Backing up your Stackwallet vault is the single most important thing you do as a self-custody user. Done right, you can always recover your funds; skipped, a lost device means lost crypto.
In Stackwallet, the vault is the local storage on your own device that holds your keys and wallet data — not a server, not a cloud account. That local design is exactly what makes the wallet non-custodial: no company holds your funds. But it also means the device is the only place your wallet lives unless you back it up. And the way you back up a self-custody wallet is not by copying a file to the cloud — it is by securing your recovery seed phrase, which can recreate the entire vault on any device.
When you create a wallet, Stackwallet shows your seed phrase. If you have not recorded it, open the app's backup option to view it again in a private setting.
Record the words on paper, or stamp them into metal for durability. Double-check spelling and order.
Keep it somewhere safe and private, such as a locked drawer or safe. Consider a second copy in a separate secure location for redundancy.
Use the app's backup and restore feature for convenience data like address-book notes and labels. This is separate from the seed, which remains the essential backup.
Before trusting larger amounts, make sure you understand the restore process so you are confident your backup actually works.
The vault is the local storage on your device where Stackwallet keeps your keys and wallet data. It stays on your device rather than on a server, which is what makes the wallet non-custodial. Backing it up really means backing up your recovery seed phrase.
Write down your recovery seed phrase and store it offline in a safe place. The seed phrase is what restores your wallets on any device. You can also use the app's backup and restore feature for labels and notes, but the seed is the essential backup.
Offline and private: on paper or stamped into metal, kept somewhere safe such as a secure drawer or safe. Never store it in a photo, cloud note, email or any website. Anyone who gets your seed can take your funds.
Back up your seed offline and download only from official sources.