Bitcoin Emergency

Lost iPhone Emergency Guide

Losing your phone should mean restoring a key, not recovering your Bitcoin. For most TBA vaults the client key is an iPhone mobile key. If that key can be restored safely, restore it. Do not invoke the Theya recovery key merely because the phone was lost, replaced or damaged.

This is the first-hour checklist. For the full architecture, see the iPhone Mobile Key Guide.

Restore first iCloud Keychain Vault recovery if needed

1. First principles

Before you act, keep the hierarchy clear:

Restore the iPhone key

Normal device-loss recovery is restore from iCloud Keychain onto a replacement iPhone, then resume iPhone + TBA signing.

One key is not the vault

Losing one mobile key does not by itself give someone the ability to move Bitcoin from a TBA 2-of-3 vault.

Emergency fallback only if restore fails

Theya holds an independent third signing authority reserved for recovery and exceptional circumstances. It is not the routine substitute for a backed-up client key. How signing works →

Routine vs security event

A phone in the ocean and a stolen phone with a known passcode are not the same event. Treat them differently below.

2. Immediate actions in the first hour

Take these steps in order:

Step 1: Use Find My iPhone

  • From another Apple device or iCloud.com, locate your iPhone
  • Mark it as Lost and lock it
  • If you suspect theft, erase the device remotely

Step 2: Check your Apple Account

  • Review recent Apple ID security alerts and sign-in notifications
  • If anything looks suspicious, change your Apple ID password immediately
  • Security keys (if enabled) harden account authentication; they do not encrypt the Keychain backup themselves

Step 3: Contact your adviser if you need help

  • Especially for theft, passcode exposure, or if Keychain restore is unclear
  • We help coordinate restore confirmation, vault recovery if needed, and documentation updates
→

Order matters. Lock or erase the phone first, secure the Apple Account second, then plan key restoration (or vault recovery if the key cannot be restored).

3. Routine recovery (lost, damaged, or replaced)

For most TBA clients the iPhone holds the client signing key. First objective: recover that key, not bypass it.

Restore-first sequence

  1. Secure or lock the old device
  2. Get a replacement iPhone
  3. Restore the iPhone mobile key from iCloud Keychain
  4. Confirm access (view vaults; ask your adviser if you need help confirming the setup)
  5. Resume the normal iPhone + TBA signing path

Losing one mobile key does not by itself give someone the ability to move Bitcoin from a TBA 2-of-3 vault. Still restore the key when you can. Do not invoke the Theya recovery key merely because the phone was lost, replaced or damaged.

If the iPhone key cannot be restored

Contact TBA. Do not improvise. Invoke the documented collaborative recovery process. Remaining signing authorities rotate or rebuild the vault as appropriate. That is vault recovery, not key restoration.

4. Single-key mobile vaults (aside)

TBA collaborative vaults are 2-of-3. If you also hold a Theya singlesig iPhone wallet, that setup is different: the mobile key is the only signing authority. Restore from iCloud Keychain if enabled. Without a backup, that key may be unrecoverable. See the iPhone Mobile Key Guide for collaborative-vault design.

5. Security event (stolen, passcode, compromise)

Higher urgency than a lost or damaged phone. Do not tell yourself that “Bitcoin is safe” and stop there.

Steps to take

  1. Lock or erase the device immediately
    Use Find My iPhone.
  2. Secure your Apple Account
    Confirm that no unexpected devices were added. Change your password if needed.
  3. Decide: restore or treat as untrusted
    If the key is not believed compromised, restore-first still applies after you have a secure replacement. If you suspect the key was used or exposed, treat it as untrusted and contact TBA for vault recovery.
  4. Review critical accounts
    Email, password manager, exchange logins, and any financial services.
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If your phone and a security key are stolen at the same time, or you see phishing or account-takeover signs, contact your adviser urgently.

6. Four layers (reminder)

Same model as the iPhone Mobile Key Guide:

1. Device protection

Theya protects the active mobile key using the iPhone’s Secure Enclave and device security architecture. Your passcode matters.

2. iCloud Keychain backup

Intended restore path for the client key. End-to-end encrypted by Apple’s Keychain design. Not the security foundation of the vault.

3. Apple Account hardening

Security keys materially improve resistance to Apple Account phishing and takeover. They protect the account and recovery environment, not the Bitcoin vault by themselves.

4. 2-of-3 collaborative security

Failure of the entire client-key recovery path does not automatically become loss of the Bitcoin. Emergency resilience, not the routine substitute for a backed-up client key.

7. Checklist after you replace your iPhone

New device

  • Sign in to your Apple ID on the new iPhone
  • Re-enable iCloud Keychain
  • Re-enable Find My and a strong passcode
  • Confirm any security keys are still registered if you use them

iPhone mobile key

  • Install and open the Theya app
  • Restore the iPhone mobile key from iCloud Keychain
  • Confirm access to your vault(s)
  • Contact your adviser if you need help confirming the setup

If restore fails

  • Stop. Contact TBA for documented vault recovery
  • Do not invent a recovery process
  • Update your Estate Plan Protocol after any vault change

8. When to contact The Bitcoin Adviser immediately

  • Your phone was stolen, or the passcode may be known
  • You see unexpected Apple Account or email login alerts
  • A phone and a security key are lost at the same time
  • You are unsure whether iCloud Keychain backup is available
  • Key restoration fails and you need vault recovery
  • You are an executor or beneficiary dealing with a lost device

9. Quick summary

  1. Lock or erase via Find My iPhone
  2. Secure your Apple Account
  3. Restore the iPhone key from iCloud Keychain when you can
  4. Confirm access and resume iPhone + TBA
  5. If the key cannot be restored: contact TBA for vault recovery; do not improvise
  6. Update your Estate Plan Protocol after any lasting change

Need help right now?

Contact your adviser. If you are not yet a client and want this design in place before something happens:

Book a 20-Minute Fit Call Find Your Adviser

Educational only: no financial, tax, or legal advice. Seek appropriate licensed professionals where required. Security recommendations are based on our experience with collaborative security setups and may not suit every situation.