Knowledge base
Wallet Compatibility: Which Seed or Backup Restores What
Not every recovery phrase or backup file works in every wallet. This matrix shows what restores what - and where compatibility stops.
Short answer
Compatibility follows the standard, not the brand: the same seed or backup restores a whole family of wallets, but only when the standard, derivation path and address type match. A phrase that works in one wallet can show an empty balance in another with different defaults.
Compatibility is about the standard, not the brand. The same type of material restores a whole family of wallets, but only if the standard, derivation path and address type all match.
Seeds
- BIP39 phrase: restores Ledger, Trezor, MetaMask, and most BIP39-compatible software and hardware wallets; the phrase itself is interchangeable, the derivation path must still match
- Electrum seed: restores Electrum (compatible versions); it is not a BIP39 phrase and will not restore BIP39 wallets
- SLIP39 shares: restore Trezor Shamir backups and other SLIP39-compatible devices; the shares reconstruct the underlying seed
- Monero 25-word seed: restores Monero wallets (official CLI, Feather, Cake, and other compatible software); nothing else
- 12/24 words that fail the BIP39 checksum: may still be valid under another standard; identify the standard before calling the seed invalid
Wallet files and backups
- wallet.dat: Bitcoin Core and forks such as Litecoin Core and Dogecoin Core. Compatibility depends on the product, version and file format. Bitcoin Core 30+ cannot load legacy Berkeley DB wallets directly; preserve the original and follow the official migration procedure using a release that includes the migration fixes.
- Ethereum keystore / UTC JSON: any Ethereum wallet that supports keystore import (MEW, MyCrypto, Geth, MetaMask import); the password decrypts the keystore
- Electrum default_wallet: Electrum only
- MultiBit .wallet: MultiBit Classic era, not importable into modern wallets; export/sweep routes exist instead
- Blockchain.com wallet.aes.json: Blockchain.com legacy wallet, not importable elsewhere
- App vaults (MetaMask vault, Jaxx, Coinomi, Exodus): app-specific; the vault format is tied to the software that created it
- Solana keypair JSON and Polkadot JSON backups: software-specific export formats
- Paper wallet (WIF or QR): importable into almost any wallet via sweep/import; sweep once and move the full balance
The three things that must match
- Standard (BIP39 vs Electrum vs SLIP39 vs Monero)
- Derivation path and account/address index
- Address type and network
Two wallets can both accept the same seed and still show different addresses if the path or address type differs.
Still locked out?
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