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Alby wallet setup and recovery phrase security guide
Secure Your Bitcoin How to Set Up Alby Wallet and Protect Your Recovery Phrase
Immediately write your twelve or twenty-four word secret on physical material. A metal plate stored separately from your devices offers superior defense against fire or water compared to paper. Digital copies, including photographs, screenshots, or cloud documents, create unacceptable points of failure.
This seed functions as a master key. Its possession grants absolute control over associated funds and digital identities. Treat each word with corresponding gravity; a single transcription error will result in permanent loss. Verify the sequence twice during the initial recording process.
Operate this tool exclusively on hardware you control, ensuring software integrity. Browser extensions managing private data require meticulous vetting of permissions and update sources. Never input those words into a website interface, regardless of its apparent legitimacy.
Consider a multi-signature arrangement for significant holdings. This approach distributes authority, necessitating multiple separate keys to authorize a transaction. While introducing complexity, it fundamentally alters the attack surface, requiring compromise of more than one secured element.
FAQ:
I just installed Alby. What's the first thing I should do before I put any bitcoin in it?
Your immediate priority is to write down your recovery phrase. Alby will generate this 12 or 24-word phrase during setup. This is not a password you can change; it is the master key to your wallet. Write each word clearly on the provided paper backup sheet or on a durable material like metal. Do not save it on your computer, take a screenshot, or store it in a cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud. Until this phrase is physically written down and stored securely, treat your wallet as unprotected. Only after completing this step should you consider depositing funds.
Is it safe to store my recovery phrase on my password manager?
No, it is not recommended. Password managers are designed for passwords, which are changeable. Your recovery phrase is a permanent, static key. Storing it digitally on any device connected to the internet increases its exposure to theft by malware or a breach of the password manager service itself. The core security principle of a non-custodial wallet like Alby is that this phrase never touches an online environment. Its safest place is on a physical medium, stored separately from your computer.
What happens if I lose my computer or phone with Alby on it?
If your device is lost or broken, you can recover your entire wallet and funds on a new device. You would install the Alby extension or app again and select the "Restore" or "Import" option. By entering your original 12 or 24-word recovery phrase in the exact order, the wallet will regenerate all your keys, addresses, and transaction history. This is why protecting the phrase is more critical than protecting any single device. The device is just a window; the phrase is the master key to the vault.
I've heard about "passphrase" accounts. Is that different from my Alby recovery phrase?
Yes, they are separate layers. Your standard Alby recovery phrase (12/24 words) generates your primary wallet. A passphrase (sometimes called a "25th word") is an optional, extra word you can add in Alby's advanced settings. It creates a completely new, hidden wallet. You need both the standard phrase AND this exact passphrase to access those specific funds. It adds security but also complexity: if you forget the passphrase, those funds are permanently inaccessible, even with your standard recovery phrase.
My recovery phrase is written down. Where should I keep the paper?
Keep it in a secure, private location you will remember, like a locked drawer or a safe. Avoid obvious places like a desk drawer or under a keyboard. For significant amounts, consider using two copies stored in different secure locations (e.g., a home safe and a safety deposit box) to protect against a single point of failure like fire or flood. Never share the location or the phrase with anyone. Anyone with those words can take your bitcoin without needing your alby wallet recovery phrase [https://extension-dapp.com] password or device.