Blockstream Jade's camera allows for fully air-gapped communications with a companion app. This means that instead of passing messages between Jade and your companion app using USB or Bluetooth, your devices can communicate by scanning QR codes from each other's screen. This allows users to have physical control over when data is sent or received, which can provide an improvement in security and compatibility.
Access Options
Before proceeding with an air-gapped setup of Blockstream Jade, it is helpful to understand each access option:
- QR PIN Unlock: During initialization, Jade will save your encrypted wallet data to the device and allow it to be conveniently accessible via PIN. In order to unlock your Jade, you will need to perform a QR PIN Unlock to decrypt the keys. This security model makes Jade unique from other hardware wallets because there is nothing of value to steal from a locked Jade by itself, while still being easy to access with a 6-digit PIN.
- SeedQR: A QR code representation of your recovery phrase can be hand-drawn and scanned by Jade each time you want to load keys to your device. This method is faster than entering a PIN, however it requires your SeedQR to be easily accessible in order to spend.
Each operating mode has comparable security when considering physical key extraction, so your usage method should be chosen based on your unique preferences.
Advanced Setup
The following instructions will provide workflows for setting up your Jade with both the QR PIN Unlock and SeedQR access options.
1.
Turn on your device and select Setup Jade, then choose Advanced Setup.
2.
Choose your Setup Method:
- Create New Wallet: A new recovery phrase will be generated leading to a fresh wallet
- Restore Wallet: Enter an existing recovery phrase or create one using dice rolls or other offline methods and let Jade calculate your final word for you
3.
Write down and protect your recovery phrase, do not take a picture of it or store it online. Pass the recovery phrase verification by selecting the word that matches your written recovery phrase backup.
Warning: Your recovery phrase is your wallet and it should never be entered on another device unless in emergency situations.
4.
Jade will then ask if you would like to create a SeedQR. A SeedQR is a hand-drawn version of your recovery phrase in QR code format that can be scanned with Jade's camera to temporarily load keys to the device. Follow the guide on Jade to transcribe your SeedQR on a provided template if you decide to create one.
Note: If you plan to only use Jade air-gapped with QR PIN Unlock, you may skip this step.
5.
Select QR as the connection method and continue through the process of setting up your Jade with QR PIN Unlock. If you chose to create a SeedQR in the previous step, you will be presented with the option to skip the PIN setup process and use Jade solely with your SeedQR backup if desired.
6.
Your Jade is now setup for air-gapped usage, with your chosen access method available from the QR Mode menu on the next reboot.