no screen sharing, cameras or onlookers. Write the words down and close the screen. Do not copy them to the clipboard if you can avoid it, because other apps or malware may read it.
Some wallets work differently:
- Google or Apple wallets still have a recovery phrase you can export, and Phantom recommends doing so. The option to show individual private keys is not available for these wallets, because their keys are held in Phantom's key management system (Phantom help centre, 2026). More in our email login guide.
- Ledger accounts show no phrase or private key in Phantom. The 24 words you wrote down when setting up the Ledger are your backup, and they must never be typed into Phantom or any website.
- Imported wallets have their own phrase or key. Back up each one separately: restoring your main wallet does not bring imported wallets back.
How to store the phrase safely
Good storage protects against two different risks: someone else finding the phrase, and you losing it.
- Write it by hand on paper, numbered 1 to 12, and check every word against what Phantom shows. Spelling matters.
- Consider metal for larger amounts. Stamped or engraved metal plates survive fire and water better than paper.
- Keep two copies in two places you control, such as a home safe and another secure location, so a single fire, flood or move does not wipe out your only backup.
- Tell no one where it is unless you have a deliberate inheritance plan. Anyone who reads it can take everything.
- Keep it offline. Avoid photos, screenshots, cloud drives, email drafts, messaging apps and notes apps. Phantom's own advice is to store it in a secure, offline location.
A phone backup is not a substitute. Phantom's help centre advises having your Google or Apple account, your recovery phrase and any imported phrases or keys ready, rather than relying on restoring the app from a device backup. In November 2024 an iOS update caused some Phantom app resets, and users without a recovery phrase backup lost access (The Block, 2024).
Never share it: how scammers try to get it
Almost every request for a recovery phrase is a scam. Phantom support will never ask for it, and Phantom has no phone line. Common tricks seen in 2025 and 2026 include:
- Fake "update" or "verify your wallet" pop-ups inside a web page that ask you to re-enter your phrase. Real Phantom updates come through the browser's extension store, never a form.
- Fake support numbers and chat windows found through search results or replies on X, Discord and Telegram.
- "Wallet validation", "sync" or "airdrop claim" sites. There is no Phantom token, so there is nothing to claim.
- Fake Phantom apps that ask you to "import your existing wallet" straight away.
- "Recovery services" that promise to restore a lost phrase or stolen funds. They cannot, and many steal what is left.
The only places you should ever type your phrase are the import screen of the official Phantom app or extension, or another wallet app you have verified and trust. See fake Phantom scams and the support phone scam for examples.
If you think your phrase was exposed
Act quickly. Phantom cannot give an existing wallet a new phrase, so its advice is to move everything to a brand-new wallet and stop using the old one (Phantom help centre, 2026). Create the new wallet, back up its new phrase offline before you move any funds, then transfer each asset on each network. Close or withdraw staked SOL and other positions first where needed. If funds are already disappearing, follow what to do if your Phantom wallet was drained.
If you lost your phrase but are still signed in
Export it now from the security settings and write it down. If you are signed out everywhere and have no copy, Phantom cannot recover it for you. The options that remain are explained in how to recover a Phantom wallet.
Frequently asked questions
How many words is the Phantom recovery phrase?
Wallets created in Phantom use 12 words. Phantom can also import 24-word BIP-39 phrases from other wallets.
Can I change my Phantom recovery phrase?
No. To get a new phrase you create a new wallet and move your funds to it.
Can Phantom support recover my seed phrase?
No. Phantom does not store your recovery phrase and cannot restore it. Anyone offering to recover it for a fee is running a scam.
Does a Google or Apple wallet have a recovery phrase?
Yes. Phantom lets you export the recovery phrase for these wallets, and recommends keeping an offline copy.
Is it safe to store my seed phrase in a password manager?
It is safer than a screenshot or notes app, but it is still online. Phantom recommends offline storage, so paper or metal kept in a secure place is the usual choice for meaningful amounts.
Is the private key the same as the recovery phrase?
No. A private key controls one account on one network, while the recovery phrase controls every account in the wallet. Protect both.