How to Set Up and Use CoolWallet S
CoolWallet S is CoolWallet's first credit card-sized hardware wallet. It works with the CoolWallet app on your phone and connects to it over encrypted Bluetooth. The card has an e-ink display and a real button, so you can confirm transactions on the card with your own eyes. This guide takes you from unboxing to a working wallet in about 20 minutes.
Before you start
- The CoolWallet S card with the charging dock and USB cable from the box
- A phone running iOS 15.6 or later (iPhone 6S onward) or Android 7.0 or later, with Bluetooth switched on
- About 20 minutes somewhere no one can see your screen
- A pen and the recovery phrase cards from the box
One rule to remember The recovery phrase is the one thing that gives access to your assets. Neither SIAMBC nor CoolWallet will ever ask to see it, whatever reason is given: warranty claims, identity verification, firmware updates or account recovery. Anyone who asks is a scammer, no exceptions. Never take a screenshot of it or type it into any device.
The manufacturer has stopped making this model, but it is still used and supported as normal CoolWallet no longer makes the S and does not sell it on its own website, but it still looks after existing users as normal. The app still supports it, updates are still released, and units bought from SIAMBC are still covered by warranty under the original terms. If you are choosing a new wallet and want a model with a longer future, take a look at CoolWallet Pro, the current model, with a higher-grade secure chip and support for more coins.
Unbox and check the contents
The box contains one CoolWallet S card, one charging dock, one USB cable, one Get Started card and two recovery phrase cards
If the box or card shows signs of being opened, stop Do not set it up and do not send any assets to it. Contact SIAMBC with photos of the box and the seal. CoolWallet boxes leave the factory shrink-wrapped in clear film with a seal sticker. If the film is torn or the sticker has already been peeled, someone has opened the box before you.
Get to know the card first
Turn the card over and look at the back first. The serial number is printed at the top left, starting with CWS, and you need it to pick your card in the app. The e-ink display is at the top right, and the charging contacts are two small metal dots at the lower left.
The button is in the middle of the card, toward the right. Look for a faint circle on the card's surface. The two small dots lower down are not the button. They are the charging contacts, which must line up with the charging dock.
How to press the button properly
Creating a wallet, resetting the card and updating the firmware all require pressing the real button on the card. The button is designed to resist accidental presses, so a light tap with a fingernail will not register. Press the center of the button with your fingertip and use a little more force than you expect. When you press it correctly, the card bends slightly and you hear a click. If the card does not respond at all, charge it first.
Charge the card
Charging works exactly the same way as on CoolWallet Pro. Plug the USB cable into the dock and connect it to a power source. Then place the card in the dock face down, with the card's charging contacts on the side of the dock marked with the arrow (▽).
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| The dock shows a blue or white light and the card shows a red light | Charging, as it should |
| Neither the dock nor the card shows any light | No power is getting through. Check that the cable is plugged in firmly, or try another cable. |
Charge at least once a month The card has a built-in lithium battery. Leaving the battery flat for a long time wears it out, until it runs low quickly or will not turn on. Even if you are not using the card, charge it once a month.
Set up the card with the CoolWallet app
The steps are exactly the same as for CoolWallet Pro. The only difference is when you choose the card type in the app: choose CoolWallet S instead.
1. Download the app
Download the CoolWallet app from the App Store or Google Play. On Android, also allow the Location permission. Android requires this permission to search for Bluetooth devices. The app does not use it to see where you are.
2. Pair the card with your phone
- Open the app and tap Setup my card, then choose CoolWallet S
- Switch on Bluetooth on your phone and allow the app Bluetooth permission
- Press the button on the card to turn it on
- Choose your card's serial number in the app, then tap Pair
- Enter the pairing code shown on the card's display
- When the app prompts you, press the button on the card again to confirm
Read the pairing code from the card's display only Never enter a stock code such as 0000 or 1234. The correct code is the number shown on that card's e-ink display at that moment. If any screen tells you to enter 0000 or 1234, you are not using the real app.
3. Create a new wallet
Once pairing is done, choose Create a New Wallet to start fresh, or Recover Wallet if you already have a recovery phrase and want to bring that existing wallet across.
Choose how to create the recovery phrase
This is the most important step in the whole guide, because the recovery phrase is the only thing that can bring your wallet back. There are two methods, and you can choose a length of 12, 18 or 24 words.
| Method | Where it is shown | Security level |
|---|---|---|
| By Card | As numbers on the card's e-ink display | Highest. It never leaves the card. |
| By App | As English words on the phone screen | High, and easier to write down |
If you choose By Card, the numbers appear on the card's display one set after another. Press the button to move to the next set, write every set on the recovery phrase card in order, then add all the numbers together and enter the total in the app to confirm. If you choose By App, the English words appear on the phone screen. Write them down in order, then confirm by choosing the words in the right order.
Never take a screenshot of the recovery phrase Screenshots are backed up to the cloud automatically on almost every phone, which is like leaving your key on the internet. Write it only on paper or a steel plate, and never type it into a file on your phone or computer.
