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Exodus Wallet: How to Set Up, Back Up & Restore
Technical review: · checked against vendor documentation
In short
The standard Exodus backup is its 12-word recovery phrase, which restores the derived wallet and lets you set a new app password. Losing that phrase is not automatically the end of recovery: an accessible installation, retained wallet data or an older email backup may provide another route.
- Preserve the Exodus data folder before reinstalling or replacing a wallet.
- An archived exodus.wallet folder can help with an overwritten desktop wallet if the relevant data remains; its original password is needed if it was protected.
- A legacy email backup requires the original backup link and its password.
- After a restore, let the wallet synchronize, enable the relevant assets and compare known addresses before diagnosing a missing balance.
Your Exodus wallet won’t open, the recovery phrase isn’t accepted, or the balance reads zero after a reinstall. Exodus is a software-based, self-custodial wallet: the coins live on the blockchain, and Exodus stores the keys locally on your device. The app password only unlocks that local copy; the 12-word recovery phrase is what actually restores the wallet, on this device or a new one, so forgetting the password is never the real problem — losing the phrase is.
How to set up Exodus: step by step
- Download the app from the official Exodus website or your app store.
- Install and open the app.
- Click "Create New Wallet".
- Write down the 12-word recovery phrase shown on the screen — the step many people overlook.
- Confirm the phrase by entering the words the app asks for.
- Set a strong password to protect the wallet.
Once set up, you can receive crypto by sharing your wallet address, send crypto by entering the recipient's address and amount, swap coins in the exchange tab, and enable auto-lock in Exodus Desktop for extra security.
Recovery options at a glance
| Scenario | Can you recover Exodus? | How |
|---|---|---|
| 12-word phrase available | Yes | Restore the wallet using the 12 words |
| Password forgotten, phrase available | Yes | Reveal the backup phrase, reinstall Exodus, restore with the 12 words and set a new password |
| Password forgotten and no phrase | Possibly | Retained encrypted wallet data may allow a password search; recovery is not guaranteed |
| Wallet deleted, no backup | Maybe | File recovery tools, if the device still holds the data |
| Mobile wallet lost | Yes (with phrase) | Reinstall Exodus and restore from the phrase |
What you are actually dealing with
- The 12-word recovery phrase (BIP-39) is the standard backup. It lets you restore the wallet and set a new app password. Retained wallet data may provide another recovery route if the phrase is missing.
- The app password encrypts the wallet data on your device. It locks the app, not the keys: restoring from the phrase lets you set a new password.
- Exodus supports a wide range of assets on desktop, mobile and browser. After a restore, assets and networks must be re-enabled before balances appear.
- If Exodus Desktop retained an archive of an overwritten wallet, its
exodus.walletfolder may allow recovery. This requires the original wallet password if that wallet was password-protected.
Try this yourself first
| Backup | What it restores | Password needed? |
|---|---|---|
| 12-word secret key | The full wallet on any device | No - you set a new app password after restore |
Archived exodus.wallet folder | The overwritten desktop wallet, if its archived data remains | The original wallet password, if it was password-protected |
| Pre-2019 email backup | Old Exodus installs (version 19.2.1 and earlier) | Yes - the original setup password |
- Download Exodus only from the official site or your app store.
- Choose "Restore from Backup" and enter the 12-word secret key in the exact order shown at setup: lowercase, correctly spelled, no extra spaces.
- Give the wallet time to sync, then re-add the assets you held (Settings > Assets).
- If the phrase is rejected or the balance is empty, check the boring causes before anything dramatic: a typo, two words in the wrong order, or the wrong phrase entirely.
Recover an overwritten wallet from archived data
This route applies to Exodus Desktop only if the data for the overwritten wallet is still present. It doesn’t replace a recovery-phrase backup. Before making any changes, preserve a separate copy of the entire Exodus data folder and follow the official Exodus rescue instructions.
The archived exodus.wallet folder is inside Backups/Wallet/<timestamp>/ in the Exodus data folder. <timestamp> represents the date-and-time folder for the earlier wallet. The usual data-folder locations are:
- Windows:
C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\Exodus\ - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Exodus/ - Linux:
~/.config/Exodus/
Use the archived folder for the correct wallet and leave the original copies intact. If the earlier wallet was password-protected, reopening it requires that wallet’s original password; Exodus can’t reset it.
Restore from an email backup
This route only exists for older Exodus versions - specifically version 19.2.1, created before February 2019. You need the original email from no-reply@exodus.io with the subject line "Exodus Backup Link [DO NOT REPLY OR ATTACH FILES]", plus the password from your initial setup. Exodus can no longer resend this email; if both the email and the password still exist, the wallet can usually be restored.
When the phrase is rejected
An “invalid recovery phrase” message means the input was not accepted: check spelling, order, completeness and whether that restore flow supports the backup format. Exodus normally creates a 12-word secret key; other wallet formats may require a different supported flow. A valid phrase belonging to another wallet is a different issue: it may be accepted but open different addresses or an empty balance. Compare the restored addresses with your records before concluding that the funds are gone.
Zero balance after restore
A restored wallet showing no balance is usually a display problem, not missing funds. Give the wallet time to sync, then enable the assets you held under Settings > Assets. If an asset still does not appear, verify the address on a block explorer for that network before assuming anything - and check whether the asset was ever on this wallet or on a separate imported key.
What is not recoverable
A completely lost 12-word recovery phrase, with no retained wallet data, no email backup and no other recovery material, is not recoverable — by us or anyone. No account, server or support ticket can recreate it.
When professional recovery is realistic
- The phrase is partially readable: missing, uncertain or reordered words can often be reconstructed through the BIP39 word list and checksum.
- Encrypted wallet data remains but the password is forgotten: a password search may be possible, depending on the data and what you remember. An assessment cannot guarantee recovery.
- Work happens on copies in a controlled, offline environment, under a written agreement (NDA on request), and access is handed back to you. We never hold or move your funds.
FAQ: Exodus wallet recovery
Is Exodus a secure wallet?
Exodus is non-custodial: keys stay on your device, encrypted and protected by the app password. That design protects against server-side failures, but it also means security depends on you - the 12-word phrase must stay offline, and the device must stay clean. For large amounts, a hardware wallet remains the safer default.
What is the difference between the 12-word phrase and the app password?
The phrase is the backup: it restores the wallet anywhere. The password only unlocks the wallet data on a specific device. Forgetting the password is not a problem if the phrase exists; losing the phrase is.
Can Exodus reset my password or recover my phrase?
No. Exodus can’t recover a lost phrase, and it keeps no server-side copy of yours. A retained local data folder is different from a backup held by Exodus.
I restored with my phrase but my balance is zero. What now?
Wait for the sync to finish, then enable the assets you held under Settings > Assets. If the balance is still missing, check the address on a block explorer and verify the phrase restored the correct wallet.
Can I recover Exodus without the 12-word phrase?
Recovery may be possible from retained wallet data, with the original password if it was protected, or from a pre-2019 email backup and its password. Without the phrase or other usable recovery material, there is nothing to restore.