Restoring an Existing Wallet

This guide will help you restore your eckoWALLET using your 12-word recovery phrase. You might need to restore your wallet if you:

  • Got a new device and want to access your wallet

  • Reinstalled your browser or app

  • Forgot your password

  • Want to use your wallet on multiple devices

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

  • ✅ Your 12-word recovery phrase (also called seed phrase or mnemonic)

  • ✅ The recovery phrase written in the correct order

  • ✅ eckoWALLET installed (see Installation & Setup)

  • ✅ A new password ready (can be different from your original password)

Important: You'll need the exact 12 words in the correct order. If you don't have your recovery phrase, you cannot restore your wallet.

Step-by-Step Restoration Process

Step 1: Open eckoWALLET

Browser Extension:

  • Click the eckoWALLET icon in your browser toolbar

Mobile App:

  • Open the eckoWALLET app on your device

Step 2: Select "Restore Existing Wallet"

When you first open eckoWALLET (or if you don't have a wallet), you'll see:

  • Create New Wallet

  • Restore Existing Wallet - Select this option

Click or tap on "Restore Existing Wallet" or "Restore from Secret Recovery Phrase".

Step 3: Enter Your Recovery Phrase

You'll see an input field for your 12-word recovery phrase.

How to Enter Your Recovery Phrase

Method 1: Typing

  1. Type each word with a space between them

  2. Use lowercase letters

  3. Example format: word1 word2 word3 word4 word5 word6 word7 word8 word9 word10 word11 word12

Method 2: Copy-Paste (Easier)

If you have your recovery phrase in a text file:

  1. Open a text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, Notes app)

  2. Type or paste your 12 words with spaces between them

  3. Copy the entire phrase

  4. Paste it into the eckoWALLET input field

Note: The browser extension may not allow manual space entry for security reasons. Using the copy-paste method from a text editor is the recommended approach.

Common Issues When Entering

Word not recognized

  • Check spelling carefully

  • Ensure you're using the correct BIP39 word

  • Some similar-looking words: "through" vs "thought", "from" vs "form"

Wrong number of words

  • Must be exactly 12 words

  • Check for extra spaces at the beginning or end

  • Make sure you haven't skipped a word

Invalid recovery phrase

  • Double-check each word against your written backup

  • Verify word order

  • Ensure all words are from the BIP39 wordlist

Step 4: Set a New Password

After successfully entering your recovery phrase, you'll be prompted to set a new password.

Password Requirements:

  • Minimum 8 characters

  • Include uppercase and lowercase letters

  • Include at least one number

Important Notes:

  • This can be different from your original password

  • It will only apply to this device/browser

  • If you restore on another device, you can use a different password there

  1. Enter your new password

  2. Confirm the password in the second field

  3. Click "Continue" or "Restore"

Step 5: Wait for Wallet Restoration

eckoWALLET will now:

  • Generate your accounts from the recovery phrase

  • Restore your account data

  • Sync with the blockchain

This usually takes a few seconds.

Step 6: Regenerate Your Accounts

Important: eckoWALLET uses deterministic account generation, which means:

  • Your accounts are generated in order from your recovery phrase

  • You need to manually recreate each account until you find all your previous accounts

  • The same accounts will always appear in the same order

How to Restore Multiple Accounts

If you had more than one account:

  1. Go to the Accounts section

  2. Click "Create Account" or the "+" button

  3. A new account will be generated (Account 2)

  4. Repeat this process until you've restored all your accounts

How do you know when you've restored all accounts?

  • Stop when you reach an account with no transaction history

  • Or stop when you recognize you've restored all your funded accounts

  • Each account will have the same account name (k:...) as before

Step 7: Verify Your Accounts

After restoration:

  1. Check account names: Verify your account addresses match what you had before

  2. Check balances: Balances should appear after blockchain sync (may take a moment)

  3. Check chains: Remember that Kadena has 20 chains (0-19), and your funds may be on specific chains

If Balances Don't Appear

Don't panic! Try these steps:

  1. Wait a moment: Blockchain sync can take 30-60 seconds

  2. Check the correct chain: Switch between chains to see where your funds are

  3. Refresh: Close and reopen the wallet

  4. Check network: Ensure you're on the correct network (Mainnet, Testnet, etc.)

Restoration Complete!

Your eckoWALLET has been successfully restored. All your accounts and funds should now be accessible.

