Add optional BIP39 mnemonic seed support for descriptor wallets

realsetvin commented at 11:47 pm on August 9, 2025: none

Ever since Bitcoin Core moved from legacy HD wallets to descriptor wallets, we lost one of the best features: a single, human-readable seed (BIP39-style) that could restore everything.

Right now descriptor wallets are a pain to back up. You’ve got to dump a bunch of long, ugly descriptor strings, and if you ever add a new descriptor you’ve got to back it up again or risk losing access. It’s harder for regular users and even for technical people it’s just more work.

Legacy wallets weren’t perfect, but the 12–24 word seed backup was simple, portable, and nearly impossible to mess up. Descriptor wallets might be the future, but they shouldn’t require a PhD to back up safely.

I’m asking to add an option when creating a descriptor wallet to generate a single master seed (BIP39 or similar) that covers all wallet keys. If you want complex setups with multiple xpubs, fine, but let single-seed wallets be restorable from one backup.

The way it is now, it’s too easy for people to end up with incomplete backups. Descriptor wallets should be better than legacy in every way, not worse in something as basic as backup and restore.

pinheadmz commented at 0:25 am on August 10, 2025: member

The way it is now, it’s too easy for people to end up with incomplete backups.

The problem with seed phrases is exactly this – the backup is incomplete. It does not store any information about the key derivation path or output script (address type).

realsetvin commented at 0:51 am on August 10, 2025: none

The only thing I know for sure its not better, its worse. It should be better. Do we close the issue and accept being the worst version of bitcoin or try to do better?

pinheadmz commented at 1:01 am on August 10, 2025: member

I could give you a 12 word seed phrase and you may never recover the bitcoin because you won’t know the derivation path or output type – endless combinations of brute forcing and generating strings to search the blockchain for. Seeds phrases often don’t work in other wallets because these crucial metadata are not included. If I give you a descriptor there is zero ambiguity at all, the software knows exactly what to do with it in the most efficient way.

I know the seed phrases were cute and easy and user-friendly but I disagree that they are “better” in any other way.

realsetvin commented at 1:09 am on August 10, 2025: none

When a consumer goes into the store to buy a fridge, they dont want a lecture on how the freon works. Just make it work? Or accept defeat. Your choice.

realsetvin commented at 1:10 am on August 10, 2025: none

I could give you a 12 word seed phrase and you may never recover the bitcoin because you won’t know the derivation path or output type – endless combinations of brute forcing and generating strings to search the blockchain for. Seeds phrases often don’t work in other wallets because these crucial metadata are not included. If I give you a descriptor there is zero ambiguity at all, the software knows exactly what to do with it in the most efficient way.

I know the seed phrases were cute and easy and user-friendly but I disagree that they are “better” in any other way.

Have you ever considered the fact that there are people who live outside of your very small tiny bitcoin bubble? Do you want people to use bitcoin - this is a yes or no question.

achow101 commented at 1:12 am on August 10, 2025: member

Ever since Bitcoin Core moved from legacy HD wallets to descriptor wallets, we lost one of the best features: a single, human-readable seed (BIP39-style) that could restore everything.

Seed phrases of any sort (BIP 39, Electrum, etc) were never implemented by Bitcoin Core. Legacy wallets did not support seed phrases.

realsetvin commented at 1:13 am on August 10, 2025: none

Ever since Bitcoin Core moved from legacy HD wallets to descriptor wallets, we lost one of the best features: a single, human-readable seed (BIP39-style) that could restore everything.

Seed phrases of any sort (BIP 39, Electrum, etc) were never implemented by Bitcoin Core. Legacy wallets did not support seed phrases.

im talking about legacy wallets, sorry for the imperfect articulation - thank you for having the ability to use context clues

achow101 commented at 1:15 am on August 10, 2025: member

Duplicate of #19151

achow101 marked this as duplicate on Aug 10, 2025

achow101 closed this on Aug 10, 2025

realsetvin commented at 1:16 am on August 10, 2025: none

Thank you for accepting defeat, have a great night

Add optional BIP39 mnemonic seed support for descriptor wallets #33165