You can restore an existing wallet on a compatible BitBox hardware wallet using a compatible backup of 12 or 24 English BIP-39 recovery words, whether the words were originally generated by a BitBox or another wallet. Enter the words on the BitBox itself, then check that the intended accounts and transaction history appear in the BitBoxApp. Restoring a wallet recreates access to its funds; it does not transfer coins or load them onto the device.

These instructions cover the BitBoxApp on a computer with your BitBox connected by USB. If you have a microSD backup, you can instead restore from the microSD card without entering the words manually.

Before you restore

Have the following ready:

• Your complete backup of 12 or 24 English recovery words, in their original order.
• The exact optional passphrase, if you used one for the wallet you want to recover. It is separate from the recovery words and is not your device password.
• A new or already reset compatible BitBox, a compatible USB connection, and the latest BitBoxApp from the official download page.

If your BitBox already contains a wallet, do not reset it just to try these instructions. A reset deletes the wallet data on that device. First make sure you have a verified backup and any required passphrase for the wallet currently on it. If replacing that wallet is intentional and these prerequisites are met, follow the factory-reset guide before returning here. If you are unsure which backup belongs to which wallet, contact Support before resetting.

Restoring words created by another wallet

The word-entry procedure is the same for a compatible backup created elsewhere. However, accepting the words does not guarantee that the BitBoxApp will display every asset or account from the original wallet. You still need its exact optional passphrase, if used, and compatible account paths and address types.

Restoring the backup preserves its existing keys; it does not replace them with newly generated keys or undo earlier exposure. If the recovery words were exposed to another person or entered into a website or untrusted app, contact Support for guidance on moving to a new wallet. Do not send the words.

1. Connect your BitBox and choose restoration

1. Open the BitBoxApp and connect the new or already reset BitBox to your computer by USB. Follow any firmware-installation or update instructions in the app.
2. If the BitBox asks you to choose its screen orientation, tap the side you want to use as the top.
3. If a pairing code appears, compare the complete code on the BitBox display with the code in the BitBoxApp. Confirm the check mark on the BitBox only if they match, then select Continue in the app. If they differ, stop.

4. On Setup your wallet, select Restore from recovery words in the Restore section.

5. Read the security notice and select Continue. If you are restoring words originally created elsewhere, remember that restoration does not remove any earlier exposure of that backup.
6. Enter a device name in the app's BitBox name field and select Continue. Confirm the name on the BitBox. The device name does not need to match the old one to restore the same wallet.

2. Enter and confirm the recovery words

From this point, enter the recovery words using the BitBox's touch controls. The BitBoxApp displays instructions; it does not ask you to type the words on your computer.

1. If the BitBox displays the current date and time for confirmation, check them before confirming. If they are incorrect, cancel and check your computer's clock before trying again.
2. On the BitBox, select the word count that matches your backup: 12 or 24.
3. For each numbered position, use the letter groups on the BitBox to enter the corresponding word from your backup. Check the complete word displayed before confirming it, and keep the original order.

The device uses the English BIP-39 word list. Its words can be distinguished by their first four letters, or their full spelling when shorter. For example, leg, legal, and legend are different words. Do not confirm a suggested word until it matches the word at that exact position in your backup.

4. Enter or select the final word as follows, then check and confirm it on the BitBox:
   • 24-word backup: the BitBox shows a menu of eight possible final words. Select the 24th word recorded in your backup. If it is absent, select None of them and follow the prompt to restart after rechecking your backup.
   • 12-word backup: enter the 12th word using the letter-entry controls. The device restricts the available input to the 128 possible final words that match the preceding words.

This restriction comes from the checksum, a built-in consistency check in the recovery phrase. It helps detect some errors, but it does not prove that you entered the intended backup. Always use the final word in your backup, never another valid candidate. If the recorded final word is unavailable, recheck the spelling and order of the preceding words rather than substituting a word.

5. After the BitBox accepts the recovery words, set a device password on the BitBox and enter it again when asked. It can differ from your old device password; changing it does not change the restored wallet.
6. Complete the remaining prompts on the BitBox and in the BitBoxApp. Keep the device connected while the app loads the wallet accounts.

3. Open and verify the intended wallet

If you previously used an optional passphrase, the recovery words alone do not open that wallet. In the BitBoxApp, go to Settings → Manage device → Expert settings → Passphrase. If it is disabled, select Enable optional passphrase, read the information, select Enable passphrase, and confirm on the BitBox. Disconnect and reconnect the device, unlock it, then enter and verify your original passphrase on the BitBox. Follow the optional-passphrase guide if you need the full procedure.

Use your existing passphrase exactly, including capitalization, spaces, and symbols. A different entry opens a different wallet without a wrong-passphrase error. If you did not use a passphrase, do not create one during recovery; if a passphrase prompt appears, leave it empty to open the standard wallet.

1. Allow the BitBoxApp to finish synchronizing the relevant accounts. A balance shown while synchronization is still running may be incomplete.
2. Check that the accounts and transaction history you expect are present. If you previously used additional accounts, you may need to add them again in the BitBoxApp.
3. If you recorded the wallet's Root fingerprint before recovery, compare it with Settings → Manage device → Device information → Root fingerprint. Use this short identifier as an additional check alongside the expected history, rather than as proof by itself.

Recovery is complete when the intended wallet is open and its expected account history is available after synchronization. Keep your recovery-word backup secure and offline; you still need it if this device is lost or damaged. Keep any optional passphrase separately backed up.

If restoration fails or funds are missing

A word cannot be entered or the recovery words are rejected

Compare the word count, spelling, and numbered positions against your original backup privately. A typo or reordered word can make a phrase invalid; a different phrase that still passes the checksum can instead open a different wallet. If the problem occurs at the final word, recheck the preceding words as well. Do not use an online seed checker, guess a replacement final word, or send your backup to Support.

The wallet opens, but the expected balance or history is missing

An empty account alone does not establish the cause. Check these points before repeating restoration:

1. Synchronization: wait for it to finish. If the app reports a connection or synchronization error, note that error for Support.
2. Optional passphrase: confirm whether the original wallet used one and that you opened it with that exact passphrase on the BitBox.
3. Accounts: check whether the original wallet used additional accounts, another asset, or external wallet software.
4. Recovery compatibility: if the wallet was created elsewhere, check its original wallet software and account configuration. BIP-39 support alone does not guarantee that another wallet uses the same account paths or shows the same assets.

Older Bitcoin wallets may have used legacy addresses beginning with 1, or another account configuration that is not displayed by the current setup. If this applies, contact Support before importing your words into other software or moving funds. Do not reset a device that still gives you access to the original wallet.

You need help completing recovery

Contact BitBox Support with your BitBox model, computer operating system, BitBoxApp and firmware versions, the step where you are stuck, and the exact error text. If recovering a wallet created elsewhere, include the name of that wallet software. Never include recovery words, a passphrase, a password, backup files, or screenshots containing them.

If you have only a microSD backup and no working BitBox, start with the normal microSD restoration options. Extracting words from the card is a separate emergency procedure with additional exposure risks; consult the emergency backup-recovery guide only when normal hardware restoration is unavailable.