#Safepal tutorial. How to Reconnect SafePal to a New Phone: S1, S1 Pro & X1

How to reconnect SafePal to a new phone if you have installed SafePal App but your usual wallet and balances are missing? The process is different for SafePal S1, S1 Pro, and X1, but you do not need to enter your seed phrase into the app.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to reconnect SafePal S1 and S1 Pro using QR codes, how to pair SafePal X1 over Bluetooth, what to do if you use a passphrase, what happens to the old phone, and how to fix the most common issues after switching devices.

What stays on your phone — and what stays on SafePal S1

SafePal S1 works without Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC. During normal use with SafePal App, data is exchanged between the phone and the hardware wallet through QR codes: the app prepares the transaction data, S1 signs it offline, and the phone broadcasts the signed transaction to the network.

Your private keys and seed phrase remain on the hardware wallet. SafePal App uses the public information it needs to manage the wallet, such as addresses, balances, and transaction history. That is why your funds do not disappear when you install the app on a new phone — the new app simply has not been paired with your S1 yet.

Changing phones does not require resetting SafePal S1 or restoring the wallet from the seed phrase. You only need to pair the hardware wallet with SafePal App again.

What you need before you start

Before you reconnect SafePal to a new phone, have the hardware wallet, its PIN, and the latest version of SafePal App ready.

• A SafePal S1 or S1 Pro with enough battery charge.
• The PIN for the hardware wallet.
• Your passphrase, if you use one.
• A new phone with the latest version of SafePal App installed from the official SafePal website.
• Good lighting without strong reflections on the phone screen, which makes QR scanning easier for the S1 camera.

The biggest mistake: do not enter your seed phrase into SafePal App

When you open SafePal App on a new phone for the first time, it lets you create a new software wallet, restore an existing one, or add a hardware wallet. If you are reconnecting SafePal S1, choose the hardware wallet option.

If you import the same seed phrase that is stored on your S1 into the app, you create a software wallet with access to the same private keys. From that point on, the seed phrase can no longer be treated as something that has existed only in a cold environment.

The correct approach is to add a Hardware Wallet and complete the QR-code pairing process. Your seed phrase is never entered during this process.

How to reconnect SafePal to a new phone: S1 and S1 Pro

If you want to know how to reconnect SafePal to a new phone with an S1 or S1 Pro, the process is the same on both models: first the hardware wallet scans a QR code from the phone, then SafePal App scans a sequence of dynamic QR codes from the device screen.

1. Install SafePal App and complete the initial setup. The app will ask you to create a local Security Password. You can also enable biometrics or a pattern lock if you want. These settings belong to the new phone and do not need to match the old one.
2. Add a hardware wallet. In SafePal App, choose the option to add a Hardware Wallet rather than creating or restoring a Software Wallet.
3. Start the pairing process. After you confirm the Security Password, the app will display a QR code. Open the scanner on S1 and scan the code shown on the phone.
4. Confirm on the S1. The device will ask for your PIN. Once confirmed, S1 will begin displaying dynamic QR codes.
5. Scan the codes with your phone. Continue in SafePal App, open the phone camera, and keep it pointed at the S1 screen until the synchronization is complete.
6. Check the wallet in the app. Once pairing is complete, the hardware wallet will appear in SafePal App and the app will be able to load the wallet’s addresses, balances, and transaction history from the blockchain.

If an asset does not appear immediately, that does not mean anything has happened to it. First make sure you have opened the correct wallet and selected the correct network, then check the asset list in SafePal App if needed.

If you use a passphrase

A passphrase in SafePal is not a regular password for an existing wallet. The same seed phrase combined with different passphrases creates separate, independent wallets with different addresses. Passphrases are case-sensitive and can contain letters, numbers, and symbols.

When you pair the device, SafePal App connects to whichever wallet is active on S1 at that moment. Before setting up the new phone, activate the correct passphrase wallet on the hardware device first.

1. On S1, go to Settings → Passphrase → Set Passphrase.
2. Confirm that you want to use a passphrase and enter the device PIN.
3. Enter the passphrase exactly as you used it before, including capitalization, symbols, and spaces.
4. Make sure the expected wallet is active on the device.
5. Only then start pairing the wallet with SafePal App.

To connect the main wallet without a passphrase as well, return to Settings → Passphrase → Set Passphrase, choose No when asked whether to use a passphrase, enter the PIN, and repeat the pairing process.

What to check after pairing

Verify an address

In SafePal App, open the receive screen for a supported asset and compare the address with the one shown under Asset Management → Receive on the S1. The addresses should match.

Run a small test transaction if needed

If you want an extra check after moving to the new phone, send a small test transaction. When sending funds, rely first and foremost on the details confirmed by the hardware wallet itself: the recipient address, network, and amount.

SafePal X1: pairing over Bluetooth

How to reconnect SafePal to a new phone if you use an X1? Unlike S1 and S1 Pro, SafePal X1 connects over Bluetooth, so you need to pair it with SafePal App again on the new phone.

1. In SafePal App, open Hardware Wallet and select SafePal X1.
2. Tap Start Connection and enter the app’s Security Password.
3. Turn on X1 and make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the device.
4. Select your X1 from the list of available devices and confirm the pairing request in the app.
5. Press OK on the X1 itself to confirm the connection.

If X1 does not appear on Android, check the system permissions granted to SafePal App for discovering nearby Bluetooth devices. Depending on the Android version, the app may also request a location-related permission for device scanning.

