Check yourself: A backup is not a recovery

Questions and answers, readable without JavaScript.

1. What is the difference between a backup and recovery, according to the note?

   • There is none once the words are written down
   • A backup is a copy of a secret; recovery is a procedure that turns it back into usable keys, possibly done by someone else
   • Recovery only applies to hardware wallets
   • A backup is encrypted and a recovery is not
   Answer 1

   A backup is a copy of a secret; recovery is a procedure that turns it back into usable keys, possibly done by someone else

   The gap between a copied secret and a tested procedure is where the note says most self-custody losses happen.

   Read the note → · A Backup Is Not a Recovery: Seed Phrases, Passphrases, and the Restore You Haven't Tested

2. What happens if you mistype a BIP 39 passphrase at restore?

   • The wallet shows an error and refuses to load
   • The checksum word fixes it automatically
   • You get a different, valid wallet with no error, usually an empty one
   • The passphrase is ignored and the original wallet loads
   Answer 2

   You get a different, valid wallet with no error, usually an empty one

   Because the passphrase goes into the salt, BIP 39 notes every passphrase generates a valid seed. There is no error message.

   Read the note → · A Backup Is Not a Recovery: Seed Phrases, Passphrases, and the Restore You Haven't Tested

3. Which of these do the seed words NOT carry, per the note?

   • The passphrase, the wallet definition (script type and path), and labels or other metadata
   • The private keys
   • The root of the BIP 32 key tree
   • The 2,048-word list index of each word
   Answer 3

   The passphrase, the wallet definition (script type and path), and labels or other metadata

   The words recreate keys. The passphrase, the descriptor or script type, and metadata all need their own backup.

   Read the note → · A Backup Is Not a Recovery: Seed Phrases, Passphrases, and the Restore You Haven't Tested

4. How much should you rely on the BIP 39 checksum?

   • Fully: it corrects up to two wrong words
   • It guarantees every typo is caught
   • It replaces the need to check against the wordlist
   • Only modestly: BIP 39 says 1 in 256 errors will be missed, and it can't correct errors
   Answer 4

   Only modestly: BIP 39 says 1 in 256 errors will be missed, and it can't correct errors

   The checksum detects some errors and fixes none. Write clearly and check against the wordlist yourself.

   Read the note → · A Backup Is Not a Recovery: Seed Phrases, Passphrases, and the Restore You Haven't Tested

5. What does the note's recovery drill compare to confirm a restore worked?

   • The number of words
   • The first receive address (or key fingerprint) against the original wallet's
   • The app's version number
   • The balance shown by a block explorer
   Answer 5

   The first receive address (or key fingerprint) against the original wallet's

   Restore on a clean or offline device, compare the first address or fingerprint exactly, note what you had to look up, then wipe the device.

   Read the note → · A Backup Is Not a Recovery: Seed Phrases, Passphrases, and the Restore You Haven't Tested