> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.walley.cc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Recovery Phrase: Your Wallet's Last Line of Defense

> Understand how Walley's 24-word BIP-39 recovery phrase works, how to store it safely, and what to do when your passkey is no longer available.

Your recovery phrase is a sequence of 24 English words that encodes the master secret for your Walley wallet. It is the only way to restore access to your funds if your passkey is unavailable. Treat it as the most sensitive piece of information associated with your wallet — anyone who has it can access your assets.

## How Your Recovery Phrase Is Generated

Walley generates your recovery phrase entirely within your browser at the moment you create your wallet. It follows the [BIP-39](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0039.mediawiki) standard and uses an Ed25519 key derivation scheme.

<Note>
  Your recovery phrase is generated client-side and is **never transmitted to Walley's servers** or stored anywhere outside your browser session. Once you close the generation screen, Walley cannot show it to you again.
</Note>

Because the phrase is never sent to any server, there is no server-side backup to fall back on. The responsibility for preserving it rests entirely with you.

## How Recovery Works

If your passkey is unavailable — for example, after losing your device or clearing your browser storage — you can use your recovery phrase alongside your **Party Hint** to start a recovery session.

Your Party Hint is the human-readable label you chose when you created your wallet (prefixed `walley-`). Walley uses it together with your 24 words to locate and unlock your on-ledger identity. See [Canton Network](/concepts/canton-network) for more on Party Hints.

<Accordion title="Step-by-step: recovering your wallet">
  1. Open Walley and select **Import Recovery Phrase** on the sign-in screen.
  2. Enter your 24-word recovery phrase in the correct order.
  3. Enter your Party Hint (for example, `walley-yourname`).
  4. Walley validates the phrase and establishes a temporary session.
  5. Your wallet is accessible for the duration of that session.
</Accordion>

## Recovery Creates a Temporary Session

A recovery session gives you access to your wallet, but it does **not** permanently link your recovery phrase to a new passkey. When the session ends, you will need your recovery phrase again to authenticate without a passkey.

<Warning>
  Recovery does not replace your passkey. Each time you recover, you must enter all 24 words again. There is currently no flow to bind the recovery phrase to a new passkey — keep this in mind when planning how you access your wallet long-term.
</Warning>

## How to Store Your Recovery Phrase Safely

Because your recovery phrase is generated only once and never stored by Walley, you must record and protect it yourself. Follow these practices:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Write It on Paper" icon="pen">
    Write all 24 words in order on paper immediately after your wallet is created. Confirm each word carefully before closing the setup screen.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Store It Offline" icon="box-archive">
    Keep the written phrase in a secure physical location — a safe, a safety deposit box, or another place protected from theft and environmental damage.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Never Share It" icon="eye-slash">
    No legitimate support agent, dApp, or service will ever ask for your recovery phrase. Anyone who asks for it is attempting to steal your funds.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Avoid Digital Storage" icon="cloud-slash">
    Do not save your phrase in a notes app, email, screenshot, cloud storage, or password manager. Digital storage is vulnerable to breaches and sync leaks.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Consider making two physical copies stored in separate locations. This protects against a single point of failure such as a house fire or flood.
</Tip>

## What Happens If You Lose Your Recovery Phrase

<Warning>
  If you lose your passkey **and** your recovery phrase, access to your wallet is permanently lost. Walley cannot recover your wallet, reset your credentials, or restore your funds under any circumstances. There is no exception to this rule.
</Warning>

This is the fundamental nature of self-custody. Secure your recovery phrase before you ever receive or transact any assets.