best way to distribute your seed phrases

[sokani]

I wouldn't advise anyone to split the seedphrase into two parts and keep them in different locations. If one of them goes missing, you are fucked and you will lose your funds. Also, if someone gets hold of one part, the seedphrase can be brute forced. Instead of splitting, add a passphrase to the seedphrase, make several copies and keep them in separate locations. If by any chance one of them is exposed, the funds cannot be stolen.

[hero_the_bossman]

I wouldn't advise anyone to split the seedphrase into two parts and keep them in different locations. If one of them goes missing, you are fucked and you will lose your funds. Also, if someone gets hold of one part, the seedphrase can be brute forced. Instead of splitting, add a passphrase to the seedphrase, make several copies and keep them in separate locations. If by any chance one of them is exposed, the funds cannot be stolen.

I agree. Though brute forcing a seed.. I don't know how many cases were there of such attempts.

Better to just have your seed on a steel plate and keep it in different locations.

[satscraper]

That is why encrypting is a good idea, maybe with something like Satochip Seedkeeper cards.
Adding additional passphrase can also be used, but it should be kept separate from the backup.
 

One may combine encryption with steganography. i.e. first encrypt SEED/extended_SEED and then conceal it in any file you choose, such as music, images, or text. You can then make as many copies as you want of relevant  steganographic file and distribute them across various geographic locations. The weak point of this method is that one must take care of both encryption key and  steganography scheme used. Therefore, I believe my method is better.

[melinoe]

That is why encrypting is a good idea, maybe with something like Satochip Seedkeeper cards.
Adding additional passphrase can also be used, but it should be kept separate from the backup.
 

One may combine encryption with steganography. i.e. first encrypt SEED/extended_SEED and then conceal it in any file you choose, such as music, images, or text. You can then make as many copies as you want of relevant  steganographic file and distribute them across various geographic locations. The weak point of this method is that one must take care of both encryption key and  steganography scheme used. Therefore, I believe my method is better.

Hm. Would your method be better than just storing the seed on a metal plate because the person in question who may find would need to crack it as well?

[Fivestar4everMVP]

people maximize security by distributing their storage of seed phrase in different locations for an even stronger security, they split the 12-word seed phrase into two and keep it in two different locations but i read someone say that if someone finds the other half it would be easy to apply brute force to find the other 6 words

now if you split it into three locations, it can still be recoverable even if one location gets compromised they might find it hard to find the other two locations or find the other words

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

Splitting is a very good idea I must say, it's definitely will help those who do not trust their environment and their security abilities to keep their seed phrases safe. But however, I must be honest with you, I've never practiced or ever even considered the idea of splitting my wallet seed phrase and keeping in different locations, seed phrase to my wallet are written down all together and kept someone which since 2016 I start with crypto and start creating wallets with seed phrases, no one has ever had access to the place, not friends, not family members, not even my wife and or children..

So what I am saying here is that, you still store all your 12 or 24 word seed phrase in one place and it will be absolutely safe, it all depend on the type of person you are and how conscious  and serious you are to security matters.

[BattleDog]

Splitting a 12-word phrase into chunks like "6 words here, 6 words there" is just going to make your own life fragile. You've basically invented a single point of failure three times. lose one slip of paper or mess up one backup and the whole wallet is gone, and if an attacker gets two pieces you're betting your stack on them being lazy rather than any math.

What kind of retarded line of arguing is this? How did you ever earn a single merit here, are you being boosted by your fellow farmers? Having a seed phrase fully stored in 1 location is always worse than a seed phrase split across locations.
There are too many idiots in threads like this giving advice on things that they don't understand.

Ha, I'd like to say that there's too many idiots around here that are quick to call other people idiots. But the reality is it's probably just you 
You have a nice mix of bravado and zero threat-modeling there, congrats.

You're talking as if splitting a 12word seed into two 6word scraps magically makes it safer just because they're in different spots. It doesn't. You didn't reinvent Shamir, you just created two fragile single points of failure that both have to survive you, life, and entropy. Lose one half or botch a word and the wallet is gone, full stop.

There are ways to do split-secret backups properly: Shamir with checksums, 2-of-3 or 3-of-5 schemes, or just using multisig with independent seeds in different places. Those improve resilience and theft resistance, at the cost of complexity. What you're cheering for "always split across locations, period" absolutely can be worse in practice, because most people are much more likely to screw up a fancy paper puzzle than keep one well-made metal backup in a sane location.

