This guide walks you through creating a permanent backup of your wallet recovery words using the Steelwallet.
By carefully marking and punching the plate, you create an offline backup designed to remain readable even if paper backups are lost or destroyed.

Take your time and follow each step closely — once punched, the markings cannot be undone.

Before you start

Make sure you have your full list of recovery words available from the wallet setup process.

Your Steelwallet is designed for either:

• 12 recovery words (one plate)
• 24 recovery words (two plates)

Important preparation rules

Before you begin, take a moment to prepare your workspace.

• Work on a stable, hard surface
• Ensure good lighting
• Avoid interruptions
• Never type or photograph your recovery words

<div class="helpjuice-callout warning"> <div class="helpjuice-callout-body"> <strong>Security reminder</strong>

Step 1 — Mark the first six words

Each word is stored by marking two positions on the plate.

For each recovery word:

1. Take the first word from your list.
2. Look at its first four letters (you never need more than four).
3. On the Steelwallet plate, find the row for the first letter and the column for the second letter.
4. Mark their intersection with the marker.
5. Repeat the process for the third and fourth letters of the same word.

This encodes all four letters of the word using just two marked positions.

Repeat this process for the first six words on the plate.

Step 2 — Carefully verify your markings

Check every marked position against your written recovery words.

• Compare each word one by one
• Confirm that the right letters are encoded on the correct spots
• Take your time — this is the most important step

Step 3 — Punch the markings

Now you turn the temporary markings into a permanent backup.

1. Place the tip of the center punch into a marked hole.
2. Press down firmly until it clicks.
3. Repeat for all marked holes.

After finishing the first side:

• Turn the plate over.
• Repeat marking and verification for words 7–12.
• Punch them once you’re confident they are correct.

If you have 24 words, repeat the entire process on the second plate.

Step 4 — Final check

Visually inspect the completed plate.

Confirm that:

• All required holes are punched
• No unintended holes exist
• The plate fully matches your recovery word list

Next step: store your backup securely

[link pending: How to store and recover from your Steelwallet]

FAQ

Why do I only engrave four letters per word?

Bitcoin wallets use the BIP39 word list, which contains 2048 unique words.
This list is designed so that:

• No two words share the same first four letters
• The first four letters are enough to identify the full word unambiguously

Because of this, engraving only the first four letters of each recovery word:

• Still represents the entire word correctly
• Follows the industry standard
• Saves space and reduces the chance of mistakes

When you later restore your wallet, the software uses those four letters to recover the full word from the BIP39 list.

What happens if I punch the wrong position?

You should create a new backup plate.

A wrong or extra mark can make it impossible to correctly restore your wallet, or it may restore a completely different wallet. When in doubt, always redo the backup rather than trusting a plate you’re unsure about.

Can I erase a punched mark?

No. The imprint is permanent by design.

That’s what makes the Steelwallet so durable against fire and physical damage — but it also means mistakes cannot be undone. Always verify markings carefully before punching..

Can I engrave all 24 words on one plate?

No. Each plate is designed for a fixed number of words to keep the layout:

• Readable
• Easy to verify
• Reliable during recovery

For 24-word backups, you should always use two plates as intended.

Should I keep a digital copy as a backup?

No. Creating a digital copy (photo, screenshot, password manager note, cloud file, etc.):

• Exposes your recovery words to malware
• Increases the risk of leaks or theft
• Defeats the purpose of an offline backup

Your recovery phrase should always remain offline and under your physical control.