Recovery drills

$ cat loop.txt

The four drills form a loop. Finish one, move to the next, and when the last one is done, start again on the schedule you set. The diagram shows the order.

$ drill copy-check

Compare the written recovery material against your original record, word by word, in a private room. Look for smudges, water marks, faded ink, and any word you cannot read with confidence.

• Confirm the order of the words, not only that the same words appear.
• If any word is unclear, replace the written copy now, while the original is still readable.
• Store the replacement with the original and mark which copy is current.

$ drill restore-test

Restore the wallet on a fresh device or a clean installation, using only the written recovery material. Compare the first receiving addresses the restored wallet shows with the addresses you recorded earlier. If they match, the recovery material is the right one.

• Install the wallet from its official source. Do not follow a link from a message.
• Enter the phrase on the device you are testing, never into a web page.
• Check that the addresses match, then remove the test installation when you finish.

A restore test does not need to move any bitcoin. Matching addresses are the signal you need.

$ drill location-check

Confirm that a trusted person, or your written plan, can find the recovery material when you cannot reach it. The trusted person does not need the secret itself to do this. They need to know where to look and what they are authorized to do.

• Ask the trusted person to describe, in their own words, what they would do first.
• Check that the written plan names the locations accurately and that the names still match reality.
• Confirm that any safe, box, or storage arrangement still opens and still belongs to you.

$ drill review-calendar

A drill that is not scheduled tends not to happen. Set a repeating reminder for the next round before you finish this page, and write the date into your backup plan.

• Choose a rhythm you will keep, not the most ambitious one you can imagine.
• Attach this checklist to the reminder so the steps are in front of you when it fires.
• Review the plan after any change: a new device, a new wallet, or a new person who should know where things are.

$ cat rules.txt

Every drill follows the same few rules, and they matter more than any single step.

• No drill needs you to type your recovery phrase into a web page. If something online asks for it, stop.
• Keep the test device separate from the device you use every day.
• Write down what you checked and when. A record of passed drills is the closest thing you will have to proof.

Drills teach a process. They are not financial, legal, or tax advice, and they are not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset.

Before running them, read the field guide so the terms make sense, and keep the glossary open in another tab.