As more people enter the cryptocurrency market, there has been an explosion of high-quality self-custodial wallet applications. Although software wallets aren’t as hack-proof as hardware wallets like KeepKey or Ledger, they are convenient and secure ways for people to take ownership of their digital assets. Plus, most of today’s top-rated software crypto wallets are free to download on desktop and mobile devices.
The Guarda Wallet is one example of a highly versatile and popular multi-blockchain software crypto wallet. Many beginners praise Guarda Wallet for its intuitive interface, simple set-up process, and bonus features like in-app crypto staking. Unlike many competing software wallets, Guarda never shows the secret mnemonic seed phrase to wallet users. Instead, the Guarda Wallet team chose to give each user a “master private key” that is encrypted with the user’s password. This makes it easier for people to store and remember this crucial information. Everyone who uses the Guarda Wallet also receives a backup file if they ever need to restore their account.
Whether you’re considering downloading the Guarda Wallet or already have an account, this guide will answer all the basic questions about setting up and using the Guarda app. We’ll also run through a few basic troubleshooting scenarios so you know how to recover your Guarda Wallet.
What Is the Guarda Crypto Wallet?
The Guarda Wallet is a software crypto wallet that works on desktop and mobile settings. When Paul Sokolov launched Guarda in 2017, this wallet only worked within Ethereum’s ecosystem. However, as Guarda’s popularity grew, it has become a multi-blockchain wallet capable of storing over 10,000 coins and tokens. In addition to Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens, Guarda Wallet users can store many prominent virtual currencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Dogecoin.
Guarda users can purchase crypto directly with a credit or debit card or apply for Guarda’s prepaid Visa card. Guarda users also have the option to swap dozens of cryptocurrencies on the Guarda Wallet thanks to its integration with the exchange ChangeNOW. Thirdly, Guarda supports staking dozens of cryptocurrencies so investors can earn interest on their favorite projects. A few coins and tokens now available for staking rewards on Guarda include Ethereum, Cosmos, Cardano, and Tezos.
For even more security, Guarda Wallet integrates with the hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger. Anyone who has a Ledger device can link it to their PC, open their Guarda account, and select the “Connect” button near the Ledger icon. Simply choose any of the cryptocurrencies listed on your screen to connect your Ledger account to your Guarda Wallet. Currently, Guarda supports the following digital assets through its Ledger connect feature:
- Bitcoin
- Ethereum
- Binance Coin
- Ethereum Classic
- Litecoin
- Callisto
Setting Up a New Guarda Wallet: A Step-by-Step Guide
The first step to creating a new Guarda account is to visit thewallet’s main website at www.guarda.com. On Guarda’s homepage, you’ll find a bright “Create Wallet” button leading you through the straightforward set-up process. According to Guarda’s website, you can download this wallet on any of the following desktop and mobile systems:
- MacOS
- iOS
- Windows
- Debian
- Linux
- Android
- Chrome extension
- AppGallery
- Ubuntu
Once you’ve chosen your preferred operating system, Guarda will prompt you to create a password for your new wallet. The password you choose will automatically link to your wallet’s encrypted private key, which serves as the “master private key” for all of the crypto in your Guarda account. The master private key in your Guarda Wallet gives you complete control over the cryptocurrencies in your account, so it’s extremely important to keep it secure. Guarda asks new users to take their time creating a strong password and to write it down before moving on to the next step.
After writing down your password, your Guarda Wallet will supply you with a “backup file” in a TXT format. As the name suggests, the backup file contains the necessary information on your private keys, and you can use it to recover your Guarda Wallet. Download your backup file and store it in a safe place, such as an encrypted USB drive.
Once you have your secret passphrase and backup file in secure places, your Guarda Wallet should be ready for transferring, storing, staking, and purchasing cryptocurrencies. If you have any issues creating a Guarda Wallet account, consider contacting a Guarda customer care member via their official Contacts page.
How Do You Recover Crypto From a Lost Guarda Wallet?
As mentioned above, each Guarda wallet has two vital pieces of information:
- Password
- Backup file
If you break your phone or computer and need to re-download your Guarda Wallet, first visit Guarda’s official website and click either “Create Wallet” or “Sign In.” Instead of creating a new Guarda account, select “Restore or Import” to recover your lost Guarda account. On this page, you must place your backup file in the provided field and type your password. After you click the “Restore” button, your old Guarda account should appear on your computer screen or mobile device.
Can’t Get Into Your Guarda Wallet? Reach Out to ReWallet!
If you’re having difficulty recovering your Guarda Wallet, there may be ways ReWallet’s team can help you get into your account. For instance, if you have an incorrect passphrase or a corrupted backup file, it’s still possible to restore a Guarda Wallet. The only instance where ReWallet can’t help clients is if they’ve misplaced their backup file.
Anyone struggling to recover crypto in their Guarda Wallet should consider contacting professional wallet recovery services like ReWallet to assess their individual situation. After reading about your situation, an expert from ReWallet’s team will let you know what’s going on with your wallet and the best way to move forward.