Post-Restoration Steps

1. Verify Everything is Correct

  • ✅ All accounts are visible

  • ✅ Balances are correct

  • ✅ You're on the correct network (Mainnet vs Testnet)

2. Secure Your Recovery Phrase Again

If you used a text file for restoration:

  • Delete the file immediately

  • Empty your trash/recycle bin

  • Never leave your recovery phrase in digital form

3. Set Up Security Features

Enhance your wallet security:

4. Re-connect to dApps (if needed)

If you were using your wallet with decentralized applications:

  • You'll need to reconnect to each dApp

  • Previous connections are not restored for security reasons

5. Update Account Aliases (optional)

Your custom account names (aliases) are not restored:

  • Rename your accounts as desired

  • These names are stored locally only

Restoring on Multiple Devices

You can restore your wallet on multiple devices simultaneously:

Browser Extension + Mobile App

It's safe to use:

  • The same wallet on multiple computers

  • The same wallet on multiple mobile devices

  • Browser extension and mobile app at the same time

Each device:

  • Can have its own password

  • Will sync balances from the blockchain

  • Operates independently

Syncing Settings

Note that these settings do NOT sync between devices:

  • Account aliases (custom names)

  • Connected dApps

  • App preferences

  • Custom networks

Troubleshooting Restoration Issues

"Invalid Recovery Phrase" Error

Causes:

  • Misspelled words

  • Wrong word order

  • Words not from the BIP39 wordlist

  • Wrong number of words (must be exactly 12)

Solutions:

  1. Double-check each word carefully

  2. Verify word order matches your backup

  3. Try typing in a text editor first, then copy-paste

  4. Ensure there are no extra spaces before the first word or after the last word

Accounts Not Showing Expected Balances

Check these items:

  1. Correct Network:

    • Go to Settings → Network

    • Verify you're on Mainnet (if that's where your funds are)

    • Testnet and Mainnet are completely separate

  2. Correct Chain:

    • Kadena has 20 chains (0-19)

    • Your funds may be on chain 1, but you're viewing chain 0

    • Switch chains to find your balance

  3. Account Not Yet Created:

    • Keep creating accounts until you find the one with your funds

    • Accounts are generated in order

  4. Blockchain Sync:

    • Wait 1-2 minutes for sync to complete

    • Try refreshing the wallet

Missing Accounts

If you don't see all your accounts:

  1. Create more accounts:

    • Click "Create Account" repeatedly

    • Generate accounts until you find all your funded accounts

  2. Check derivation path:

    • eckoWALLET uses standard derivation paths

    • If you created accounts with custom paths, they may not appear automatically

Password Not Working

If you're trying to use your old password:

  • You must set a NEW password during restoration

  • Your old password cannot be recovered

  • The new password will work on this device going forward

Forgot Recovery Phrase

Unfortunately, if you don't have your recovery phrase:

  • ❌ Your wallet cannot be recovered

  • ❌ eckoWALLET support cannot help (they don't have access)

  • ❌ There is no "password reset" or recovery mechanism

If you still have access to your wallet on another device:

  1. Open eckoWALLET on that device

  2. Go to Settings → Security → Show Recovery Phrase

  3. Enter your password to view it

  4. Write it down immediately

Advanced Restoration Options

Restoring with Ledger Hardware Wallet

If your original accounts were secured with a Ledger device:

  1. Connect your Ledger device

  2. Open the Kadena app on your Ledger

  3. In eckoWALLET, select "Add Ledger Account" instead of regular account creation

  4. Follow the prompts to connect

See Hardware Wallets (Ledger) for detailed instructions.

Restoring SpireKey Accounts

SpireKey accounts use WebAuthn authentication:

  1. Restore your wallet normally with your recovery phrase

  2. SpireKey accounts will need to be re-linked

  3. Visit the SpireKey management interface

  4. Re-authenticate with your WebAuthn credentials

Security After Restoration

Update Your Security

After restoring your wallet:

  1. Change Password: Consider updating to a stronger password if needed

  2. Enable 2FA: If you use two-factor authentication, re-enable it

  3. Review Connected Sites: Disconnect from any dApps you no longer use

  4. Check Permissions: Review what access you've granted to applications

If You Suspect Compromise

If you believe someone else has access to your recovery phrase:

  1. Transfer funds immediately to a new wallet with a new recovery phrase

  2. Create a new wallet from scratch

  3. Never reuse the compromised recovery phrase

See Security Best Practices for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I restore just one account, not all of them?

No. Recovery phrases restore the entire wallet. All accounts are generated from the same seed. However, you can choose how many accounts to create.

Will my transaction history be restored?

Yes! Transaction history is stored on the blockchain, not in your wallet. Once you restore your accounts, you'll see all past transactions.

Will my custom account names (aliases) be restored?

No. Account aliases are stored locally on each device. You'll need to rename your accounts after restoration.

Can I restore my wallet if I only have the private keys?

Not through the standard recovery process. You would need to import each private key individually (this is an advanced operation not covered in the standard UI).

How long does restoration take?

  • Entering recovery phrase: 1-2 minutes

  • Account generation: A few seconds

  • Blockchain sync: 30-60 seconds per account

  • Total time: Usually under 5 minutes

What if I used a different wallet before?

As long as it used the same BIP39/BIP44 standard and the same derivation path, you can restore Kadena accounts from other wallets into eckoWALLET.

Need Help?

If you're having trouble restoring your wallet:

Remember: eckoWALLET support cannot access or recover your wallet for you. Never share your recovery phrase with anyone, including support staff.

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