So if you want to have an actual security discussion, cool, let's talk threat models, redundancy and error rates.

If you just want to scream "idiot" at anyone who points out usability risks, you're not doing opsec, you're just LARPing as a bodyguard for seed phrases.

[Apocollapse]

Remember if anything come with a risk.

I think the risk is higher than the benefit you get for splitting your seed phrase, it might make people not able to access your coins, but it also make you not able to access your coins too. Remember that many people lost their coins because they forget and not able to find their seed phrase.

We might not find any problem for now, but we won't able to know in the next 3 years.

[Ucy]

You could hide the whole keys in locations that will less likely be accessed by humans otherwise spilt the keys and hide differently, but make sure you always have a full copy with you while the other ones are just backups.
I don't think you should worry too much about someone brute forcing the other half if it's found. The chances of a key getting found by someone with interest or knowledge in bruteforce is very low.. It likely less than 1%.
By the way, if you want to hide the whole keys in each preferred locations, use something that is common and hard to notice. If you choose to bury the keys, you could use non-corrosive common metals like tin-can for storing juices, energy drinks, etc. Becareful making it look like they were deliberately buried or hidden. Better still, don't make it look too fancy or attractive. If you can , mix the keys with other words, but make them (the keys) abit bigger, smaller, darker, lighter, etc to create a distinction

[DiMarxist]

You could hide the whole keys in locations that will less likely be accessed by humans otherwise spilt the keys and hide differently, but make sure you always have a full copy with you while the other ones are just backups.
I don't think you should worry too much about someone brute forcing the other half if it's found. The chances of a key getting found by someone with interest or knowledge in bruteforce is very low.. It likely less than 1%.
By the way, if you want to hide the whole keys in each preferred locations, use something that is common and hard to notice. If you choose to bury the keys, you could use non-corrosive common metals like tin-can for storing juices, energy drinks, etc. Becareful making it look like they were deliberately buried or hidden. Better still, don't make it look too fancy or attractive. If you can , mix the keys with other words, but make them (the keys) abit bigger, smaller, darker, lighter, etc to create a distinction

Your suggestions actually make sense, especially the part about not overthinking the brute force risk. The real danger usually comes from physical access or carelessness, not someone randomly stumbling on half a key and trying to crack it. Still, the most important thing is balance and hide your backups well, but don’t make the setup so complicated that you become the one locked out. Subtle, simple, and easy for you to remember is always safer than something overly creative.

[Floxynice]

people maximize security by distributing their storage of seed phrase in different locations for an even stronger security, they split the 12-word seed phrase into two and keep it in two different locations but i read someone say that if someone finds the other half it would be easy to apply brute force to find the other 6 words

now if you split it into three locations, it can still be recoverable even if one location gets compromised they might find it hard to find the other two locations or find the other words

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

While trying to hide your seedphrase from thieves, you may also be exposing your investment to a more serious risk. It makes absolutely no difference if you lose the other half of your seedphrase after splitting it, your bitcoins will be gone. Every option we consider to secure our bitcoins do not guarantee that our assets are 100% safe. Just try the one you can; store your seedphrase in a  very secured location and try too not to disclose the location by yourself. Infact, stay low profile because no one is going to target you if you do not make yourself a suspect.

[Issa56]

people maximize security by distributing their storage of seed phrase in different locations for an even stronger security, they split the 12-word seed phrase into two and keep it in two different locations but i read someone say that if someone finds the other half it would be easy to apply brute force to find the other 6 words

now if you split it into three locations, it can still be recoverable even if one location gets compromised they might find it hard to find the other two locations or find the other words

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

Why are you going to split your seed phrase? Does that even make sense at all? You should know if you can miss even a single word, then you won’t be able to have access to your bitcoin any longer. If you decide to split your seed phrase, then that means if anyone can miss from the location which you kept it, you won’t be able to access your bitcoin again, so I feel it’s not properly to split your seed phrase in different locations.

If you are planning to store your seed phrase, then it should be properly stored offline where there is no internet connection, also make sure you don’t store your seed phrase in one location, it should be stored in different locations. Also you can just decide to carve your seed phrase on iron steel, it’s going to be so difficult to damage compare to if you decide to write your seed phrase on paper.