A numeric recovery phrase can be converted to English words A recovery phrase created with the By Card method comes out as numbers, but it is still the same BIP39 standard. Each number matches one English word on the BIP39 word list, so you can convert back and forth, and you can recover it in other brands of wallet that support BIP39. Be aware that some Bitcoin address types use a different derivation path, so when you open the wallet elsewhere you may not see the balance. That does not mean the coins are gone, only that they are not being shown yet.
Switching to a new phone
An iPhone transfer does not move CoolWallet across If you move from an old iPhone to a new one using Apple's backup, the CoolWallet data is not transferred with it. This is by design, for security reasons. You have to pair again yourself every time.
If you still have the old phone
The card is set up so that unknown phones cannot pair with it, so the app on the new phone will ask for a pairing code for the new phone. You can look up that code on the old phone.
- Open the CoolWallet app on the old phone
- Go to Settings
- Tap Card Settings
- Choose Pairing Password
- Follow the app's instructions, turn on the card and write down the pairing code it gives you
- Open the app on the new phone and use this code to pair the card
If the old phone is lost, has been wiped or the app has been deleted
You need to reset the card and recover the wallet with your recovery phrase. Get four things ready first: delete the app from the new phone and install the latest version again, have your CoolWallet S card, have your recovery phrase of 12, 18 or 24 sets, whether numbers or English words, and take a screenshot of the Wallet screen in the app to keep a record of which coins you had.
- Open the app on the new phone, tap Setup my card, choose CoolWallet S, choose the matching serial number, then tap Reset. When it is done, the app shows Reset Successful.
- Choose the serial number again and tap Pair
- Choose Recover Wallet, then Basic Wallet Recovery, and enter your recovery phrase
It is normal if not every coin shows up after recovery After recovering the wallet, the app only adds BTC (Custom Segwit) and ETH automatically. Other coins, such as BNB or USDT, have to be added yourself in the app. The coins have not gone anywhere, they just have not been added to the display yet. This differs from CoolWallet Pro, which shows BTC as Taproot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not enter 0000 or 1234 as the pairing code. The correct code only appears on the card's display.
- Do not tap the button with a fingernail. The button is designed to resist accidental presses, so press it properly with your fingertip.
- Do not leave the battery flat for long. Charge it at least once a month.
- Do not write the recovery phrase out of order. Swapping even a single pair of words means it cannot be recovered.
- Do not keep the recovery phrase on your phone, whether as a screenshot, a note or a chat message.
Frequently asked questions
This model is discontinued. Can I still use it?
Yes, as normal. CoolWallet still looks after existing users, the app still supports it, and units bought from SIAMBC are still covered by warranty under the original terms. The only things that stopped are production and sales on the manufacturer's website.
How does CoolWallet S differ from CoolWallet Pro?
The cards look and work very much alike. The differences are that the S uses a CC EAL5+ secure chip while the Pro uses CC EAL6+, and the S supports 14 blockchains while the Pro supports more than 35, with wider staking and swap features in the app.
Do I need a computer?
No. It only works with a phone or tablet, through the CoolWallet app. You need iOS 15.6 or later (iPhone 6S onward) or Android 7.0 or later, and the device must support Bluetooth.
If I write the recovery phrase down as numbers, can I use it with another brand of wallet?
Yes. The CoolWallet S recovery phrase follows the BIP39 standard. Each number matches one English word, so you can convert it back to words and recover it in another wallet that supports BIP39. However, BTC Custom Segwit addresses use a different derivation path, so you may not see the balance when you open it in another wallet. That does not mean the coins are gone.
I press the button and the card does not respond at all
Usually the battery is flat. Charge it for about 30 minutes and try again. If it still does not work after charging, check that the card is lined up with the arrow on the dock. If it still does not work, contact SIAMBC.
How do I move to CoolWallet Pro?
You can recover your existing recovery phrase onto the new card, because both use the same BIP39 standard. Set up the Pro card as normal, then choose Recover Wallet instead of Create a New Wallet and enter your existing recovery phrase.
Will SIAMBC or CoolWallet ask for my recovery phrase?
Neither of them will, ever, for any reason, and no one has any reason to know your recovery phrase. Anyone who asks is a scammer, no exceptions, whether they claim to be from the SIAMBC team, use the CoolWallet name, or say it is for a warranty claim, identity verification, firmware update or account recovery.
Summary
Three things you must not miss with CoolWallet S: enter only the pairing code shown on the card's display, press the button with your fingertip until you hear a click rather than tapping it with a fingernail, and charge the card at least once a month even when you are not using it.
If setup does not work or you get stuck, contact SIAMBC directly for help with using the card, warranty and exchanges in Thailand.
See the product at CoolWallet S or compare it with other brands in the Hardware Wallet comparison table
Last checked: 2 September 2026. On-screen text may change with new versions of the CoolWallet firmware and app.
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