A hardware wallet is the safest place to keep crypto — until you forget the PIN, brick it in a firmware update, or lose the recovery card that came with it. Every hardware wallet failure mode has a recovery path. Some are easy. Some need a lab. We know which is which.
· Ledger — Nano S, Nano S Plus, Nano X, Blue, Stax
· Trezor — One, Model T, Safe 3, Safe 5
· KeepKey (ShapeShift)
· Coldcard Mk1–Mk4
· BitBox02
· Older devices: TREZOR Model One (pre-2020), Ledger HW.1
> the three failure modes
1. Forgotten PIN, recovery phrase intact — Easiest. We help you set up a replacement device and restore from your existing seed. Usually you don't even need us for this; we'll tell you if you can DIY.
2. Bricked / dead device, recovery phrase intact — Same as above. The device is a container; the seed is what matters.
3. Recovery phrase lost or partial — This is where we earn our fee. Depending on the device generation and how much of the seed you recall, we combine forensic techniques (see /recover/seed-phrase for math details) with device-specific approaches.
> physical device workflow
When a case requires the physical device:
· You ship it via insured, tracked courier (we cover cost on approved cases).
· Device is logged into evidence at intake. Photographed. Sealed.
· All work is done in a monitored lab. Video-logged on request.
· Device is returned to you (or destroyed on your instruction) at case close.
Every step is on the signed chain-of-custody. You always know where your device is.
> what to do RIGHT NOW
· Do not attempt more than 3 PIN guesses. Many devices wipe after 3 failures.
· Do not update firmware while trying to recover — it can destroy on-device data.
· Do not send your recovery phrase to ANYONE. Not us. Not "support." No exceptions.
· Do talk to our AI agent for a free 5-minute triage.
> faq.md
Q: My Ledger asks for a PIN I forgot — can I recover it?
Yes, if you still have the 24-word recovery phrase from initial setup. If BOTH the PIN and recovery phrase are lost, the device itself cannot be unlocked — but partial seed recovery may still succeed.
Q: My Trezor firmware upgrade bricked it. Now what?
In most cases the seed on the device is safe and can be restored to a replacement device via your recovery phrase. If the phrase is also lost, contact us for a forensic assessment.
Q: Can you physically extract keys from a hardware wallet?
Modern secure-element devices (Ledger Nano X/S+, Trezor Safe) are designed to resist physical extraction. We're honest with clients: for these devices, without the recovery phrase, recovery is extremely limited.
Q: What about older Trezor One / KeepKey?
Older devices without secure elements have known physical attack surfaces. Recovery is more feasible on these, but requires specialized lab equipment. Case-by-case assessment.
Q: How much does hardware wallet recovery cost?
Free assessment. If we take the case, success-only fee (15–20% typical, higher for lab-based physical recovery). No recovery, no fee.
> open_case.sh
Free private terminal session. Never asks for full seed. Human operative follow-up within 24h.