[nakamura12]

We cannot stop you from doing that which is splitting the seed phrase and it's entirely up to you if you listen to others why it is not recommended to split the seed phrase and the reason why it's not a good practice to split your seed phrase. For me, I also prefer having my full seed phrase and just add some security measures like passphrase or encryption so that it won't be easy to take my seed phrase by hackers or scammers.

[Patikno]

people maximize security by distributing their storage of seed phrase in different locations for an even stronger security, they split the 12-word seed phrase into two and keep it in two different locations but i read someone say that if someone finds the other half it would be easy to apply brute force to find the other 6 words

now if you split it into three locations, it can still be recoverable even if one location gets compromised they might find it hard to find the other two locations or find the other words

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

Basically, all methods of storing our seedphrase have the potential to be lost or stolen. Therefore, we should minimize the risks that may occur, and know how to minimize it depends on how we store it.

If we use an electronic device, such as for example a kind of SSD, or HDD for Bitcoin seedphrase storage, then I think the risk can be minimized by storing it on a storage drive that is rarely used for online use, and it is best to encrypt the file with a combination of passwords that are difficult to guess (using several unique characters), so that if your file is found by someone else, it will be difficult for them to decrypt it, or bypass your file, and we can also do this by dividing the seedphrase in several different storage drive locations (not just on one drive) like you mentioned.

I don't know whether the OP means storing it online or offline, but I think both can be implemented using the suggestions I gave ((in short, store it in a steel safe for an additional layer of security, so that if a natural disaster occurs, or a thief enters the house, your seedphrase will most likely still be safe). So far, I have been safe using my method, and luckily, I have never been careless, and I have stored it safely like I said.

By the way, I use the WinRAR application to secure the seedphrase files that I save through the encryption they provide. I think WinRAR is quite well-known and trusted, but you should make sure that the source you get is official, and use the most updated one.

[Pathsofglory38]

people maximize security by distributing their storage of seed phrase in different locations for an even stronger security, they split the 12-word seed phrase into two and keep it in two different locations but i read someone say that if someone finds the other half it would be easy to apply brute force to find the other 6 words

now if you split it into three locations, it can still be recoverable even if one location gets compromised they might find it hard to find the other two locations or find the other words

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

Well, seed phrase are kept in a place where only you will have access to. I feel like you splitting them I different locations is jeopardising the security  of your wallet. the ideal thing to do is to write it down somewhere you can always have access to. Do not let your seed phrase location be known to anyone you don’t trust with your assets.
If not your asset would be at risk of being stolen.

[Onyeeze]

people maximize security by distributing their storage of seed phrase in different locations for an even stronger security, they split the 12-word seed phrase into two and keep it in two different locations but i read someone say that if someone finds the other half it would be easy to apply brute force to find the other 6 words

now if you split it into three locations, it can still be recoverable even if one location gets compromised they might find it hard to find the other two locations or find the other words

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

Their's no need to share your seed phrase into two places or into three places and keep, the most important thing is to keep your seed phrase were thieves and your siblings will not found it easy, the best way to save your seed phrase is to document your seed phrase by writing it out and keep it in neither iron cage so that it will be save from criminals, wife, children and fire out break, than splitting the seed phrase into places,  splitting for people not know, is like someone who is stressing it's self, and if after splitting it into three different places and expose one side, whatever you did is nothing.

[CryptoHeadlineNews]

Well, seed phrase are kept in a place where only you will have access to. I feel like you splitting them I different locations is jeopardising the security  of your wallet. the ideal thing to do is to write it down somewhere you can always have access to. Do not let your seed phrase location be known to anyone you don’t trust with your assets.
If not your asset would be at risk of being stolen.

You have got a good point on what you just said above, but I was expecting a more concrete in a different approach on the reason why storing our Bitcoin wallets Seed phrase shouldn't be encouraged in storing it in three different locations. Despite if the location been known to a third party or not. Because the same way if a third party gets hand on one of your seed phrase and can't have the remaining 2, it will be worthless, that's the same way if you eventually lose 1 of your seed phrase due to either fire or natural disaster. That's the same way you will lose access to your coin too. Hence, the best way I have always advocated as the best practice to storing your seed phrase is by storing it either in ascending, descending or diagonal order with mixing it with other words such as crossword puzzle that only you will be able to know which word is actually the seed phrase. Whereby even if it gets to the hand of the wrong user, they won't be able to figure out which word is actually the seed phrase.

