A wallet clinic is a relaxed session where people bring their own phone or laptop and get help setting up a Zcash wallet. It is one of the most useful things a meetup can offer, because the first install is where most people get stuck or nervous. Your job is not to do it for them. Your job is to sit beside them, explain each step in plain words, and make sure they leave knowing how to keep themselves safe.
The golden rule: hands off#
Before anything else, agree on this with every helper at the clinic:
This protects attendees, and it protects you. If something ever goes wrong with someone's wallet, nobody can say a helper touched it. Say the rule out loud at the start so everyone hears it.
Before the clinic#
Step by step on the night#
1. Choose a wallet together#
Open the ZecHub wallets page (se abre en una pestaña nueva) on a screen or on their phone. Let the person choose. Don't recommend a favourite or rank the options. You can explain the things that matter: which devices it runs on, whether it is open source, and whether it supports shielded addresses. Then let them decide.
2. Verify the download#
Fake wallet apps are a real risk. Help people check they are getting the real thing:
- Follow the link from ZecHub or the project's own official website, rather than searching the app store.
- Check the developer name in the store matches the official site.
- If anything looks off, such as a slightly misspelled name or a strange icon, stop and check again.
3. Back up the recovery phrase on paper, privately#
When the wallet shows a recovery phrase (also called a seed phrase), this is the most important moment of the night. Say something like:
"These words are the master key to your money. Anyone who has them can take everything. Write them on paper, in order, and keep the paper somewhere safe at home. Don't take a photo, don't save them in notes or email, and don't show them to anyone. That includes me."
Then step away, or turn your back, while they write. Give them a moment of real privacy. Suggest they compare their spelling with the screen, word by word.
4. Test with a tiny amount#
Encourage people to start small. If someone already has a little ZEC elsewhere, they can send a very small amount to their new wallet to see how it works. If they have none, that's fine. They can still explore the app, find their receiving address and learn the screens. Never offer to send them ZEC yourself, and never ask anyone to send ZEC to you or "to test".
5. Explain shielded addresses#
Keep it simple. A good short explanation:
"Zcash lets you use shielded addresses. When you send from a shielded address to another shielded address, the amount and who paid whom stay private, a bit like a sealed envelope. Transparent addresses work more like a postcard that anyone can read. Using shielded is a good everyday habit."
For the current details, including address types and which wallets support what, point people to ZecHub (se abre en una pestaña nueva), which keeps this up to date.
Common questions and short answers#
"What if I lose my phone?" You can restore your wallet on a new device using your recovery phrase. That's why the paper backup matters.
"Can you keep a copy of my words for me?" No. Nobody should hold your recovery phrase but you.
"Someone messaged me offering help with my wallet." That is almost always a scam. Real helpers don't message you first, and nobody legitimate will ever ask for your recovery phrase.
Safety reminders to repeat#
After the clinic#
Thank everyone, hand out the safety leaflet, and tell people where to find you next time. Point them to the helper and ZecHub (se abre en una pestaña nueva) for questions later. Then file your two-minute report and note how many first-timers came. For more on keeping everyone safe, read Safety and privacy.