Passphrase (25th word)
A passphrase is an optional extra word or phrase added to a seed phrase. With it, the same 24 words open a completely different wallet, so the seed phrase alone is no longer enough.
How it works
The BIP39 standard lets you add your own string to a seed phrase. People call it the 25th word, though it can be any phrase. Seed plus passphrase gives one set of keys; the same seed without it gives another. One wrong letter or a different capital also opens a different, empty wallet.
The main benefit is protection if your seed phrase is stolen. Someone who finds your paper with 24 words sees only the wallet with no passphrase. That is why the passphrase is stored separately from the seed. Hardware wallets and many software wallets support it.
Some people leave a small amount in the no-passphrase wallet as a decoy in case they are forced to reveal access. But the passphrase is also an extra risk: forget it and nobody can recover the funds, even with the correct seed phrase.
You turn on the passphrase "Green-Lamp-1987" on a hardware wallet. The seed phrase is at home; the passphrase is written down and kept at your parents' place. A thief finds the 24 words, restores the wallet and sees $0. Your main $8,000 sits in the passphrase wallet.
The most dangerous mistake is making up a passphrase in your head and never writing it down. A year later you may not remember the exact spelling, and it cannot be guessed or reset. Write it down and keep it apart from the seed phrase, and right after setup test a recovery: wipe the wallet and restore it.
Questions and answers
What is a wallet passphrase in simple terms?
It is a secret word on top of your seed phrase. It opens a separate wallet that only someone who knows the word can reach.
Can I recover my wallet without the passphrase?
No. Without the exact passphrase a different wallet opens and your coins will not be there. Nobody can recover it for you.
Is a passphrase the same as the device PIN?
No. A PIN only locks that one device, while the passphrase is part of how the keys are derived and is needed when restoring on any wallet.
Related terms
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Updated: 2026-10-19