Master Seed management

Master Seed basics

Your Qredo Profile and Master Seed allow you to authorize various approvals - logins, transaction initiation, Approver requests, etc.

The seed recovery phrase is what gives you complete access to your Qredo Profile and Master Seed. If you lose access to your phone, the seed recovery phrase allows you to regain access to your Profile and sign your approvals.

If you fail to properly store your seed recovery phrase or lose access to it, we won’t be able to help you recover your Profile.

If you can’t access your seed recovery phrase at any point, assuming you can still access your Profile, we recommend creating a new one and moving your assets to it.

Regardless, it is essential that you properly store your seed recovery phrase.

Restore from Master Seed

If you want to change the device you use for all signing related to your Qredo Profile, all you'll need is the 24-word seed recovery phrase associated with your Profile. Here's what to do if you've lost your seed recovery phrase and access to the associated email account.

1. If you haven't already, search for “Qredo” in your device’s app store and download the app.

2. Open the Qredo app on your new mobile/tablet device, select the hamburger menu in the upper right corner of the screen and select Add Profile.

3. Select Restore Seed. And tap Continue.

4. Enter the 24-word seed recovery phrase associated with the Profile in question and select Continue.

5. Enter the email address associated with the Profile in question and select Submit.

6. Select Continue.

7. Go to the inbox of the mentioned email address and navigate to the verification email from Qredo.

8. Enter the verification code into the Email Verification Code field in the Qredo Signing App and select Submit.

9. Follow the onscreen instructions.

10. Optionally, remove your seed phrase and profile from your old device.

Remove your Master Seed

Although it's possible, storing the seed recovery phrase on your mobile device isn't the best seed storage option. If an entity gains access to your Signing App, they'll also be able to get ahold of your seed recovery phrase.

After you've safely secured the seed recovery phrase outside of your Qredo Profile, you have the option to remove it from your device.

Remember that once you've removed it, the seed recovery phrase won't be accessible via the Qredo Signing App.

1. Open the Qredo Signing App on your phone and sign in.

2. In the Profile tab, select the horizontal three-dot icon.

3. From the drop-down menu, select Remove Seed Phrase.

4. Confirm the removal by tapping Confirm in the next screen.

5. You'll be notified that the seed recovery phrase has been removed from your mobile device.

View your Master Seed

If you've saved your seed recovery phrase to your mobile device while creating your Profile or while checking your master seed, you'll be able to access it.

Bear in mind that having the seed recovery phrase on your mobile device isn't the most secure storage option.

Here's how to view your master seed:

1. Open the Qredo Signing App on your phone and sign in.

2. In the Profile tab, select the horizontal three-dot icon.

3. From the drop-down menu, select View Seed Phrase.

4. Authenticate using the Profile’s appointed biometrics and PIN.

5. The seed recovery phrase should display.

Check your Master Seed

To check whether you have the correct seed recovery phrase, you can input it into the Qredo Signing App. This also allows you to save the phrase on your mobile device. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the Qredo Signing App on your phone and sign in.

2. In the Profile tab, select the horizontal three-dot icon.

3. From the drop-down menu, select Check Seed Phrase.

4. Select Enter Seed Phrase, enter your seed recovery phrase, and tap Continue.

5. The next screen will notify you whether you've inserted the correct seed recovery phrase.

6. To save the seed recovery phrase onto the mobile device you're using, select Save Seed. To continue without saving it, select Don't Save.

7. Select Finish.

Lost Master Seed

Before doing anything else, go to your Qredo Signing App and see if you can view and check your seed phrase.

If you have lost access to your mobile device and your seed recovery phrase, you won't be able to recover it. The only option is to delete your Profile so that you can re-register.

If you can log in to your Qredo Profile, but have lost your seed recovery phrase, please withdraw any assets from your Vaults, if necessary and ensure that you are not part of any policy whose threshold could not be met if your account is deleted.

To arrange for your Profile to be deleted, please send the following email to [email protected] from the same email address that's associated with the Qredo Profile you want deleted:

SUBJECT: Delete Qredo Profile

BODY: Please delete the Qredo Profile belonging to the email address that I am writing this email from. I confirm that I have no assets in that Profile that I am not prepared to lose and that I am not the Approver for anyone else’s Profile that would prevent them from accessing their funds if my Profile is deleted.

Master Seed storage

It is not generally advised to store your seed recovery phrase online as this increases the potential of exposure to malware and being hacked. However, some people choose online storage because it’s convenient.

• Password manager - If you need to store your recovery phrase online, consider one of the better-known password manager tools, such as LastPass or 1Password.

  • PROS: Easy, quick, convenient

  • CONS: Still hackable

• Note that Qredo doesn't recommend online seed recovery phrase storage.

Offline Storage

Storing your seed recovery phrase offline is recommended, even though it might not be the most convenient method.

• Piece(s) of paper - Write the phrase on a piece of paper and store back-ups in multiple locations. Consider laminating the paper for added durability. You can also split the seed phrase onto several pieces of paper, placing each piece in a different location. Bear in mind that the correct word order of the phrase is necessary to recover your wallet.

  • PROS: Simple, cheap, convenient, can’t be hacked digitally

  • CONS: Easily damaged/destroyed/stolen

• Steel engraving - Small stainless steel units designed to store seed phrases are available from retailers e.g., Cryptosteel. Multiple units can also be purchased as backups or to split the recovery phrase.

  • PROS: Resistance to fire, flooding, corrosion, and impact, portable, no ongoing costs, can’t be hacked digitally

  • CONS: Can be expensive, hard to set up, can be physically stolen

• External hard drive - You can store your seed recovery phrase offline on an external hard drive, keep it offline, and only access it when needed.

  • PROS: Affordable, no monthly fee or maintenance

  • CONS: Risk of ending up damaged/destroyed/stolen

• Air-gapped device - These devices are cut off from any form of network connectivity. This refers to any device type that can store your recovery phrase entirely offline.

  • PROS: Extremely secure

  • CONS: Slow access, diminishes productivity, implementation and maintenance costs, can be stolen

Do’s & Don’ts

• DO set up your spouse/partner/colleague/lawyer with access to your seed recovery phrase in the event of your incapacitation so that your Profile can be recovered. Note that to recover your Profile, you must also have access to the same email account used to create the Qredo Profile.

• DON’T take screenshots of your seed recovery phrase while creating your Qredo Profile. If someone gains access to your phone, they’ll be able to quickly take control of your Profile. Additionally, your device might automatically upload your screenshots to a cloud service. This poses a huge safety risk.

• DO keep your seed recovery phrase in multiple means of offline storage.

• DON’T share your seed recovery phrase with others unless you absolutely trust them.