Wallet apps after a death

Wallet apps (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Exodus, Coinbase Wallet, BlueWallet and many others) are a common way to hold crypto today. After a death, the app itself is usually not the problem; the device it lives on, the app/configuration and the recovery material behind it are what matter.

One brand can be several products. Coinbase Wallet, for example, is a different product from a regular Coinbase account, and MetaMask now supports multiple account flows (including flows via Google, Apple or Telegram), multiple SRPs and imported accounts; an account imported via a private key is not restored by the SRP. Identify the exact product and account type first.

What wallet apps actually are

• They are software on a phone, tablet, laptop or browser extension.
• What they protect depends on the product: many apps use a seed phrase and passwords, but not every self-custody wallet uses a traditional seed phrase or a single locally stored private key. Modern wallets may use, for example, MPC or key shares, recovery files, passkeys or account factors, multisig data, recovery codes or other wallet-specific mechanisms. Identify the exact product and recovery model first before determining which material is essential.
• Some apps also connect to exchange accounts or act as browsers for DeFi, which adds other layers. See exchange or self-custody.

What finding one means

The presence of a wallet app is a relevant indication, but it does not by itself prove that crypto was actually received or held. Many apps can be restored from the right recovery phrase on another device, but not in every case: imported accounts, multiple recovery phrases or specific configurations can require separate material. Identify the product and account type first; the recovery phrase does not automatically cover everything. See what is a seed phrase.

What to preserve

• The device itself. Do not charge it carelessly, do not let it update or sync, and do not unlock it repeatedly. Phones and computers are covered in old computer or phone with a wallet.
• Browser extensions. The browser profile matters; preserve it as found.
• Backup material. Some apps offer cloud backups of seeds (iCloud, Google Drive). If recovery material or a wallet backup is stored via a cloud service, treat that backup as sensitive material. Who can technically decrypt the content depends on the wallet backup, encryption settings and cloud provider; first establish how the specific backup is secured.
• 2FA. The app may sit behind an authenticator or backup codes. See 2FA and wallet access after a death.

What to do with it

• The app is not automatically the whole story. Many apps restore from a recovery phrase, but imported accounts, multiple recovery phrases or specific configurations can require separate material; identify the exact product and account type first.
• When the estate is ready: first determine which wallet was used, then follow that wallet’s recovery procedure. Some wallets can be recovered with a recovery phrase. Others need, for example, an account, password, passkey, backup file or other recovery details.
• The classic mistake: unlocking the found device carelessly, letting it sync or update, or assuming the app itself is the asset.
• If important recovery details are missing: do not conclude straight away that the crypto is lost. What options remain depends on the wallet used and what is still available. See wallet recovery for what is realistically possible.
• Until authority is confirmed, preserve the device and do not unlock it repeatedly.

The app is gone, are the funds gone too?

Not necessarily. Whether the wallet can be fully recovered without the original app depends on the product and account type; a recovery phrase usually restores the associated deterministic accounts, but imported accounts, multiple recovery phrases, hardware-wallet accounts, wallet-specific configuration or other recovery mechanisms may require separate material. Preserve the original device and the app/configuration until it is established that all relevant accounts are safely reconstructed. If the app no longer exists and the phrase is missing, read what is realistically possible in wallet recovery.

If the app no longer exists, do not download it from random websites or app stores, fake versions of discontinued wallets are common. Restore the wallet with compatible software you can verify, or with someone who knows what they are doing.

What happens next

1. Identify which apps exist and what they protect, the general flow is in what did you find.
2. Preserve devices and record only that the apps exist.
3. Confirm legal authority before anything is opened, see legal authority vs technical access.

For the full index of formats, see the wallet format library.