If the old phone is nearby and still paired with X1, it is a good idea to turn off Bluetooth on that phone while setting up the new one so it does not reconnect automatically.

What to do with the old phone

SafePal S1 can be paired with more than one phone. Connecting it to a new phone does not automatically remove the old one.

• You are selling or giving the phone away. Remove the wallet data from the app and perform a full factory reset of the phone.
• You are keeping the phone as a backup. You can leave it paired as long as the phone is secure and remains under your control.
• The phone has been lost or stolen. The phone by itself cannot sign transactions for S1 without the physical hardware wallet and its PIN. However, access to an unlocked SafePal App may reveal wallet addresses, balances, and transaction history, which creates a privacy risk.

If you no longer have the old phone

You do not need the old phone to reconnect S1. If the SafePal S1 is still with you and you know the PIN, install SafePal App on the new phone and repeat the pairing process described above.

It is a different situation if the hardware wallet itself is lost. In that case, you will need the seed phrase to restore access.

• You can restore the wallet on a new SafePal S1, S1 Pro, or X1 during the device’s initial setup.
• You can use another compatible hardware wallet that supports BIP39 as well as the networks and recovery settings you need.

Restoring the same seed phrase in a software wallet on a phone will technically work, but the key should no longer be considered cold afterward. If you have to do this in an emergency, create a new secure wallet once you regain access and move the assets to new addresses.

Common problems

QR codes will not scan

Increase the phone screen brightness, clean the S1 camera, reduce strong reflections, and adjust the distance between the devices. When scanning dynamic QR codes, keep both the phone and S1 steady until the process is complete.

The wallet is connected, but the balance is zero

Start by checking the passphrase: you may have paired the main wallet instead of the hidden wallet, or vice versa. Then check the asset network. For example, USDT on TRC20 and USDT on ERC20 are on different networks, so make sure you are viewing the version that actually holds your funds.

The asset you need is not shown on S1

You can add coins to Asset Management through SafePal App and then synchronize the changes between the phone and S1 using QR codes. For tokens, it is often enough to add the native asset of the relevant network to the device. For example, once TRX is added, S1 can sign transactions involving TRC20 tokens, including USDT on Tron.

SafePal S1 firmware is out of date

SafePal S1 firmware is not updated from the phone. Download the firmware to a computer from the official SafePal firmware page after entering the device serial number.

1. Check the S1 serial number and current firmware version.
2. Download the latest firmware file from the official SafePal website.
3. Make sure the file is named upgrade.bin. If your browser has added “(1)”, “(2)”, or similar text to the filename, rename it.
4. Connect S1 to your computer and manually enter Upgrade Mode. The device should appear as a virtual drive.
5. Copy upgrade.bin to that drive and confirm Upgrade on the S1.

SafePal X1 does not appear over Bluetooth

Check that Bluetooth is enabled on X1, that SafePal App has the required system permissions, and that the old phone is not reconnecting to the wallet automatically. Then try searching for the device again from the Hardware Wallet menu.

What to know about SafePal S1

SafePal S1 is an affordable hardware wallet that signs transactions through QR codes and uses a CC EAL6+ Secure Element. One of its key advantages is that it does not use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC for wallet operation. If you want a similar QR-based workflow in a more premium enclosure, you can also look at SafePal S1 Pro; if you prefer Bluetooth connectivity, see SafePal X1.

The main trade-off is dependence on the SafePal ecosystem. S1 pairs with SafePal App through encrypted QR codes and does not connect directly to Sparrow, Electrum, or other third-party wallet apps in the same way a standard USB or Bluetooth hardware wallet does. If broad third-party software compatibility matters to you, this is worth considering before you buy.

What to do next

Now you know how to reconnect SafePal to a new phone with S1, S1 Pro, and X1. After switching phones, it is worth checking not only the connection itself but also your recovery plan in case the hardware wallet is ever lost.

• make sure your seed phrase is stored offline and does not depend on your phone;
• for long-term storage, consider a durable physical backup for the seed phrase;
• if you use a passphrase, plan a separate and secure way to back it up;
• for larger holdings, consider learning about multisig and building a recovery plan;
• think through how your family could recover the assets in an emergency without weakening your security today.

FAQ: how to reconnect SafePal to a new phone

Do I need my seed phrase to reconnect SafePal to a new phone?

No. If you still have your SafePal S1 or S1 Pro and know the PIN, you can reconnect it by completing the QR-code pairing process. SafePal X1 reconnects over Bluetooth. You do not need to enter your seed phrase into SafePal App.

Do I need the old phone to reconnect SafePal?

No. The old phone is not required. As long as you still have the hardware wallet, install SafePal App on the new phone and pair the wallet again using the appropriate method for your model.

Why does SafePal show a zero balance after reconnecting?

First check whether the correct passphrase wallet is active and whether you are viewing the correct network for the asset. For example, USDT on TRC20 and USDT on ERC20 exist on different networks.

Can SafePal S1 be paired with more than one phone?

Yes. Pairing SafePal S1 with a new phone does not automatically remove the old one. If you are selling or giving away the old phone, remove the wallet data and factory-reset the device first.

Does SafePal X1 connect the same way as S1 and S1 Pro?

No. SafePal S1 and S1 Pro use QR codes, while SafePal X1 connects to SafePal App over Bluetooth.