Wallet
Daedalus Wallet Recovery Service
Daedalus wallet recovery for a forgotten spending password, an invalid or incomplete Byron or Shelley recovery phrase and wallets left on old computers. Free assessment; no recovery, no fee.
Request an assessment+31 85 109 1211
- Since 2019Recovery specialist
- KvK 75927276Registered in the Netherlands
- AmsterdamPhysical office
- Non-custodialYou move the coins
Quick answers
Which phrase format does my Daedalus wallet use?
Byron-era wallets used 12 words; Shelley-era wallets use 24. The wrong format opens a valid but empty wallet.
Is the spending password needed to restore?
No. With the phrase, the wallet restores and a new spending password is set; the old one stops mattering.
Can Daedalus files help if the phrase is lost?
Yes, if the data directory survives on an old computer or drive: the encrypted local files are then the recovery material.
Our Daedalus recovery services
Forgotten Daedalus spending password
Daedalus encrypts the wallet's keys on your computer with the spending password and asks for it whenever you send or delegate ADA. With the recovery phrase you never need the old password: verify the phrase in the wallet's settings, delete the wallet, restore it and choose a new password on the spot. Without the phrase, intact local Daedalus files are what remains, and a password search on a copy of those encrypted files may restore access. Forgot your Daedalus spending password?
Invalid or incomplete recovery phrase
A partial phrase, unreadable words or an uncertain order make Daedalus answer "Invalid recovery phrase", or restore a different, empty wallet. When the remaining words are known, we reconstruct phrases with up to four missing words and test uncertain word orders. Feasibility and search time depend on the phrase length, which positions are open and whether a known address can confirm the result. Incomplete recovery phrase
Zero ADA after restoring a Daedalus wallet
Your ADA is recorded on the Cardano blockchain, not in Daedalus. A wallet that has not finished syncing cannot show its full balance yet, and restoring with the wrong phrase format, or pointing the wallet at the wrong network, hides the balance without any error. A phrase that Daedalus accepts can also belong to a different wallet. We check a known receiving address on the blockchain and identify the wallet that created the backup before anyone concludes the ADA is gone. Daedalus zero balance and stuck sync
Old Byron-era wallet or paper certificate
Byron legacy wallets still restore in Daedalus under their own options: 12 words for a regular wallet, 27 words for a paper wallet certificate. Versions up to 0.15.1 also kept the keys in a secret.key file, which Daedalus can import even when the phrase is lost. We establish which of these you hold, and which restoration option matches it, before anything is restored. Legacy wallet recovery
Daedalus on an old or dead computer
Treat it as a data-recovery job first and a wallet-recovery job second. Stop using the drive: we image it and look for the Daedalus data directory on the copy, never on the original. A wallet whose files were deleted and then overwritten, with no phrase anywhere, cannot be recovered. Wallet on a broken computer or drive
Before you contact us
Mistakes to avoid
- Don't reinstall Daedalus or reset the computer before you have confirmed whether the data directory still holds the wallet.
- Don't delete the wallet in Daedalus until "Verify wallet recovery phrase" has confirmed your backup. After deletion, the phrase is the only way back in.
- Don't delete blockchain or wallet data as a generic fix for a slow or stuck sync. A slow stage alone does not mean the data is corrupt.
- Don't keep working on a drive that holds the only copy of the wallet. Image it first and work on the copy.
- Never enter a Cardano recovery phrase into a website. Restoring happens inside wallet software on your own device, and Daedalus should come only from daedaluswallet.io.
- Never share your recovery phrase or spending password with anyone, including us, to get an assessment. Daedalus support never needs them either.
Information that helps the assessment
- How many words your phrase has (12, 15, 24 or 27) and roughly when the wallet was created. Describe what you have; don't send the words.
- Which wallet created the backup, if you know: Daedalus, Yoroi or a Daedalus paper wallet certificate.
- Whether Daedalus still opens, and on which computer or drive its data directory may survive.
- Anything you remember about the spending password, such as its length, structure or the habits you had at the time.
- A receiving address or an exchange withdrawal record that shows where the ADA was sent.
