"Your recovery phrase is your wallet. Anyone who has those 12 or 24 words can take everything — and anyone who loses them, with no backup, may lose everything too."
When you create a wallet in Quantum, your device generates a recovery phrase: 12 or 24 ordinary words in a specific order. That phrase is a human-readable version of your private key, and it is the only way to restore your wallet if your phone is lost, stolen or broken. Because Quantum is non-custodial, we never see or store it — which protects you from hacks and frozen accounts, but also means nobody can reset it for you. The golden rules are simple. Write the words down on paper, in order, the moment you create your wallet. Check each word twice. Store the paper somewhere private and protected from fire and water, and consider a second copy in a different secure location. For large balances, a metal backup plate is a worthwhile upgrade.
Just as important is what you should never do. Never screenshot your phrase or save it in notes, email or chat apps — malware scans for exactly that. Never type it into a website, even one that looks like Quantum; we will never ask for it, and neither will any legitimate support agent. Never share it with anyone offering to "verify" or "upgrade" your wallet. If you think your phrase has been exposed, create a new wallet immediately and move your funds. Quantum also offers optional encrypted cloud backup of your wallet settings, protected by a password only you know, plus biometric lock on every session. Combined with a well-stored paper backup, you get the best of both worlds: convenience today and guaranteed recovery tomorrow.