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Hardware · Firmware

I updated the firmware and lost access: what to do

Updating a hardware wallet’s firmware can wipe it, and that is normal and documented: it is a safety measure so a tampered update can’t keep your key. If you have the phrase, this is a fifteen-minute inconvenience.

October 11, 2026 · 4-minute read

Why it wipes

The device can’t be fully certain the new firmware is legitimate, so on certain updates it plays safe: it wipes the key before installing. If the firmware were malicious, it would find an empty device. That is why every manufacturer insists so much on having the phrase written down before updating.

The three scenarios

SituationWhat to do
It wiped and you have the phraseRestore with the words. Case closed
It wiped and you don’t have the phraseNo way out: the wipe is final
The update stalled halfwayDon’t unplug or reset it; follow the official procedure
The device won’t bootTry another cable and another computer before assuming the worst
It boots but shows no accountsReinstall the official app or try another machine
Rows four and five solve more cases than you would expect. A charge-only cable, a failing port or a badly installed app produce exactly the same symptoms as a broken device. Rule those out first.

If the device ended up unusable

It doesn’t matter, as long as you have the phrase: the wallet isn’t in the device, it is in the phrase. Buy another device, same brand or a compatible one, restore, and carry on. It is explained in my device is discontinued.

If you look for help with this on forums or social media, people will message you pretending to be manufacturer support and ask for your phrase «to verify the wallet during restoration». It is the most frequent scam associated with updates. The phrase is only ever typed on the device, never on a computer, a chat or a website.

Before the next update

  1. Check your phrase is written down and that you can read all of it.
  2. Always update from the manufacturer’s official app, installed by you.
  3. Don’t update in a hurry or through a link that arrived by email or chat.
  4. Have the place where you keep the phrase to hand before you start, not after.

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