# Exodus Wallet After Death: How Family Can Recover the Crypto

URL: https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/exodus-wallet-after-death
Author: Micah Chan, founder of PingVaults
Published: 2026-11-12

> What happens to an Exodus wallet when the owner dies: why Exodus can't help, what the family needs, passkey and email backups, and fake support.

## Short answer

A family can recover an Exodus wallet only with the owner's 12-word secret recovery phrase, or with the owner's device and its Exodus password or passcode. Exodus says it does not store the phrase and has no access to it, and no one can reset a desktop password. If the owner used a passkey backup, restoring it needs the owner's iCloud or Google account, and Exodus says it can't assist. There is no deceased-user process.

## Key facts (checked 2026-11-12)

- As of November 2026, Exodus says it does not store users' secret recovery phrases and has no access to them.
- Exodus uses a 12-word secret recovery phrase to restore a wallet.
- Exodus says no one can reset an Exodus desktop password.
- Exodus passkey backup stores an encrypted copy in iCloud or Google Drive; Exodus says it cannot assist with it.
- Exodus email-based backups made before November 2024 restore with a code and a 7-day wait.
- Exodus says its staff never ask for passwords, private keys or the secret phrase.

Only if the family has what the owner had. Exodus is a self-custody wallet. The crypto is controlled by a 12-word secret recovery phrase, and that phrase restores the wallet in a fresh Exodus install. The other way in is the owner's computer or phone with Exodus on it and the password or passcode known. Exodus can't open, reset or transfer the wallet for an estate.

This guide is for families and executors. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.

## What Exodus can and can't do after a death

Exodus says: "We do not store your secret recovery phrase… nor do we have any access to it." It also says no one can reset the Exodus desktop password. The company has no copy of the keys and no way around the password.

That means there is no deceased-user process. Exodus has no account to release to an executor, and court papers don't give it access to anything. As of November 2026, Exodus doesn't publish inheritance guidance.

## What the family needs

| Item | Why it matters | Where it might be |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Secret recovery phrase (12 words) | Restores the wallet on any device | Paper or metal backup in a safe, bank box, with the will, or with a trusted person |
| Device plus Exodus password or passcode | Opens the wallet already installed there | The owner's computer or phone; password in a password manager or notes |
| iCloud or Google account, if a passkey backup was used | Holds the encrypted backup and the passkey | The owner's Apple or Google account |
| Email account, if an older email backup was used | Receives the restore code for backups made before November 2024 | The owner's email inbox |

If the phrase can't be found, see [what to do when the seed phrase is missing](https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/seed-phrase-missing-after-death). For what a phrase looks like, see [what is a seed phrase](https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/what-is-a-seed-phrase).

## Passkey and email backups: could an heir use them?

Exodus offers a passkey backup. According to its help center, an encrypted copy of the wallet is saved in iCloud or Google Drive, and the passkey is kept in iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager. Exodus says it cannot assist with this backup. So restoring it depends entirely on access to the owner's Apple or Google account.

Older backups worked differently. Exodus says email-based backups created before November 2024 are restored with a code, followed by a 7-day wait.

Both routes run through the owner's personal accounts. Using a dead person's Apple, Google or email account can raise legal issues, and those providers have their own deceased-user processes. The executor should get legal advice before anyone uses them. Don't guess passwords or try to get around security.

## Step by step for the family

1. **Secure devices and papers.** Keep the owner's computers and phones safe and charged. Don't reset them, uninstall Exodus, or sign out of accounts.
2. **Never type the phrase into a website.** A real restore happens only inside the official Exodus app downloaded from exodus.com or an official app store.
3. **Use a trusted technical helper.** If a restore is needed, do it with someone you trust on a clean device with nothing else installed.
4. **Confirm the executor's authority.** Funds should move only under the executor's or administrator's legal authority.
5. **Move funds to an estate-controlled wallet.** Create a new wallet with a new phrase that the executor controls, then transfer.
6. **Record values for taxes.** Note each asset's value on the date of death and at transfer. See [is inherited crypto taxable?](https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/inherited-crypto-taxes-step-up-basis)

## Beware of fake support

Exodus says its staff never ask for passwords, private keys or the secret phrase. Exodus says its support works through email and in-app chat. Treat any call, direct message or email asking for your 12 words as a scam.

Fake help pages often sit on free hosting such as sites.google.com or pages.dev. Type exodus.com yourself. See [which wallet support numbers are real](https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/crypto-wallet-support-numbers) and our [inheritance scam red flags](https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/crypto-inheritance-scams-red-flags).

## If you use Exodus: make this easier for your family

- Write down where the phrase backup is kept, not the words.
- Note whether you use a passkey or email backup and which account it depends on.
- Say which devices have Exodus installed and where an authorized person can find the password.
- Keep a [letter of instruction](https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/crypto-letter-of-instruction-template) and a [digital asset inventory](https://www.pingvaults.com/en/blog/digital-asset-inventory-template).

PingVaults can store instructions like these encrypted and deliver them to a chosen contact after a period of inactivity.

## Common questions

### Can Exodus recover a wallet for the family?

No. Exodus says it doesn't store the secret recovery phrase and has no access to it.

### Can Exodus reset the owner's password?

No. Exodus says no one can reset an Exodus desktop password. The 12-word phrase is the way back in.

### What if the owner used a passkey backup?

Then the backup sits in the owner's iCloud or Google account, and Exodus says it can't assist. The executor should get legal advice before using those accounts.

### Does Exodus have an inheritance feature?

Exodus doesn't publish an inheritance feature or guidance as of November 2026. Planning has to happen outside the app.

## Sources

- [Exodus: Everything you need to know about the recovery phrase](https://support.exodus.com/article/925-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-recovery-phrase)
- [Exodus: Backup vault in Exodus](https://www.exodus.com/support/en/articles/8598900-backup-vault-in-exodus)
- [Exodus: I received an email from Exodus asking for my secret recovery phrase](https://www.exodus.com/support/en/articles/8836608-i-received-an-email-from-exodus-asking-me-to-provide-my-12-word-secret-recovery-phrase-password)

General information, not legal, tax or investment advice.