How to use the AirGap Recovery Plate
AirGap Recovery Plate​
The AirGap Recovery Card is a simple and straightforward way to securely back up your seed phrase. Choose self-custody cold storage for your Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polkadot, Tezos, NFTs and many more.
The AirGap Recovery Card is a simple and straightforward way to securely back up your seed phrase. The heavy-duty stainless-steel plates will withstand just about anything along with a melting point of 2550 °F / 1450 °C (Well over double the average house fire). The Recovery Plate can hold 12, 15, 18, 21, or 24 words and can be used with all sorts of BIP39/44 Wallet setups such as AirGap, Ledger, Trezor, etc. But we recommend using these plates with the AirGap Wallet / Vault setup since it offers highest security, the best usability, is open-source and for free. For more information, visit www.airgap.it
On the Front side you will find the main instructions;
Instructions to engrave​
Write down all the words of your Seedphrase / mnemonic into the dedicated slots on the metal plate with a waterproof sharpie in capital letters (since it's easier to engrave it later). Before we move to the engraving, make sure that the ink of the sharpie pen has dried up and that the words are in the right order. The dedicated engraving pen has two tips - one is covered by a red protection hat, and the second one is hidden behind a metal screw top on the other end of the pen. Hold the engraver like a pen and add some force whilst you engrave letter by letter.
BIP39 Passphrase​
For additional security, add a BIP39 PASSPHRASE. It is a security feature that enables you to create a "hidden" account without anybody knowing it exists. It works by adding a passphrase when creating an account. This can be useful to protect you if you are threatened and compelled to provide your secret recovery phrase, or simply as an additional security measure in case you expose your secret recovery phrase accidentally. → For optimal storage, engrave it into a second steel card and store it elsewhere. Learn more about BIP 39 Passphrase / Plausible Deniability here;
Social recovery​
Consider SOCIAL RECOVERY (also known as Shamir Shares) if you want to have a backup mechanism for your mnemonics. It acts as a technique of dividing your mnemonic into multiple shares if your mnemonic ever gets lost. You can define how many shares you want and also the number needed to recover your wallet. Learn more about Shamir Shares/Social Recovery here;
Multisig​
Consider a MULTISIG setup if multiple parties have to approve/sign a transaction. This setup will come to AirGap at some point in the future.
Security seals​
We are shipping the plates always in a set of two because our concept is straightforward; We leave it to the receiver if they want to use them separately or if they use the second plate as a cover. If the second plate is used as a cover the users should make sure that the recovery-seed side is facing inwards. They can then secure the plates by using the temper stickers. Optionally, users can secure the plates with screws or cable ties by utilising the holes on the bottom and the top.