- What happened, and what you have already tried.
Boundaries
What we do not do
Theft, scams or a wrong address
A confirmed blockchain transaction cannot be reversed, cancelled or redirected, by us or by anyone.
A completely lost recovery phrase
With no phrase, wallet file, device, backup or partial information left, there is nothing to reconstruct from.
Guaranteed outcomes
No honest service can guarantee success. Whether recovery is possible depends on what you still have, and the assessment tells you before you commit.
We tell you honestly what is realistic before you commit — including when the answer is no.
How it works
A clear process from first contact to handover.
Tell us what happened
Share the wallet or software name, approximate year, device, problem and what material still exists. Do not send a seed phrase, private key, password, wallet file or ID document.
Initial feasibility view
Once we have enough information, we usually explain the likely recovery route, the main uncertainties and an initial indication of duration.
Verify and agree
We verify identity and ownership or legal authority. Scope, working method, fee and sensitive-material handling are agreed in writing before sensitive work begins.
Transfer or hand over material
PGP, our secure encrypted upload environment, in-person handover or agreed shipment may be used. We request only what is needed and work with copies where possible.
Technical recovery
We test the agreed recovery route in a controlled environment. You receive meaningful updates when findings affect the outlook, scope or next decision.
Client-controlled handover
Access is handed back through the agreed route. You open the wallet and move the assets to a wallet you control; case material is then handled according to the agreement and privacy policy.
Trust
A real company with a verifiable process.
Registered & named
Registered in the Netherlands (KvK 75927276) with a named team and a physical office in Amsterdam.
A written agreement first
Scope, fee and security measures are agreed in writing before any work. If you prefer, we can sign an NDA before you share substantive case details.
Always non-custodial
We restore access; you move the coins yourself. We never hold, manage or transfer your assets.
Ownership is verified
Identity, ownership and legal authority are verified with risk-based KYC/AML checks.
Good to know about Daedalus recovery
- Phrase formats. Daedalus restores a Byron legacy wallet from 12 words, a Shelley wallet from 24 words and a Byron paper wallet certificate from 27 words. Identify the wallet that created the backup and select the matching option.
- Paper wallet certificates. The 27 words are split: the first 18 are printed on the certificate and the last 9 were written on it by hand. A restore needs both parts, and this phrase is different from the phrase of a regular Daedalus wallet.
- secret.key files. Daedalus 0.15.1 and earlier kept wallet keys in a secret.key file inside a "Secrets" or "Secrets-1.0" folder of the data directory. Daedalus can import wallets from such a file without the recovery phrase, but not from the data directories of version 1.0 onward.
- A full-node wallet. Daedalus downloads and checks the whole Cardano blockchain, which is why it is slow to sync. The sync only affects what Daedalus can show; the ADA itself stays on the blockchain.
Daedalus wallet recovery FAQ
My Cardano phrase has 15 words. Is it a Daedalus phrase?
Usually not. A 15-word phrase normally comes from Yoroi, for a Byron legacy or a Shelley wallet, and Daedalus restores it under its Yoroi option. Daedalus's own 15-word option exists only for Incentivized Testnet rewards wallets.
Can Daedalus support reset my spending password?
No. The spending password is not a login: it encrypts the keys on your computer, and no server holds it. Daedalus support never needs your recovery phrase, private keys or spending password, so anyone who asks for them is not support.
How much does crypto wallet recovery cost?
It depends on the wallet's value and how complex the case is: our success fee runs from 20% of the recovered amount down to 2%. The exact rate is agreed in writing before any work starts — no hidden costs and no hourly rates.
Do you take custody of the assets at any point?
No. We restore access; you open the wallet and move the funds yourself. We cannot initiate a transaction on your behalf.
Do I need to send my seed phrase or password?
No — first contact needs no sensitive material, and we never ask for it through forms or chat. Under a written agreement we can work with copies of wallet files in a controlled environment, so your keys stay under your control.
What if my wallet was stolen or I was scammed?
We do not take stolen-crypto or scam cases, and blockchain transactions cannot be reversed. That is a police and legal matter.
