How to Set Up and Use imKey Pro
imKey Pro is a card-sized hardware wallet that works with the imToken app on your phone over Bluetooth. The keys are generated and stored in the device's security chip, and every transaction has to be confirmed on the device's own screen. This guide goes screen by screen, from checking that the device is really new to creating the wallet and finishing the pairing with the app.
Before you start: what you need
- imKey Pro, charged
- A phone with the imToken app installed and Bluetooth switched on (Android phones also need Location switched on)
- The recovery phrase card from the box, and a pen
- About 20 minutes, somewhere nobody can see your screen
Before you set up Check that the box and seals have no signs of being opened. A new device must always take you to the language screen. If you switch it on and it asks for a PIN straight away, or there is a recovery phrase written out for you in the box, stop immediately, do not send any assets to it, and contact SIAMBC.
How this device works
The imKey Pro keys sit in a security chip that is separate from your phone. When you send funds, the imToken app builds the transaction and sends it to the device over Bluetooth to be signed. The device shows the details on its own screen, you confirm, and the device sends back only the signature. The keys never leave the chip.
So what travels over Bluetooth is the transaction and the signature, not the keys. Even if your phone has malware, all the malware can do is send a fake transaction to be signed, and that transaction appears on the device screen for you to see first. This is why you must read the device screen every time before you confirm, rather than trusting only what the phone shows.
First check that the device is new and untouched
Do these two things before setup. Together they take less than five minutes, and they can only be done before you put any assets in.
1. The first screen must be the language screen, not the PIN screen
A device that has not been activated always goes to the language screen first when you switch it on, then moves on to the screen waiting to pair with the app. If it shows Enter PIN as soon as you switch it on, someone has already set up this device. Do not keep using it and do not send any assets to it.
2. Check the serial number on the imKey website
The serial number is in two places: on the back of the device, printed next to the QR code Verify Device, and in the device's own menu, which you scroll through with the Previous and Next buttons. The two numbers must match. If you buy several devices, each one's number must also be different.
The same number must also be readable in the device menu, on the line starting with SN, scrolling with Previous and Next
Open the device check page at imkey.im/pages/sn-check and enter the number. Always type the web address yourself; never tap a link from a chat, an ad or a QR code of unknown origin.
If the site says This device hasn't been activated, that is what you should see for a new device: the number is in the system and nobody has activated it yet.
If the site says This device has already been activated, there will also be a Device Activation Date line showing the date it was activated. Compare it with the date you unboxed the device. If the date is earlier than that, stop using it, do not create a wallet, do not send any assets to it, and contact SIAMBC.
The serial check is the first line of defense, not the only one. A result saying the device has not been activated only tells you that the number is in the system and nobody has activated it yet. You still need to consider where you bought it, check that the device really takes you to the setup screens, and check that it pairs with the official app, all together.
Set up on the device
3. Switch on and choose a language
Press and hold the power button until the device turns on. The first screen is the language screen, with English and 中文. Thai is not available yet, so most Thai users choose English. Scroll with the up and down buttons, then press OK to confirm.
After you choose the language, the device shows its own device name with the message Connect with app and waits there. The name shown is imKey followed by four characters, and this is the name that will appear in the app when it searches.
Pair the device with the imToken app
4. Open imToken and go to wallet management
In the app, tap the My Profile tab in the bottom right corner, then choose Manage wallets. If you have never used imToken before, create a wallet in the app once first.
5. Add a wallet and choose imKey
Tap the Add Wallet button at the bottom, choose Connect with other wallets in the group for people who already have a wallet, then choose imKey from the list, which is labeled as connecting over Bluetooth.
6. Search for the device and tap connect
Keep the device close to your phone while it searches. When its name appears on the Discovered Devices screen, choose that name and tap Connect Devices
If the app says it cannot find the device: on iPhone, go to Settings and give imToken Bluetooth permission. On Android, switch on both Bluetooth and Location, and give imToken Location permission too. Then keep the device close to your phone and try again.
7. Enter the Bluetooth Pairing code
The device shows a Pairing code, a six-digit number. Enter that number in the Bluetooth Pairing Request window on your phone, then tap Pair. This code is used once for pairing, so you do not need to write it down.
8. Enter the Binding code and write it down
Next, the device shows a Binding code, eight characters made up of numbers and letters. Enter it on the Bind your imKey screen, then continue. This code differs from the Pairing code in that you must write it down
The app shows a window explaining what this code is for. Read it, then tap Understood to continue.
The Binding code must be written down. This code binds the imKey Pro to a single phone. The device creates it itself and it cannot be changed. You will need it again when you switch to a new phone, delete and reinstall the app, log out of your imToken account, or unpair the device. Write it down alongside your recovery phrase, but on a separate sheet.
9. Wait for the device to activate
The app moves to the Device verification screen to verify and activate the device. Keep the device close to your phone during this time. Do not walk away and do not close the app.
When it is done, the device screen shows Activation completed
Set a PIN
10. Choose the digits one at a time on the device
When the device shows Set PIN, choose each digit with the up and down buttons. Press OK to confirm each digit, and press C to cancel. The PIN is 6 to 8 digits long and cannot be all the same digit or a sequence. If you only want 6 digits, press OK when the tick mark appears in the seventh position.
