Skip to content

How to Clone or Migrate a COLDCARD

Introduction#

Copying the data for your existing COLDCARD® onto a new one is a quick and painless process. Use a MicroSD card to easily transfer your seed words and settings to an additional COLDCARD.

What Doesn't Transfer#

Please be aware of what is not transferrable from one COLDCARD to another:

  • PIN - Yes, you can reuse your PIN, but that doesn't mean you should. The empty COLDCARD's PIN has no connection to the source COLDCARD's PIN.
  • Anti-phishing words - These are generated using a combination of properties unique to the individual device and its PIN prefix.
  • Nickname - A source COLDCARD with a nickname does not transfer that nickname when cloned.
  • Passphrases - Your source COLDCARD does not store your passphrase(s), so your new clone does not receive any information about them. You can, of course, apply your passphrase(s) as usual after cloning.

Instructions#

What You'll Need#

  • Two COLDCARDs:
  • The source COLDCARD you want to clone
  • The new, empty COLDCARD to become a clone of the source
  • Two power sources with micro USB connectors, such as:
  • micro USB cables (power-only preferred) OR COLDPOWER™ adaptors attached to 9 V batteries
  • 1 MicroSD card, 32 GB maximum capacity (Industrial Grade preferred)

NOTE: If you use a quick-connect magnetic USB cable, like our Power-Only USB Cable, make sure the COLDCARD and cable are placed on a flat surface to prevent accidental power disconnection during this process. The empty COLDCARD must stay connected to power until cloning is complete.

What You'll Do#

Already verified the bag number, set up your PIN, and recorded your PIN and anti-phishing words? Jump to the next section.

Prepare the Empty COLDCARD#

  1. Connect the empty COLDCARD to power. The COLDCARD will start and display this message:
By using this product, you are accepting our Terms of Sale and Use.

Read the full document at:

https://coldcardwallet.com/legal

Press OK to accept terms and continue.
  1. Press OK to continue.
  2. Read the message, verify the number shown on the top of the screen matches the number printed on your empty COLDCARD's bag, and press OK.
  3. Select Choose PIN Code when the main menu appears.
  4. Read the message explaining the PIN, press OK when you reach the bottom of the page.
  5. Read the next message that appears and follow the instruction to continue.
  6. Enter the first half (prefix) of your empty COLDCARD's PIN; press OK when finished.
  7. Your anti-phishing words are shown, write them down, and then press OK.
  8. Re-enter your PIN prefix to confirm.
  9. Enter the second half (suffix) of your PIN and press OK.

The empty COLDCARD saves your PIN and displays the main menu.

Prepare the MicroSD Card#

The empty COLDCARD starts the cloning process.

  1. Make sure your empty COLDCARD will have continuous power until the process is finished.
  2. Enter the PIN for the empty COLDCARD.
  3. From the main menu, select Advanced > File Management > Clone Coldcard and read the message displayed.
  4. Insert the MicroSD card in the empty COLDCARD and press OK. A file will be written to the MicroSD card. This file is the key the source COLDCARD needs to encrypt the cloning information.
  5. Another message will display when the file is written. The message reminds you to keep the empty COLDCARD turned on while using the source COLDCARD for the next part of the process.
  6. Remove the MicroSD card from the empty COLDCARD.

DO NOT disconnect the empty COLDCARD from power. Keep the empty COLDCARD turned on.

Save the Source COLDCARD's Data#

  1. Connect the source COLDCARD to power and log in normally.
  2. Insert the MicroSD card from the empty COLDCARD to the source COLDCARD.
  3. From the main menu, select Advanced > File Management > Clone Coldcard. The source COLDCARD will immediately encrypt the needed data and show a message when complete.

You may disconnect the source COLDCARD from power after the file is saved.

Load the Cloned Data on the Empty COLDCARD#

  • Make sure the empty COLDCARD is still displaying the message:
Keep power on this Coldcard, and take MicroSD card to source Coldcard.
Select Advanced > MicroSD > Clone Coldcard to write to card.
Bring that card back and press OK to complete clone process.
  • Remove the MicroSD card from the source COLDCARD.
  • Insert the MicroSD card into the empty COLDCARD and press OK. When the cloning is complete, you'll see:
Success! Everything has been successfully restored.

We must now reboot to install the updated settings and seed.
  • Press OK. Your new COLDCARD clone will reboot.
  • Log in to your new COLDCARD clone and enjoy!

Verify the Clone#

While the two COLDCARDs are near each other, you can easily verify both devices are using the same seed.

  1. Make sure both COLDCARDs are connected to power, and log in to each device.
  2. Select Advanced > View Identity on both devices.
  3. Compare the 8-character Master Key Fingerprint (XFP) shown on each screen.

Matching fingerprints shows both COLDCARDs have the same identity. You can be confident the cloning was successful.