[LDL]

We cannot stop you from doing that which is splitting the seed phrase and it's entirely up to you if you listen to others why it is not recommended to split the seed phrase and the reason why it's not a good practice to split your seed phrase. For me, I also prefer having my full seed phrase and just add some security measures like passphrase or encryption so that it won't be easy to take my seed phrase by hackers or scammers.

If Seedphases are divided into multiple parts and stored in multiple locations, then if any part of the Seedphases in one location is lost or destroyed, it will not be possible to recover Bitcoin from the remaining parts.

That's why I don't like to hide or split it up like you do. Rather, it would be more reasonable to store a complete Seedphases in a safe place. It is best to memorize and remember the Seedphases in the form of words, sentences, or poems. However, the security is a little less because if for some reason you are mentally hurt or if any problem happens accidentally, it will not be possible to restore those Seedphases.

[Cyber_warrior]

If Seedphases are divided into multiple parts and stored in multiple locations, then if any part of the Seedphases in one location is lost or destroyed, it will not be possible to recover Bitcoin from the remaining parts.

I don’t know what the OP was thinking before coming up with an idea like this. How are you going to divide your seed phrase in different locations? If you are doing that then you are increasing the chances of you loosing your seed phrase because if anything happens to one of the seed phrase, then everything will be gone.

You are planning to protect your seed phrase, but you end up endangering your seed phrase. If you are storing your seed phrase, it should be written in a place, then make sure you store it in different locations, if you lose access to one of the seed phrase, then you will be having a back up.

[Powerjumboo]

people maximize security by distributing their storage of seed phrase in different locations for an even stronger security, they split the 12-word seed phrase into two and keep it in two different locations but i read someone say that if someone finds the other half it would be easy to apply brute force to find the other 6 words

now if you split it into three locations, it can still be recoverable even if one location gets compromised they might find it hard to find the other two locations or find the other words

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

I don't divide my wallet seed phrase into multiple parts, I write it down in one place. I write down my wallet seed phrase in a notebook and keep it in a safe place where I think no one but me will see it, but of course I tell my spouse so that if I have an accident, he can easily access my wallet. Actually, the wallet seed phrase is a personal matter, how he keeps it safe, but he has to keep it safe and be careful not to steal it.

[CryptoCarl75]

maybe some people don't split it at all and just put all words in one place or two

It's wrong practice to split your seed phrase into two or three parts because if one is missing, you will not have access to your wallet anymore.

It's good that you add passphrase to your seed phrase for extra layer of security instead of splitting your seed phrase. If you add passphrase, you should keep the passphrase in a separate place from your seed phrase so that whoever sees your seed phrase will not be able to access your wallet without your passphrase. You should make three copies of them and keep in three different locations for backup.

I'd say this is a debatable statement to say splitting the seed is wrong. Especially because the best practice wouldn't be to split the actual 12 words into 3 sets of 4 words, but instead to use Shamir's Secret Sharing for instance. Generating N pieces (shares) where having K total shares allows you to recover the seed phrase (where K < N). This covers the case that 1 share (or more than 1 when used properly) were permanently lost resulting in complete loss of the seed phrase for the wallet.

Additionally, either you didn't explain your concept of a "passphrase" being able to protect the seed if someone "sees your seed phrase", or misunderstand the seed phrase, secret/public keys, and spending passphrase. For example adding a spending passphrase to a specific wallet while still having a seed phrase in plain text on disk will provide zero protection against someone seeing the actual seed phrase. Most wallets I presume would encrypts the secret key with the passphrase, while its unlikely, but possible, the passphrase is only required to sign a transaction and secret keys remain unencrypted. Regardless though, once someone "sees your seed phrase" in plain text they can ALWAYS type that into a different wallet and recover it.

Maybe you meant "passphrase" to mean something like GPG's symmetric encryption utilizing a passphrase instead of actual keys. In which case whoever "sees your seed phrase" wouldn't actually being seeing the seed phrase at all, they would be seeing the encrypted string/hash of the original seed phrase and require decryption to get the real seed phrase before being able to restore it elsewhere.