How to reveal your Secret Recovery Phrase

When dealing with cryptocurrencies or crypto-assets such as Ether and ERC-20 tokens, it is crucial to always be aware of and have your private keys, mnemonic phrases, and passwords backed up in case the unexpected occurs. For more on seed phrases and your MetaMask Secret Recovery Phrase, see here.

DO NOT share this phrase with anyone! These words can be used to steal all your accounts. You can't edit or change your Secret Recovery Phrase.

Backing Up When You Install MetaMask

When you create a new MetaMask account, you are prompted to accept two screens concerning privacy and terms of usage followed by a page where you enter a password. This password is what allows you to unlock your local MetaMask account once installed. However, if your computer crashes or if you are somehow unable to access your MetaMask, this password will not help you gain access to your funds from another machine or after a crash.

The following page, where you are given your 12-word Secret Recovery Phrase, is the most important bit of information for you to record and keep safe in managing your MetaMask account.

You can write your Secret Recovery Phrase down on a piece of paper (or, you know, titanium) or a flash drive; optionally, we allow you to download a file containing the phrase.