Heirs can recover a Trezor wallet only with what the owner had: the wallet backup (the recovery words), or the Trezor device and its PIN. If the owner set a passphrase, that is needed as well. Trezor can't recover the wallet, reset it, or release it to an estate. In Trezor's words, "No third party, not even Trezor, can help you recover it."
This guide is for families and executors. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
What Trezor can and can't do after a death
Trezor says it "does not store your wallet backup." The keys live on the device, and the only backup is the one the owner created. There is no cloud backup to request.
Because the device isn't an account, there is no deceased-user process. Court papers don't give Trezor anything to hand over. Trezor's own advice to owners is to make a secure, private inheritance plan, to consider a legal advisor, and to make sure heirs know how to reach the backup.
What the family needs
Trezor now calls the backup a "wallet backup" (it used to say "recovery seed"). According to Trezor, it can be 12 or 24 words (the BIP39 standard) or 20 words per share (the SLIP39 standard).
| Item | Why it matters | Where it might be |
|---|---|---|
| Wallet backup (12, 20 or 24 words) | Restores the wallet on a compatible device | Paper card or metal backup in a safe, bank box, with the will, or with a trusted person |
| Other shares, if multi-share | A threshold of shares is needed, not just one | Spread across family, a lawyer, or separate locations |
| Trezor device plus PIN | Opens the wallet without the backup | Desk or safe; PIN in notes or a letter of instruction |
| Passphrase, if set | Opens the hidden wallet; Trezor says that without it the wallet can't be recovered even with the backup | Stored separately, often in a letter or with a lawyer |
For the difference between a PIN, a backup and a passphrase, see PIN, seed phrase and passphrase explained. If the words can't be found, see what to do when the seed phrase is missing.
Multi-share backup and Locktime
Trezor has no cloud backup, but it offers features owners may have used for planning.
Multi-share Backup. According to Trezor, a wallet can be split into up to 16 shares, with a threshold set by the owner, such as any 3 of 5. If you find one card of 20 words, look for more. A single share below the threshold can't restore the wallet. Gathering shares from different people is a normal step, but the executor should coordinate it and keep a written record.
Locktime. Trezor Suite can schedule a bitcoin transaction so it can't be confirmed before a set time. If the owner left a signed, time-locked transaction with instructions, follow them with a technical helper. Trezor doesn't present this as an inheritance service, and a family shouldn't expect one to exist.
Step by step for the family
- Secure the device and papers. Keep the Trezor, any backup cards and notes together and safe. Don't guess PINs.
- Never type the words into a website. Trezor says no legitimate company will ever ask for your wallet backup.
- Use a trusted technical helper. If a restore is needed, use a genuine Trezor and official Trezor Suite on a clean computer, with someone you trust.
- Confirm the executor's authority. Funds should move only under the executor's or administrator's legal authority.
- Move funds to an estate-controlled wallet. Create a new wallet with a new backup that the executor controls, then transfer.
- Record values for taxes. Note each asset's value on the date of death and at transfer. See is inherited crypto taxable?
Beware of fake support
Trezor says "No legitimate company, including Trezor, will ever ask for your wallet backup." It also says it never contacts users by SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, phone call or letter. A letter saying you must "verify" the device or enter your words online is a scam.
Fake help pages often sit on free hosting such as sites.google.com or pages.dev. Type trezor.io yourself. See which wallet support numbers are real and our inheritance scam red flags.
If you use Trezor: make this easier for your family
- Write down where the wallet backup is kept, not the words.
- If you use a multi-share backup, record how many shares exist, the threshold, and who holds them.
- Note whether a passphrase exists and how an authorized person can get it.
- Keep a letter of instruction and a digital asset inventory.
PingVaults can store instructions like these encrypted and deliver them to a chosen contact after a period of inactivity.
Common questions
Can Trezor recover a wallet for the family?
No. Trezor says no third party, including Trezor, can help recover the wallet, and it doesn't store backups.
Does Trezor have a cloud backup?
No. The only backup is the one the owner wrote down or stamped at setup.
We found 20 words. Is that enough?
It depends. Twenty words means a SLIP39 backup. A single-share backup restores on its own; with a multi-share backup you need enough shares to meet the threshold.
What if the passphrase is unknown?
According to Trezor, a wallet protected by a lost passphrase can't be recovered, even with the backup. Search the owner's papers carefully before deciding it's lost.