11. Enter the PIN again to confirm
The device shows Confirm PIN, asking you to enter the same code again. Meanwhile, the app screen lists two things to do on the device: set the PIN and create the wallet. Both are done entirely on the device; the app only shows you the way.
Five wrong PIN attempts in a row and the device wipes itself. The device returns to factory settings immediately, and there is no way to recover the PIN. The only way to get your assets back is to recover with the 12-word recovery phrase. This is why the next step is the most important one in this whole guide.
Create the wallet and write down the recovery phrase
12. Choose Create Wallet
The device offers two options: Create Wallet, to create a new wallet, and Recover Wallet, to recover an existing wallet with a recovery phrase you already have. For a first device, choose the first one. Read the warning on the screen, then press OK
13. Write down the 12-word recovery phrase
The device shows the words one at a time until all 12 have been shown. Write them all on the card from the box in order, then read them back once more before you continue. If you write them in the wrong order or miss a single word, that recovery phrase cannot be used to recover.
Whoever gets these 12 words gets your assets too. Write them on paper or a metal plate only. Never take a photo, never type them into a phone or computer, never keep them in a notes app or the cloud, and never put these 12 words into a software wallet on your phone, because the moment these words are on an internet-connected device, the benefit of keeping the keys in the chip is gone. SIAMBC never knows your recovery phrase and cannot recover it for you. Nobody can.
14. Confirm the words you wrote down
When the device shows Please confirm your Mnemonic, press Confirm to start checking.
The device asks for one position at a time, for example Phrase #11. Scroll to the correct word in the list with the up and down buttons, then press OK. Repeat until all 12 words are done. This step proves that what you wrote down is readable and correct. It is not there to be tapped through.
15. Wait for the device to create the wallet
The screen shows a progress bar with the message Creating wallet and says it takes about two minutes. Do not switch off the device and do not walk away from your phone during this time.
16. Install the applets and finish pairing
Go back to the app and tap Next, and the app moves to the Install applets screen to install the parts used for each network onto the device. Keep the device close to your phone during this time.
When it is done, the app shows a window saying the device has been paired successfully. Tap Close, and you are done. imKey Pro is now ready to receive and send assets.
By default, the device already supports Bitcoin and Ethereum. To use other networks, go to the imKey management page in the app and install the networks you want under App Management first, then add the accounts.
What to do after setup
- Store the recovery phrase card separately from the device, in a different place, and do not let anyone photograph it.
- Write down the Binding code and keep it in another place, on a separate sheet from the recovery phrase.
- Receive a small amount first and check that the balance shows correctly before you send a large amount.
- Every time you send, read the destination address and amount on the device screen before you confirm. That screen is the only one malware cannot change.
- To use it from a computer, connect a USB-C cable and use it with the Rabby Wallet extension in Chrome.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use the imToken app, or can I use another app?
Activation and the first pairing must be done through imToken on your phone. After that, to use it from a computer, connect a USB-C cable and use it with the Rabby Wallet extension in Chrome. Firmware updates use the imKey Manager program on Mac and Windows.
What is the difference between the Binding code and the Pairing code?
The Pairing code is a six-digit number used once for Bluetooth pairing, and you do not need to keep it. The Binding code is eight characters of numbers and letters, created by the device and unchangeable, and binds the device to the app one to one. You must write it down, because you will need it again when you switch phones or reinstall the app.
I lost the Binding code. What do I do?
If you can still open the device in the app, you can view the code on the imKey management page in the app. If you can no longer view it, the way out is to reset the device so it creates a new code, then recover the wallet with the 12-word recovery phrase. That is why you must always have the recovery phrase at hand.
What if I forget my PIN?
There is no way to recover the PIN. You must reset the device and recover the wallet with the 12-word recovery phrase. There are two ways to reset: enter the wrong PIN five times in a row so the device wipes itself, or go into the Settings menu on the device and choose reset. Resetting also creates a new Binding code.
Does it work with iPhone?
Yes, with both iPhone and Android, because it connects to the app over Bluetooth rather than a cable. On Android, you also need to switch on Location, because the system ties permission to search for Bluetooth devices to Location permission.
The recovery phrase has 12 words. Can I recover it in another wallet?
Yes, because it uses the same BIP39 standard as other hardware wallet brands. But you should only recover it into another hardware device, not into a software wallet on a phone or computer, because all 12 words would then be on an internet-connected device straight away.
Will SIAMBC or imKey ask for my recovery phrase?
Neither of them will, under any circumstances, and nobody has any reason to know your recovery phrase. Anyone who asks for it is a scammer, with no exceptions, whether they claim to be SIAMBC staff, use imKey's name, or say it is for a warranty claim, identity verification, a firmware update or account recovery.
Summary
There are three things you must not get wrong with imKey Pro: the first screen when you switch it on must be the language screen, not the PIN screen; write the 12-word recovery phrase on paper and store it away from the device; and write down the Binding code and keep it in another place, because you will need it whenever you change phones.
If setup fails or you get stuck anywhere, contact SIAMBC directly for help with using the device, warranty and product exchanges in Thailand.
See the product at imKey Pro, or compare with other brands in the Hardware Wallet comparison table
Last checked: 29 August 2026. On-screen text may change with new versions of the firmware and the app.
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