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What is a Trezor hidden wallet?
What is a Trezor hidden wallet?

Trezor hidden wallets are an extra security feature. Connect your Trezor to Exodus Desktop to enable and see your Trezor hidden wallets.

Updated over a week ago

Learn more about Trezor hidden wallets and passphrases.

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In this article:


What is a Trezor hidden wallet?

Trezor hidden wallets are an extra security feature. It is possible to have multiple hidden wallets on the same Trezor by using passphrases.


How are hidden wallets generated?

Hidden wallets are generated by combining a passphrase and your Trezor's secret recovery phrase. This creates an entirely new wallet with unique addresses and private keys. Every time you want to connect to a hidden wallet, you must correctly enter its passphrase.

This creates an extra layer of security because, in addition to the secret recovery phrase, you will need the passphrase to access your hidden wallet. It also allows you to have multiple wallets on the same Trezor by using different passphrases for each wallet.


Why is the passphrase so important?

Creating a hidden wallet can be risky because you will have to keep both the secret recovery phrase and the passphrase safe. Accessing your hidden wallet will not be possible if you lose either the passphrase or the secret recovery phrase.

When you enter a passphrase, you must enter it exactly the same each time to access your hidden wallet. If you mistype your passphrase, your Trezor will combine the mistyped passphrase with your secret recovery phrase to create another entirely new wallet.

If you don't unlock a hidden wallet when you connect your Trezor to Exodus, you will enter your standard wallet. Your standard wallet doesn't have a passphrase.

For more information on how to troubleshoot hidden wallets, see: How do I troubleshoot Trezor hidden wallets?


How do hidden wallets work in Exodus?

In Exodus, if you have enabled passphrases on your Trezor device, you can select whether you want to access your standard Trezor wallet, unlock your hidden wallet, or create a new hidden wallet by entering a new passphrase.

If you use hidden wallets, you must always have access to the passphrase. If you forget or lose the passphrase, it will not be possible to access the hidden wallet, and you will not be able to access the funds in it.

If you lose or forget your hidden wallet's passphrase, it is impossible to recover it. Please only use a Trezor hidden wallet if you are confident you won't lose or forget its passphrase.

Please note that when you enter the passphrase, you must enter it correctly, exactly as when you created the hidden wallet. The passphrase is case-sensitive, and spaces are also valid characters. For example, this means the passphrases "crypto wallet", "Crypto Wallet", "CryptoWallet", and "cryptowallet" would all create a different hidden wallet.

If you have trouble connecting to your hidden wallet with Exodus, go to: How do I troubleshoot Trezor hidden wallets?

You can read more about hidden wallets on Trezor's website.


How do I enable or disable passphrases?

You can enable or disable your Trezor's passphrase feature in Exodus Desktop.

It is crucial to ensure you will never lose your passphrase. Only the correct passphrase can give you access to your hidden wallet. If you forget or lose the passphrase, it is impossible to access your hidden wallet and the funds in it.

  1. In Exodus, a) click the Settings icon, then b) click Devices. Next, c) click the menu icon next to your Trezor, then click d) Enable Passphrase.

  2. You will be asked if you want to enable passphrase protection on your Trezor device. Tap the green checkmark on your Trezor Model T touchscreen, or tap the Confirm checkmark on your Trezor Model One to confirm.


  3. To disable passphrases, a) click the Settings icon, then b) click Devices. Next, c) click the menu icon next to your Trezor, then click d) Disable Passphrase.


How do I connect to a hidden wallet in Exodus?

When you connect your Trezor to Exodus Desktop, if your Trezor device has enabled passphrases, you can select whether to access your standard Trezor wallet or unlock your hidden wallet.

If you choose to unlock your hidden wallet, you will be asked to enter a passphrase. Each different passphrase will result in a unique hidden wallet.

  1. Open your Exodus Desktop wallet, connect your Trezor with Exodus, and unlock your Trezor by entering your PIN code on the Trezor screen. Then click Unlock Hidden Wallet.

  2. a) Enter the passphrase, then b) click Unlock. Exodus will pair with the hidden wallet associated with the passphrase you entered. c) Clicking the eye icon will reveal your passphrase so you can check it's been entered correctly.

    It is important to enter the passphrase correctly. Your Trezor will create a different hidden wallet if an incorrect passphrase is entered. For more information, visit: Why does my Trezor create a new wallet when I enter my passphrase?

