How to create a Monero wallet
Install a non-custodial Monero wallet such as Cake Wallet (mobile), Feather (desktop) or the official Monero GUI, downloaded from its real website or app store listing. Create a new wallet, write the seed words on paper, confirm you can restore them, and only then send a small test payment.
Quick steps
- Choose a wallet. Pick a non-custodial wallet for your device: Cake Wallet or Monerujo on Android, Cake Wallet on iPhone, Feather or the Monero GUI on desktop.
- Download it safely. Type the official site address yourself or use the official app store listing, check the publisher name and, on desktop, verify the file hash.
- Create a new wallet. Open the app, choose Create new wallet, set a strong PIN or password and let the app generate your keys.
- Write down the seed. Copy the 16 or 25 seed words onto paper in the right order. Do not photograph or upload them. Note the creation date.
- Test the backup. Restore the wallet from the written seed on a second device or after deleting it, and confirm the same primary address appears.
- Receive a small test payment. Give the sender a fresh subaddress, send a small amount first and wait about 20 minutes for it to unlock.
The short answer
A Monero wallet is an app that holds your keys. Creating one takes about five minutes and costs nothing. The important part is not the app, it is the seed: a list of 16 or 25 words that can rebuild your wallet on any device. Whoever has those words has your coins.
Since MyMonero closed on 6 January 2026, there is no well-known browser wallet we can recommend. Our Monero web wallet guide explains why. Use an installed app instead.
Step 1: pick an app for your device
All of the wallets below are non-custodial: the keys are created and stored on your device. They scan the blockchain locally, so your private view key is not sent to a server.
| Device | Good first choice | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Cake Wallet or Monerujo | Monerujo is Monero-only. Cake also holds BTC, LTC and other coins. |
| iPhone | Cake Wallet | Few Monero apps exist for iOS. Check the publisher name before installing. |
| Windows, macOS, Linux | Feather or Monero GUI | Feather is light and bundles Tor. The GUI is the official reference wallet and can run your own node. |
| Large amounts | Ledger or Trezor with GUI or Feather | See Monero hardware wallets. |
Cake Wallet's Windows build was paused in 2026 during a redesign, so Windows users should start with Feather or the GUI. For full comparisons see best Monero wallets.
Step 2: download from the real source
Fake Monero wallets are common. In November 2019 the official site served malicious command-line binaries for about a day, and in May 2025 a phishing email campaign pushed a fake update site that installed remote-access malware. Protect yourself:
- Type the address yourself (for example getmonero.org or featherwallet.org) or use a bookmark. Do not click wallet links in ads, emails or chat messages.
- On app stores, check the developer name, not just the icon.
- For desktop downloads, check the SHA256 hash and, if you can, the GPG signature published by the project.
- Monero never announces updates by email.
Step 3: create the wallet and understand your seed
When you tap Create new wallet, the app generates your keys and shows a seed. You will see one of two formats:
- Polyseed, 16 words. Used for new wallets by Feather and offered by Cake Wallet. The words also store the approximate creation date, so restoring later is faster.
- Legacy seed, 25 words. Used by the official GUI and CLI and by older wallets. The 25th word is a checksum. Note the restore height or the date you created the wallet.
Both are valid. The details, and which apps accept which format, are in how to restore a Monero wallet.
Step 4: back up the seed properly
- Write the words on paper, in order, with correct spelling. Two copies in two places is better than one.
- Do not screenshot it, email it, store it in cloud notes or type it into any website.
- If your wallet offers a seed offset (an extra passphrase), remember it creates a different wallet. Lose the passphrase and the words alone will not bring your funds back.
- Set a strong app PIN or wallet password. That protects the device copy. It does not replace the seed.
Step 5: test before you deposit
Most people skip this, and it is the step that saves money. Delete the wallet, or use a second device, and restore it from the seed you wrote down. If the same primary address appears, your backup works. Then send a small amount first and wait until it shows as unlocked.
Step 6: receive your first Monero
Your primary address starts with 4 and is 95 characters long. Wallets also create subaddresses that start with 8. Give a new subaddress to each person or service that pays you, so they cannot link your payments together. See Monero subaddresses.
Incoming funds become spendable after 10 blocks, about 20 minutes. That is a network rule, not a fault. More in how to send Monero.
Optional: better privacy settings
Mobile and light wallets connect to a remote node run by someone else. The node cannot spend your money or see your balance, but it can see your IP address. For more privacy, connect over Tor or use your own node. See Monero remote nodes and how to run a Monero node, or work through our privacy checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to create a Monero wallet?
Yes. Wallet apps such as Cake Wallet, Feather, Monerujo and the Monero GUI are free. You only pay a small network fee when you send Monero.
Do I need ID to create a Monero wallet?
No. A self-custody wallet is software on your device and does not ask for identity documents. Exchanges that sell Monero may require ID, depending on your country.
Can I create a Monero wallet in a browser?
Not safely in 2026. MyMonero, the best-known web wallet, closed on 6 January 2026, and the main remaining site faces serious unresolved allegations. Use an installed wallet instead.
What happens if I lose my phone?
Install a Monero wallet on a new device and restore it from your seed words. Your funds are on the blockchain, not on the phone. Without the seed, they cannot be recovered.
Should I use 16-word or 25-word seeds?
Either is fine. The 16-word Polyseed stores the wallet date and is shorter. The 25-word seed is accepted by almost every Monero wallet. Use whatever your wallet creates and back it up carefully.