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Create a Wallet

Creating a wallet in ZecVault takes about 5 minutes. The app generates a unique 24-word seed phrase on your device — this phrase is the master key to all your funds.

Before you begin

Have a pen and paper ready, or prepare an offline location where you can securely store 24 words. Do not take a screenshot or type your seed phrase into any text field or messaging app.

Onboarding walkthrough

Step 1 — Name your wallet

Enter a name for this wallet (e.g., "Main Wallet" or "Savings"). The name is local only and never shared.

Set a strong password. This password:

  • Encrypts your seed phrase on disk using AES-256-GCM + Argon2id
  • Is used to unlock the app
  • Is never stored anywhere — if you forget it, your seed phrase is the only recovery path

Choosing a strong password

Use a passphrase of 4–6 random words (e.g., "correct horse battery staple") rather than a short complex password. It's easier to remember and harder to brute-force.

Step 2 — Generate your seed phrase

The app generates a 24-word BIP39 seed phrase using 256 bits of cryptographic entropy. The words are displayed on screen — write them down now, in order.

This is your only backup

The app will ask you to verify four of the 24 words before continuing. If you can't pass the verification, go back and re-read your words carefully.

Step 3 — Verify your backup

The app shows four blank fields, each labeled with a word number (e.g., "Word 7", "Word 13"). Type the correct word from your written backup into each field.

This step exists to confirm you've written the words down correctly — not to store or transmit them anywhere.

Step 4 — Download backup (optional)

You can download a plaintext .txt file containing your seed phrase. This is a convenience copy — it is not encrypted.

Keep the backup file offline

  • Do not upload to cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud)
  • Do not email it to yourself
  • Store it on an encrypted USB drive or print it out and keep it in a secure physical location

After setup

Once onboarding is complete, your wallet will:

  1. Derive your Unified Address (Orchard + Sapling receivers)
  2. Begin syncing with the Zcash network via lightwalletd
  3. Show your balance dashboard

The first sync may take a few minutes if your wallet has a long history. For a brand-new wallet, sync is nearly instant.

Multiple wallets

ZecVault supports multiple wallets (separate seed phrases) from one app. To add a second wallet, go to Wallets → Add wallet. You can switch between wallets from the same menu.

Each wallet has its own seed phrase — keep a separate backup for each.

What's next?