  3. Next, confirm on your Trezor that you want to access the hidden wallet.

  4. Click Connect. This will add your Trezor hidden wallet to Exodus as a portfolio.

And done! Whenever you want to access the funds in the hidden wallet, you need to connect the Trezor to Exodus and enter the correct passphrase. Make sure that you always have access to your passphrase so you can always access the hidden wallet.


What is a Trezor standard wallet, and how do I connect to it?

The Trezor standard wallet is the wallet on your Trezor generated from the secret recovery phrase. As the standard wallet does not use a passphrase, it is not a hidden wallet.

If you always want Exodus to connect to your standard wallet, you can disable passphrases: How do I enable or disable passphrases?

If you have passphrases enabled on your Trezor device, Exodus will ask if you want to connect to your standard wallet or hidden wallet. Here's how you can access your Trezor standard wallet if you have passphrases enabled:

  1. Connect your Trezor to Exodus Desktop, and unlock your Trezor by entering your PIN on the Trezor screen. Exodus will prompt you to select if you want to connect a hidden wallet or your standard wallet. To connect to your standard wallet, click Continue.

  2. Click Connect to open your Trezor standard wallet as an Exodus portfolio.


How do I troubleshoot Trezor hidden wallets?

This section will go through the most common issues when using hidden wallets.


Why does my Trezor create a new wallet when I enter my passphrase?

If your Trezor creates a new wallet after entering the passphrase instead of connecting to your existing Trezor portfolio, it means the passphrase you entered is incorrect or misspelled.

When you enter a passphrase to access a hidden wallet, your Trezor will combine the secret recovery phrase stored on the Trezor with the passphrase entered and then connect to the wallet generated from that combination.

Your Trezor can't tell if the passphrase you entered is correct. Your Trezor will always generate a wallet based on the secret recovery phrase and the passphrase combination.

For example, if you created a hidden wallet by entering the passphrase "test" (all lower case), you need to enter this exactly the next time you want to connect to that hidden wallet. If you enter the passphrase "Test" (capital T), you will create an entirely new hidden wallet.

Only the correct passphrase can give you access to your hidden wallet. If you forget or lose the passphrase, it is impossible to access your hidden wallet and the funds in it. If you use hidden wallets, it is crucial to ensure you will never lose your passphrase.

In Exodus, you can easily see what portfolio your Trezor is connected to. The portfolio connected to your Trezor will have a green icon next to the portfolio name, as illustrated in the picture below:

For more information on how hidden wallets works, go to the section: What is a Trezor hidden wallet?

If your Trezor does not connect to any portfolios when you pair it with Exodus, visit our troubleshooting guide: Exodus does not connect with my Trezor.


Why is my send button greyed out?

If the Send button is greyed out, your Trezor is not connected to that portfolio. There can be multiple reasons why your Trezor is not connected to Exodus. Let's go through how to identify what might be causing the connection issue.

  1. First, open your Exodus wallet and click the Portfolio icon.

  2. Connect your Trezor with Exodus, then unlock the Trezor by entering the PIN code on your Trezor. When your Trezor is connected, check if one of your Trezor portfolios has a green logo next to it, as illustrated below. The green logo shows you which portfolio the Trezor is connected to.

  3. What do you see when connecting the Trezor?

    • I do not see any green logo next to any of my Trezor portfolios.

      • This could indicate that the Trezor has an issue connecting or communicating with the Exodus app.

      • For more help on how to troubleshoot a Trezor that does not connect to Exodus, visit: Exodus does not connect with my Trezor

    • My Trezor asks for a passphrase. After entering the passphrase, I am connected to a different portfolio.


Why does Exodus ask for a passphrase when I have never used one?

If you have connected your Trezor with other wallets, such as Trezor Suite, there is a chance that the other wallet has enabled the optional hidden wallet feature.

If you always want Exodus to connect to your standard wallet, you can disable passphrases. When passphrases are disabled, Exodus will not prompt you to choose between unlocking a hidden wallet or the standard wallet. For a guide on how to disable passphrases, go to: How do I enable or disable passphrases?

If you wish to keep the passphrase feature enabled, you can connect to your standard wallet by following the steps in the guide: What is a Trezor standard wallet, and how do I connect to it?

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