Introducing Cloud Backups
We’re pleased to announce the integration of Cloud Backups for the Blockchain.com Wallet, solving the age-old catch-22: how to make controlling your money both easy and secure.
Non-custodial wallets have always been a unique feature of crypto. They allow complete user sovereignty by ensuring that only those who control the private keys have access to an account. But while controlling your money is powerful, it can make crypto wallets much harder to use than traditional financial accounts. For instance, if a user accidentally logs out or loses their password (and secret recovery phrase), they lose access to their funds… Forever.
After years of using internet accounts for banks and email providers, users are often blindsided by this reality. We don’t enjoy explaining to people in their moment of distress that we can’t help them recover their funds.
So we thought there must be a better way. Where we can ensure that Blockchain.com users both maintain full control of their funds AND have an easier way of getting back into their account — without having to create a system to save and store a secret recovery phrase.
So we’re proud to announce that we’ve created an easy and secure backup via iCloud and Google Drive that seamlessly upgrades the wallet experience for iPhone and Android users.
The details
How does it work?
When you log into your wallet, we create an encrypted backup of your wallet on your personal iCloud or Google Drive account to make recovery easier. This feature is available only on our mobile apps and is turned on by default. Check that you have device backups turned on and an Apple or Google account to ensure that you can recover your wallet if you lose your backup phrase or device.
If you delete your wallet app or get a new device and want to regain access to your funds, all you have to do is redownload the app and input your PIN to restore your wallet.
Your Blockchain wallet backup will not change how much storage space you have remaining on your Google Drive or iCloud accounts.
The cloud restore feature only works on devices using the same operating system. Android only supports this feature when Google Play services are enabled.
How does this keep my funds secure?
All of the security features of your non-custodial wallet remain the same. The encrypted backup we create for your iCloud/Google Drive account does not provide access to your wallet to either your cloud provider (Apple or Google) or to Blockchain.com. As long as you keep your private wallet information and cloud account secure, only you can access your wallet and funds.
Cloud backups are designed to make wallet recovery easier in the event that you switch mobile devices, delete the wallet app, or lose your wallet password and/or 12-word backup phrase.
Can I opt-out of backing up my wallet?
We recommend keeping cloud backups enabled to ensure you never lose access to your funds. However, if you wish to opt-out of cloud backups, you can do so within your wallet settings.
If you opt-out of cloud backups, or if you do not have device backups enabled on your device, we strongly recommend you write down your 12-word backup phrase and store it securely. Blockchain.com cannot reset or recover wallet passwords or backup phrases, so if you lose your wallet password and do not have your backup phrase, access to your wallet and crypto will be lost.
End-user security is paramount to us. This is just another step in our journey to make crypto easier to use for everyone.
Introducing Cloud Backups was originally published in @blockchain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
