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Understanding What a Seed Phrase Is

Explains what a seed phrase is, why it’s secure, how to store it safely, and why it should never be shared.

Updated over a week ago

A seed phrase is a list of 12 random words that act as the master key to your wallet. It’s the most important piece of information in crypto, if you lose it, you lose access. If someone else gets it, they can take everything.

In Plug, your seed phrase is generated when you create your wallet. It allows you to recover your assets on any device, without needing an email, login, or password.

Why Is It So Secure?

Seed phrases are built using strong cryptography. The 12 words are chosen from a predefined list of 2,048 words, resulting in over 2048¹² possible combinations, that’s more than a hundred quintillion possibilities.

Even with the fastest computers in the world, it would take millions of years to guess a valid seed phrase by brute force.

This is why your seed phrase is both:

  • One of the most secure forms of authentication

  • One of the most sensitive things you own

How to Store Your Seed Phrase Safely

  • Write it down on paper and store it somewhere secure and private

  • Never store it digitally (not in your email, phone notes, screenshots, or cloud)

  • Do not share it with anyone, ever

  • Avoid making multiple copies, as each copy increases your exposure

Never Share Your Seed Phrase

Your seed phrase gives full access to your wallet and funds. Plug’s support team will never ask for it, not by email, not in chat, not in any form.

If someone claiming to be Plug asks for your seed phrase, it is a scam. Do not reply. Report the incident on X or Discord.

The only place you should ever paste your seed phrase is in Plug’s “Import Wallet” screen, and only if you downloaded Plug from the official site: plugwallet.ooo.


TL;DR

  • Your seed phrase is a list of 12 words that unlock your wallet

  • It is cryptographically secure and extremely difficult to guess

  • Store it offline, privately, and securely

  • Never share it, not even with Plug

  • Only use it when importing your wallet via the official app or extension

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