How do I migrate my key to a different hardware wallet model?

You can load your existing seed phrase into a new hardware wallet.

Warning: The following steps impact the keys securing your bitcoin, and missteps can result in permanent loss of funds. If you'd like to speak one-on-one with a bitcoin expert to walk through this process, purchase a Premium Support session.

Even if your current hardware wallet remains in working condition, there could be a few reasons you want to replace it with a different hardware wallet model:

You find your current hardware wallet challenging to operate and would prefer to try an alternative.
Your current hardware wallet is now considered an old model, and you'd like to upgrade to a newer model.

Fortunately, bitcoin hardware wallets use the same seed phrase standard, meaning importing your existing key into another device is easy.

Tip: If you need to replace your current hardware wallet because it's broken or malfunctioning, we have a separate guide with slightly different steps.

1. Retrieve the seed phrase for the respective hardware wallet.

First, retrieve the corresponding seed phrase backup for the hardware wallet. If you followed operational security best practices for your vault, it should be in a secure, secondary physical location.

2. Obtain a new Trezor, Ledger, or Coldcard.

Acquire the new hardware wallet model you want to use. It's generally best to purchase hardware directly from the manufacturer. See the full list of hardware wallets that Unchained supports.

3. Initialize the new hardware wallet using your existing seed phrase.

Next, initialize the new hardware wallet by restoring the seed phrase backup you retrieved in the first step.

Follow the instructions from the corresponding manufacturer:

4. Ensure you can sign with your recovered key.

Perform a device check with your hardware wallet. If your device check does not proceed successfully, we strongly encourage you to schedule a Premium Support call with us.

Note for Coldcard users: If you originally uploaded your key using a Ledger or Trezor, device checks will not work after you migrate to a Coldcard. Instead, create a dummy/test transaction to yourself or a UTXO consolidation to sign.

5. Decide what to do with the old hardware wallet.

Your old hardware wallet will continue to hold your key in addition to the new hardware wallet; you'll have two copies of the same key. However, you can wipe the old hardware wallet so that it no longer holds your key, which can reduce the amount of items you need to secure.

If your old hardware wallet remains functional, you can keep it in your possession if you ever need a spare. Or you can physically destroy the old hardware wallet and dispose of it according to your local electronics disposal recommendations.

6. Securely store your new hardware wallet.

Following operational security best practices, you should securely store the new hardware wallet.