Device Migration — Moving Pera to a New Phone

Before You Switch

Getting a new phone doesn't mean your crypto moves with it automatically. Pera Wallet is self-custodial — your accounts live on the blockchain, not on a server that syncs between devices. You need to actively restore or transfer them.

The single most important thing: You need your recovery passphrase. If you don't have it backed up, do that now — before you wipe or trade in your old phone. See Backing up your Recovery Passphrase.

Option 1: Restore with Recovery Passphrase (Recommended)

This works even if your old phone is already gone.

On your new phone:

1. Download Pera Wallet from the App Store or Google Play
2. Open the app and select I already have an account
3. Choose Recover with passphrase
4. Enter your 24-word (Universal Wallet) or 25-word (Legacy Algo25) recovery passphrase
5. Your account and all its assets will appear — they were on the blockchain the whole time

Repeat for each account if you have multiple accounts with separate passphrases.

Universal Wallet advantage: If you set up a Universal Wallet, one 24-word seed phrase recovers all accounts under that wallet. No need to enter multiple passphrases.

Option 2: Import/Export Between Devices

If you still have access to your old phone, you can transfer accounts directly without typing passphrases.

On your old phone:

1. Open Pera Wallet
2. Go to More → look for the Export or Transfer option
3. Follow the prompts to generate a transfer QR code or backup file

On your new phone:

1. Open Pera Wallet
2. Select I already have an account
3. Choose the Import option
4. Scan the QR code from your old phone or import the backup file

This method is convenient but still requires your old device to be functional. Always have your recovery passphrase as a backup regardless.

What About Pera Web?

Pera Web and Pera Mobile are independent — they don't sync automatically. If you use Pera Web on your desktop, your accounts there are unaffected by switching phones. And vice versa: setting up a new phone doesn't touch your Pera Web wallet.

If you want the same accounts on both, import them separately using your recovery passphrase.

What Transfers With You (and What Doesn't)

Your on-chain data (balances, assets, history) is permanent and accessible from any device with the right passphrase. App-level settings like your PIN, nicknames, and biometric preferences are device-specific and need to be set up fresh.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't wipe your old phone before verifying recovery. Set up Pera on the new phone first. Confirm all accounts are restored and balances match. Only then wipe the old device.

Don't assume iCloud/Google backup covers your wallet. Phone backups don't include your Pera private keys. Even if you restore your phone from backup, Pera will need your recovery passphrase to restore accounts.

Don't skip any accounts. If you have multiple accounts with separate passphrases (Legacy Algo25 wallets), each needs to be recovered individually. Check your old phone to make sure you haven't missed any.

Don't forget watch accounts. Watch accounts need to be re-added manually on the new device since they're view-only references, not key-based.

Checklist

• [ ] Recovery passphrase(s) backed up and accessible
• [ ] New phone has Pera Wallet downloaded
• [ ] All accounts restored on new phone
• [ ] Balances match on both devices
• [ ] Security (PIN, biometrics) set up on new phone
• [ ] Watch accounts re-added (if applicable)
• [ ] Old phone wiped only after full verification

Related Articles

• Backing up your Recovery Passphrase
• Recover or Import an Algorand Account with Recovery Passphrase
• Universal Wallet FAQ
• Create a New Algorand Account on Pera Wallet

Need more help? Chat with us or visit perawallet.app/contact-us.

Updated on: 14/05/2026