Your recovery phrase
is your account
This is the most important thing you will read about DChat. Your 12-word recovery phrase is the only way to recover your account. Nobody else has a copy.
What is a recovery phrase
A recovery phrase is a sequence of 12 ordinary English words that encodes your private key in a human-readable format. The words come from a standardized list (BIP-39) and can mathematically reconstruct your account on any device.
ridge anchor hollow spark drift stone
Your real phrase is shown only once, inside the DChat app under Settings. The word order matters.
How to back up your phrase
You have a few options. Use more than one.
Write it on paper
The most reliable backup is physical. Write each word in order, clearly, and number them 1 through 12. Store the paper somewhere it will survive fire and water: a fireproof safe, a safety deposit box, or at minimum a sealed bag stored away from your device.
Make a second physical copy
One copy can be destroyed. Keep a second copy in a different physical location. If both copies are in the same house and that house burns, you have nothing.
Consider a metal backup
Paper degrades. Stamping or engraving your phrase onto a metal plate makes it fireproof and waterproof. This is optional but worth considering for long-term storage.
Verify your backup immediately
After writing the phrase down, cover it and try to recite it from your written copy. Confirm every word is spelled correctly and in the right order. A single wrong word means the phrase will not work.
What to do and what not to do
- Write it on paper by hand
- Store it offline and physically secure
- Keep multiple copies in different locations
- Verify the spelling of each word
- Treat it like a house key or passport
- Tell a trusted person where your backup is
- Take a screenshot of it
- Type it into any notes app or cloud service
- Email it to yourself
- Share it with anyone, ever
- Store it on your phone or computer
- Give it to "DChat support" (we will never ask)
How to find your recovery phrase in DChat
Open Settings
Tap your avatar or profile icon in the top corner of the main screen to open your profile, then navigate to Settings.
Select Wallet or Security
The recovery phrase is stored in your wallet settings. Look for a section labelled Security, Wallet, or Backup.
Authenticate and reveal
You will be asked to verify your identity with your PIN or biometrics before the phrase is shown. This protects against someone grabbing your unlocked phone.
Write it down before closing the screen
Do not leave this step for later. Once you close it, come back to this same path if you need to see the phrase again.
Restoring your account on a new device
If your device is lost, stolen, or replaced, your account restores completely from the recovery phrase alone.
Install DChat on the new device
Download DChat on your new device. Do not create a new account.
Choose "Restore existing account"
On the welcome screen, select the option to restore or import an existing account rather than creating a new one.
Enter your 12 words in order
Type or paste each word exactly as written. Spelling and order both matter. The app auto-suggests words to help avoid typos.
Your account restores from the chain
Your contacts and identity are re-fetched from the blockchain. Depending on your history length this may take a minute. Your address, balance, and contacts will be exactly as before.