Your Bitcoin recovery phrase sits in a fireproof safe. Twelve words that theoretically restore everything. But theoretical isn’t the same as verified. When did you last prove it actually works? Most people treat recovery phrases like insurance policies — filed away and never tested. But unlike insurance, crypto recovery requires active verification. The phrase that doesn’t work when you need it is worse than no phrase at all. Testing recovery should be mandatory when creating any new wallet. Set it up. Send a small amount. Wipe the device and restore from your phrase. Verify the funds reappear. Only then move real funds to it. Backups fail. Hardware degrades. Phrases get transcribed wrong. The only way to know your recovery works is to recover something. Don’t assume it works. Prove it works.