Backups and recovery
Protect key access and wallet data separately, recover a phone/password, export encrypted files and prepare device migrations.
Protect both access to your keys and the wallet data those keys use. This guide covers Client 0.8.11 and Explorer 1.2.1, verified October 26, 2026.
Keep these separate
| Material | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Wallet password and account recovery material | Unlock or recover access using the wallet's account flow |
| Recovery key/file saved during onboarding | Used by supported account-recovery flows; keep it secret and independent of the device |
| Connected wallet-storage backups | Copies of wallet records; check that synchronization actually completed |
| Exported wallet-data file | Transaction history, outputs, certificates and recovery records; it does not contain your signing keys |
| Encrypted archive passphrase | Decrypts that exported file; it is separate from the account's recovery key |
Knowing an identity key is not enough to recover its private keys. A recovery key alone is not a promise that every wallet record, profile, pending local payment or application file can be recreated. Applications may have their own encrypted data and backups too.
Back up before changing devices
In Client, open Settings → Manage backups. Check the main location, connected backups and sync status. A copy stored inside the app on the same device is not protection against losing that device. Keep a separate backup and your recovery material before clearing data, reinstalling or switching the main storage location.
Use Sync now and check its result before relying on a connected copy. If a sync is interrupted, follow its resume/stop controls; completed pages are preserved. A provider response-size limit or proof-verification error needs its own resolution, not repeated destination switching.
In Explorer, open Settings → Wallet data files. For a new encrypted export, choose and confirm a passphrase of at least 12 characters. Wait for completion, then use the file's available sharing/export control to save an independent copy. A file listed only inside the app will not survive loss of the device. Store its passphrase separately.
Recover an account
Client's Account Recovery offers Lost Phone and Lost Password paths. Choose the one matching what you still have and follow the wallet's prompts. Client 0.8.11 accepts a pasted recovery key or the Metanet Recovery Key.txt file saved at account creation. Recovery without the previous phone can lead to verification of a replacement number; Update later is available in the supported flow.
Explorer's account-recovery flow guides phone verification, the account recovery key, saving the recovered wallet on the device and choosing a new password. Complete any Save Wallet to Continue or Finish Wallet Recovery step before leaving it. Do not assume a desktop-specific key-file picker exists on mobile; Explorer provides a recovery-key input.
Which factors are needed depends on the recovery path and account configuration. Follow the actual prompts; support cannot reconstruct a missing private key from an identity key. If you still have a working signed-in device, preserve it while investigating.
Import wallet data
Explorer's Wallet data files screen can inspect and import compatible wallet-data files. Use the file's existing passphrase. Preview the identity, network and record counts before choosing a merge or separate recovery copy. Files from another identity or network must not be treated as the active wallet's data.
The portability formats include BRC-38 wallet data and BRC-39 encrypted archives. An unencrypted BRC-38 file needs no archive passphrase but still contains private wallet history. A successful data import is distinct from recovering key access and from activating a restored copy. Check the resulting profile, balance and history before retiring the old installation.
Older clients and migrations
Keep original recovery files and a working installation until the destination is verified. Do not feed an old seed, private-key dump or unrecognized archive into an unrelated website because both products use the word Metanet. Compatibility depends on the account scheme, network, key material and file format, not the product name alone.
For uncertain migrations, contact Babbage support with source/destination product versions and the type of backup you have, without sending its contents.
Recover Mountaintops addresses on another device
The Mountaintops release validated October 26, 2026 stores encrypted PushDrop address/search/retirement records through your BRC-100 wallet, alongside wallet-retained coin evidence. Restore the same wallet account/profile and its supported data/storage service, reopen Mountaintops and choose Show My BSV Address. The old browser, old device, Mountaintops exports and manually saved key IDs are not required. This does not replace the wallet's own recovery material or data backups. The original key-ID-1 address remains reconstructible; saved mined addresses and retirement history come from wallet records. Do not delete or relinquish those recovery outputs.
For an expired address, use Check retained funds → Import Money for verified pre-expiration coins. Never reuse it for new receiving. Historical checks still depend on WhatsOnChain providing required evidence and spend status; an unavailable or incomplete response does not mean the coins are gone. Saving new metadata costs a 1-satoshi output per record plus network fees and wallet approval. First import does not require a prepaid action-status record. Review unfinished wallet actions before another send, including after restoration. See the complete funding, expiration and fees guide.