Daedalus
Here you will learn about Daedalus, its features and its interface.
As of the last revision of this document (May 2024) a mobile version of Daedalus has NOT been released. Numerous scams have been reported, claiming Daedalus can be used on mobile. This is NOT the case and you should NOT trust these claims.
About Daedalus
Daedalus is a Cardano Wallet made by IOG (the developing company behind Cardano). It is a desktop application, which works with all major Operating Systems (Windows, MacOS and Linux).
Daedalus requires a relatively high-specification desktop machine for good performance. It is ideal for those who want accurate blockchain data, but should not be the go-to wallet for everyday, minor transactions.
Daedalus is a full node wallet. This means that unlike light wallets (e.g.Yoroi, Adalite etc.) Daedalus downloads a full copy of the Cardano blockchain and independently validates every transaction in its history. That way you get maximum security and completely trustless operation, without centrally hosted 3rd party servers.
Daedalus can be downloaded here: https://daedaluswallet.io/
Do not trust any other sources than the one linked above for Daedalus downloads. Always check the URL you are downloading from!
Always check that you are downloading verified software. Follow the instructions on the Download page, and verify signature and checksum!
Let Daedalus sync to the blockchain
Once you have downloaded and verified Daedalus (see previous section) configure options as needed:
Accept the Terms and Conditions:
At this time it is important to let the software sync to the blockchain. This process will take time (hours). Wait until it has completed before creating or restoring a wallet.
To check synchronisation progress you can hover over the circular arrows icon in the top right corner:
Once Daedalus has synced to the blockchain a check mark will appear in the top right corner:
Creating a wallet
Now it's time to create a new wallet! Choose a name for your wallet and a strong password (you will need this to authorise outgoing transactions):
Your wallet name and password are only stored locally. If you were to loose access to your wallet, the recovery phrase (see below) is the only means to recover your wallet. If you need to do this, you will be prompted for a new name and password.
From this point onward follow the onscreen instructions to the letter. Please make sure you understand what the recovery phrase is for, and how to best keep it safe.
Once you have noted and secured your recovery phrase you will be asked to enter it, as a means to confirm you have the correct sequence of 24 words. Your wallet is now created and ready to be funded, please wait for it to fully sync its transaction history:
Take your time to navigate Daedalus' interface and familiarise yourself with it. Below you will learn what to do in case you should loose access to your wallet.
Recovering a Daedalus wallet
Should you loose access to your Daedalus software for whichever reason (machine broken/lost/stolen), please use your mnemonic phrase to restore it. Choose restore in the following menu:
You will be taken to a menu, asking to choose what type of wallet to restore, flag Daedalus wallet:
When prompted for the kind of Daedalus wallet, choose 24 words (Shelley wallet):
This method of recovery works for older Daedalus wallets as well, and for Yoroi wallets.
Now it's time to enter your mnemonic phrase:
As you can see, once you enter your mnemonic phrase and verify it, you are prompted for a new wallet name and password. This was already noted above, and is important because:
Should someone get a hold of your mnemonic phrase, they can restore your wallet and gain full control of it, even if they don't know your spending password (they will be asked, like you just then, to make a new password).
Should you ever loose a copy of your mnemonic phrase, you must consider your wallet compromised, and transfer its contents to a new one.
You now have all the tools you need to manage your Daedalus wallets. Please use your judgement and take time to practice creating, deleting and restoring wallets, in order to gain confidence.
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