Writing Recovery Instructions Your Spouse Can Follow
Principles for recovery documents that work when you are unavailable and the reader has no technical background.
The Recovery Documentation Review exists because well-intentioned holders write instructions only they can understand.
Start with a Map, Not a Manual
Page one should be a physical map: “In the study safe, envelope labelled BLUE, you will find…” No jargon on this page. No BIP39. No xpub. Just locations and labels that match what actually exists.
One Action Per Step
“Import the seed into a compatible wallet application” assumes the reader knows what a seed is. Instead: “Open the app called BlueWallet on the iPad in the kitchen drawer. Tap ‘Import.’ Type the 24 words from the steel plate in the BLUE envelope, one word per box.”
Name a Human
Include contact details for one person who can assist — your attorney, a technically literate sibling, or a professional reviewer like our firm. The reader should never feel alone with a screen full of error messages.
Test It
Hand the document to someone who knows nothing about bitcoin. Ask them to read it aloud and point to each referenced object in your home. Every pause, question, or wrong drawer is a revision opportunity.
Keep Versions
Date every revision. Store the current version in two locations. Destroy outdated copies that reference retired devices or moved storage spots.