# Does the No-Radio firmware reduce Jade's entropy? Source URL: https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/does-the-no-radio-firmware-reduce-jades-entropy Updated: 2026-08-03T13:25:35.000Z Category: Blockstream Jade Section: FAQs --- No. Both firmware variants generate recovery phrases with the same strength of randomness. A wallet created on the No-Radio firmware is exactly as secure as one created on the standard firmware. ## Why the question comes up Jade's built-in hardware random number generator draws on several noise sources, and one of them is the radio hardware used for Bluetooth. Because the No-Radio firmware removes Bluetooth support, some users assume it must also produce weaker randomness. It does not, because of how the No-Radio firmware handles the radio hardware at boot. ## How the No-Radio firmware keeps full entropy The No-Radio firmware removes the drivers Jade would need to communicate wirelessly; the radio hardware itself is still on the board. During boot, Jade briefly samples raw electrical noise from that hardware and adds it to the entropy pool, using an ESP32 function called bootloader\_random\_enable(). The device cannot pair, connect, or transmit on this firmware at any point; the radio hardware is read only briefly during boot, as a noise source. From there, both firmware variants work identically. Jade keeps mixing entropy from several independent sources and sensors, including the timing of your button presses, into an accumulator modeled on the one Bitcoin Core uses, re-hashed with SHA-512 every time entropy is requested. Every request draws a full 256 bits of entropy from this pool, on either firmware variant. The implementation is public in [main/random.c](https://github.com/Blockstream/Jade/blob/master/main/random.c), including the boot-time radio sampling used by the No-Radio firmware. For the full list of sources, see [How does Jade generate my recovery phrase?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/how-does-jade-generate-my-recovery-phrase) ## Using the Blockstream app adds another source When you set up Jade with the Blockstream app, the app contributes additional entropy from your phone or computer. Mixing in another source can only increase the randomness in the pool; it can never weaken it. This holds regardless of which firmware variant you run. ## Related articles - [Disable Bluetooth](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/add-more-security-functionality/disable-bluetooth) Navigation: Blockstream Help Center > Blockstream Jade > Does the No-Radio firmware reduce Jade's entropy? ## Related Articles in This Section - [How does Jade protect my recovery phrase with a blind oracle?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/how-does-jade-protect-my-recovery-phrase-with-a-blind-oracle) - [Why doesn't Jade have a secure element?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/why-doesnt-jade-have-a-secure-element) - [Jade security model FAQs](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/jade-security-model-faqs) - [Blockstream Jade vs Blockstream App](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/blockstream-jade-vs-blockstream-app) - [How does a passphrase work on Jade?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/how-does-a-passphrase-work-on-jade) - [How does Jade generate my recovery phrase?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/how-does-jade-generate-my-recovery-phrase) - [How do I set up a wallet-erase PIN?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/how-do-i-set-up-a-wallet-erase-pin) - [What is Anti-Exfil and how does it work?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/what-is-anti-exfil-and-how-does-it-work) - [What is a SeedQR?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/what-is-a-seedqr) - [What is exporting a child key from Jade?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/what-is-exporting-a-child-key-from-jade) - [What is the wallet ID shown on the Jade home screen?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/what-is-the-wallet-id-shown-on-the-jade-home-screen) - [Should I export the master blinding key?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/should-i-export-the-master-blinding-key) - [Blockstream Jade Quickstart Guide for iOS](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/blockstream-jade-quickstart-guide-for-ios) - [Blockstream Jade Quickstart Guide for Android](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/blockstream-jade-quickstart-guide-for-android) - [Blockstream Jade Quickstart Guide for Desktop](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/blockstream-jade-quickstart-guide-for-desktop) - [How do Lightning accounts work with my Jade?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/how-do-lightning-accounts-work-with-my-jade) - [Which Xpub Export settings should I use?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/which-xpub-export-settings-should-i-use) - [Does the No-Radio firmware reduce Jade's entropy?](https://help.blockstream.com/blockstream-jade/faqs/does-the-no-radio-firmware-reduce-jades-entropy) (current)