How to Use SeedSigner? Offline Signing, Backup and Recovery

Crypto Basics

30 September 2026

SeedSigner is a Bitcoin signing device that you assemble and flash with firmware yourself. Its core usage can be summarized as: send a transaction in via QR code, review and sign it on the device screen, then send the signed result back via QR code. The device itself does not store private keys — once powered off, it forgets everything. Your mnemonic backup is the only way to recover your funds.

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If you have already assembled the device but are not sure what to do next, or if you just received a kit and do not know where to start, here is the process from zero to signing.

First Confirm Which Version and Hardware You Are Using

The SeedSigner project itself is open source, but the hardware and firmware versions that run it vary. The official mainline is designed around the Raspberry Pi Zero 1.3, which has no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth module — this is the foundation of its "air-gapped" nature. The community has also ported SeedSigner to other low-cost devices, such as the R36S handheld game console, but whether such unofficial hardware provides the same security guarantees needs to be verified by yourself.

If you have a pre-assembled kit from a seller, it usually includes a Pi Zero, a screen, a camera, buttons, and an empty microSD card. The empty card is intentional: you download, verify, and write the firmware yourself, so you do not need to trust the seller's flashing process.

If you have not assembled it yet, the official guide provides the full process from unboxing to signing. The following assumes your hardware is already working and focuses on the core operations after assembly.

Generating a Seed: Do Not Just Rely on the Device's "Random Generation"

SeedSigner offers several ways to generate BIP39 mnemonic words. The method repeatedly recommended by the community is using dice rolls. The reason is that you can record every dice roll, then re-derive the result on another device or offline tool to see if it matches. This "reproducibility" check proves that SeedSigner did not quietly inject its own randomness or tamper with the generation process.

The entry point is on the device main screen: Tools → New seed → Dice rolls. 24 words require 99 dice rolls, and 12 words require 50 rolls. It is recommended to use casino-grade dice or shake several ordinary dice in a cup to reduce the impact of dice bias.

Another method is to generate entropy from a photo, but for ordinary users, the dice method is more verifiable and intuitive.

If you already have a set of mnemonic words and want to restore them on SeedSigner, skip generation and directly enter the words or scan a SeedQR in the Seeds menu.

Backup: SeedQR Is for Daily Use, Paper and Steel Are for When the Device Is Gone

SeedSigner does not store anything, so your backup is the wallet itself. There are two things to distinguish here:

The first is the mnemonic words themselves. This is a universal backup that any BIP39 wallet can restore. Writing them on paper is fine, but paper is vulnerable to fire and water. For long-term storage, it is recommended to stamp them onto a metal plate.

The second is SeedQR. SeedSigner can encode your mnemonic words into a compact QR code. You can print it, engrave it on metal, or copy it onto a dedicated card. Each time you use the device, just scan the SeedQR and the seed is loaded — no need to manually type 24 words.

The cost of SeedQR is: whoever gets this QR code gets your seed. It is the same thing as handwritten words in a different form. Treat it the same way you would treat cash — do not photograph it, do not store it in your phone's photo album, and make sure no camera or window is facing your screen when scanning.

If you use a BIP39 passphrase (the 25th word or arbitrary characters), a SeedQR leak alone will not directly lead to stolen funds, because spending still requires the passphrase. This is a practical reason to use a passphrase, but make sure the passphrase and SeedQR are stored separately and that you will not forget it.

Necessary Action After Making a Backup

Before depositing any funds, do a recovery test. Power off the device (the seed will disappear), then reload it using the backup you just made (words or SeedQR), and confirm that the derived address fingerprint matches what you had before. This step can catch transcription errors, QR transcription errors, or passphrase recording errors. Only after verification does the backup truly exist.

Connecting a Wallet: SeedSigner Only Signs, It Does Not Go Online

SeedSigner itself does not connect to the internet. It needs to work with a "watch-only wallet" to build and broadcast transactions. Common desktop wallets include Sparrow Wallet, and mobile options include BlueWallet or Nunchuk.

The connection process is done on both sides:

On SeedSigner: Load the seed → select Export Xpub → choose the script type (for first-time use, Native Segwit is fine) → choose the corresponding wallet format (such as Sparrow) → the device screen displays a QR code.

In the wallet software: When creating a new wallet, choose "air-gapped hardware wallet" or a similar option, then use your computer camera to scan the QR code on the SeedSigner screen. Sparrow will read your xpub and thus know all your addresses, allowing it to check balances and generate receiving addresses, but it does not hold any private keys.

After pairing, before receiving funds for the first time, it is recommended to verify one address on both sides: display a receiving address QR code in the wallet, scan it with SeedSigner's Address Explorer, and confirm that the device recognizes this address as belonging to your seed. This prevents a tampered wallet software from showing incorrect addresses.

Signing Transactions: The Information on the Device Screen Is What Really Matters

The daily signing process is the same every time:

Build a transaction in Sparrow (or another wallet), click sign/send, and the software will display the unsigned transaction (PSBT) as an animated QR code.
Confirm the seed is loaded on SeedSigner, then use the camera to scan the animated QR code on the computer screen.
The SeedSigner screen shows the transaction details: amount, receiving address, fee, and change. Carefully verify the receiving address and amount. The device screen is independent of the computer. If the two sides show different information, trust the device — it may mean the computer is infected.
Confirm signing on the device, and SeedSigner displays the signed transaction as another set of animated QR codes.
Use the computer camera to scan these QR codes back into Sparrow, then broadcast.

The entire process involves no data cable or wireless connection between SeedSigner and the internet-connected device. After you sign and power off the device, the seed disappears from memory.

Common Issues and Sticking Points

"I powered off and on again, and the device has nothing in it." This is normal behavior. SeedSigner is a stateless device — every time you use it, you must reload the seed (scan SeedQR or manually enter it).

"SeedQR won't scan." The QR code may have transcription errors. SeedSigner's scanner has error correction capability, but too many errors will make it fail. Check whether your handwritten or engraved QR code matches what is shown on the screen. If it fails repeatedly, first restore using the words to confirm the seed itself is fine, then make a new SeedQR.

"Sparrow cannot scan SeedSigner's xpub QR code." Make sure the screen brightness is set appropriately and the camera focus is normal. If Sparrow says it does not recognize it, check whether the format you selected when exporting on SeedSigner matches (for example, if you exported in Nunchuk format for Sparrow, it may not recognize it). SeedSigner's export menu has clear wallet options — if you chose the wrong one, switch and try again.

"Which script type should I use?" For first-time use, choose Native Segwit (addresses starting with bc1q). It has low fees and good compatibility. If you are recovering an existing wallet, you must choose the same script type as the original wallet, otherwise the derived addresses will be wrong and you will not see your funds.

"The device buttons/joystick are hard to use." The button feel varies greatly between different kits, but the operation logic is the same: move up and down, press to confirm. If a button is physically broken, you need to repair the hardware — there is no software workaround.

Is SeedSigner Right for You?

SeedSigner is not positioned as "the easiest hardware wallet." You need to verify the firmware yourself, assemble it yourself, manage backups yourself, and understand every step of air-gapped signing. Its advantages are: open source and auditable, no dependence on any vendor's supply chain, no extractable storage chip, and private keys only exist in memory for a few minutes.

If you want a device that works out of the box, has official customer support, has a secure element, and has PIN protection, SeedSigner will make you uncomfortable. If you are willing to spend an hour or two building and verifying it, and see "taking responsibility for your own backup" as a normal cost of self-custody, it is a transparent and cost-effective solution.

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