> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://trzorio.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Regain Access When You Forget Your Trezor PIN

> Forgot your Trezor PIN? Learn how to wipe and restore your device using your recovery seed phrase to regain full access to your funds.

If you forget your Trezor PIN, there is no way to reset or bypass it directly — that's by design, and it's what makes Trezor secure. Instead, you wipe the device to return it to factory state, then restore your wallet using your recovery seed phrase. Your funds are never locked inside the device itself; they live on the blockchain and can be accessed again the moment you complete the restore.

<Warning>
  You must have your recovery seed phrase to restore your wallet after wiping. Without it, your funds are permanently inaccessible. Before wiping your device, make absolutely sure your seed phrase backup is complete, legible, and within reach.
</Warning>

## How PIN Wipe Works

Trezor is built with a brute-force protection mechanism. After **16 consecutive incorrect PIN entries**, the device automatically wipes itself and returns to factory settings. Each wrong guess introduces a time delay that grows exponentially, making rapid guessing impractical. If you know you've forgotten your PIN entirely and want to skip directly to recovery, you can also trigger a manual wipe through the device settings without entering incorrect PINs repeatedly.

## Steps to Regain Access

<Steps>
  <Step title="Wipe the device">
    You have two options to wipe your Trezor:

    * **Automatic wipe** — Enter the wrong PIN 16 times. The device will wipe itself after the final failed attempt.
    * **Manual wipe** — In Trezor Suite, go to **Settings → Device → Factory Reset** and confirm the action. This is faster and avoids the PIN delay penalties.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for the device to reset">
    After the wipe is triggered, your Trezor will clear all stored wallet data and restart to factory state. The screen will display the initial welcome and setup prompt, exactly as it did when the device was new.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Restore your wallet from your recovery seed">
    Follow the full restoration process to reload your wallet. Select **Recover wallet** in the setup wizard, choose your seed length and recovery type, then enter your seed words on the device screen. See [Restore Your Wallet](/recovery/restore-wallet) for step-by-step instructions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set a new PIN">
    After your seed is verified and your wallet is restored, you'll be prompted to set a new PIN. Choose something memorable but not obvious. Avoid birthdays, sequential numbers, or anything someone close to you could guess.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Use a **PIN hint** — a personal phrase or clue that only you understand — to help remember your PIN without writing it down in plain sight. For example, a phrase that encodes the digits in a way meaningful only to you. Just make sure the hint itself doesn't reveal the PIN to anyone else.
</Tip>

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Will wiping the device delete my crypto?">
    No. Wiping your Trezor only removes the wallet data stored on the device — it does not touch your funds. Your cryptocurrency exists on the blockchain, not on the hardware itself. As long as you have your recovery seed phrase, you can restore full access to your accounts and balances on any compatible device.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if I also lost my seed phrase?">
    Unfortunately, if you have forgotten your PIN and also lost your recovery seed phrase, there is no way to recover your funds. Trezor is a self-custody solution — no company, support team, or third party holds a copy of your keys. This is why creating a durable, secure backup of your seed phrase at the time of wallet setup is so critical. If you still have access to your device via the PIN, back up your seed immediately before it's too late.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>