If you're having trouble importing a wallet into Phantom or restoring an existing wallet, this article explains the most common issues and how to fix them.
This guide is for users who:
- See an error when entering a recovery phrase or private key
- Notice missing accounts after restoring
- See accounts they don’t recognize
- Reinstalled Phantom and can’t find their wallet
For step-by-step setup instructions, see Import an existing wallet into Phantom or Restore your Phantom wallet.
Warning: Don't share your Secret Recovery Phrase or private key with anyone. If someone has access to either, they will have full control of your wallet. Phantom Support will never ask for your recovery phrase or private key.
My recovery phrase isn’t working
You may see one of the following messages when trying to import your Secret Recovery Phrase:
- "Invalid secret recovery phrase"
- "Phrase needs to be at least 12 words"
- "Word 1 is incorrect or misspelled"
- "Incorrect format"
These messages usually mean one or more words are incorrect. A recovery phrase must:
- Contain exactly 12 or 24 words
- Be entered in the correct order
- Use correct spelling
- Have no extra spaces
You can verify spelling using the BIP-39 English word list.
If the words are correct but it still fails
If you’ve verified spelling, order, and spacing but the import still fails, check where the wallet was originally created.
Some wallet apps (such as MetaMask, Trust Wallet, or Solflare) may generate accounts using different derivation paths. In that case:
- Try importing the private key instead, if available.
- Re-export the recovery phrase from the original wallet app if you still have access.
If Phantom cannot derive the same accounts, you may need to continue using the original wallet app for those accounts.
My private key isn’t working
Some wallets use private key formats or encoding methods that Phantom does not support.
If you have the recovery phrase for that wallet, import the recovery phrase instead. A recovery phrase restores the entire wallet, while a private key restores only a single account.
Accounts are missing after restoring
If accounts appear to be missing after restoring, they are often still recoverable. In many cases, the wallet imported successfully, but not every account was automatically added.
Recovery phrase wallet
When you import a recovery phrase, Phantom restores accounts with on-chain activity (such as sends, receives, or swaps) from oldest to newest. Accounts with no balance or no transactions may not appear automatically.
To manually add additional accounts:
- Select your profile avatar in the upper left.
- Select Add Account.
- Select Create New Account.
- Select Create.
Repeat these steps until your expected accounts appear.
If accounts still don’t appear, back up your Secret Recovery Phrase before resetting.
Important: Always back up your Secret Recovery Phrase before resetting Phantom. Losing it means losing access to your wallet.
Then reset Phantom:
- Go to Settings → Security & Privacy.
- Select Reset App.
- Import your recovery phrase again to trigger a full rescan.
See Reset Phantom for detailed steps.
If accounts still do not appear after a reset:
- This may not be the recovery phrase for the wallet you expected.
- The wallet may use a derivation path Phantom does not support.
Google or Apple wallet
When restoring a wallet created with Google or Apple on a new device, Phantom retrieves your original account first.
If you had multiple accounts, only one may appear initially. The others are not lost.
To add additional accounts:
- Select your profile avatar in the upper left.
- Select Add Account.
- Select Create New Account.
- Select Create.
Repeat until all expected accounts appear. You can remove any extra accounts you don’t need.
Private key
A private key restores only one account.
Accounts imported using a private key will not automatically reappear when importing a recovery phrase. You must import each private key individually:
- Select your profile avatar in the upper left.
- Select Add Account.
- Select Import Private Key.
- Follow the prompts.
Repeat for each account.
Ledger wallet
Ledger accounts are not restored automatically after reinstalling Phantom.
To reconnect your Ledger:
- Select your profile avatar in the upper left.
- Select Add Account.
- Select Connect Hardware Wallet.
- Follow the prompts.
I’m seeing accounts I don’t recognize
If you import a recovery phrase and see unfamiliar accounts, one of the following is likely:
- The recovery phrase is different. Recovery phrases are cryptographically exact. Even a single incorrect word generates a completely different wallet.
- The wallet generated accounts differently. Some wallet apps create accounts in ways Phantom cannot replicate.
To confirm which scenario applies:
- Import the same recovery phrase into the wallet app originally used (for example, MetaMask, Solflare, or Backpack).
- Check whether your expected accounts appear there.
If the accounts appear in the original wallet but not in Phantom, you may need to continue using that wallet app for those accounts.
If the accounts do not appear in the original wallet either, the recovery phrase is not the one you expected.
I redownloaded the app and my wallet isn’t there
Phantom does not store your wallet on its servers. Your wallet exists on the blockchain and is accessed using your recovery method.
After reinstalling Phantom, restore access by:
- Importing your 12- or 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase, or
- Logging in with the same Google or Apple account originally used.
See Restore your Phantom wallet for detailed instructions.
If you have additional questions, visit: https://help.phantom.com/