# Managing Accounts

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Please Read Security Tips:**</mark>

* When you create a new account with the `layerd keys add` command, the output will include the mnemonic. If you want to save your mnemonic, this is the only opportunity to do so. Make sure you copy it to a secure location, because anyone who sees these words can use that wallet as their own!
* This guide uses the "test" backend for easy compatibility with the reporter daemon. More secure options are as documented in the cosmos SDK and [these are all compatible](https://docs.cosmos.network/v0.46/run-node/keyring.html) with tellor layer.
* Once you have your validator node set up, it is good practice to make a secure backup of your whole `.layer` directory just in case! A validator is difficult to recover without the node\_key, priv\_validator\_key, and priv\_validator\_state.
* **Never use the same address for running a validator on mainnet which has been used for running a validator on the testnet! If you do this you will be slashed when another validator submits your testnet signatures as evidence of bad behavior on mainnet.**
  {% endhint %}

If you do not yet have an account / mnemonic phrase, Generate a new key pair with the command:

```sh
./layerd keys add $ACCOUNT_NAME --keyring-backend test
```

{% hint style="warning" %}
Be sure to <mark style="color:orange;">**copy the entire output**</mark> with the mnemonic and keep it in a very safe place!
{% endhint %}

If you already have an account, you can Import it with the command:

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```sh
./layerd keys add $ACCOUNT_NAME --recover=true
```

{% endcode %}

To print the "tellor" prefix address to the terminal:

```bash
./layerd keys show $ACCOUNT_NAME
```

Next, add the `--bech val` flag to get the "tellorvaloper" prefix address, which is used for validator commands:

```bash
./layerd keys show $ACCOUNT_NAME --bech val
```

It can be useful to add these addresses to your `.bashrc` or `.zshrc` file. Be sure to replace `your_tellor_prefix_address` and `your_tellorvaloper_prefix_address` in your command:

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
echo 'export TELLOR_ADDRESS=your_tellor_prefix_address' >> ~/.bashrc #.zshrc if mac
echo 'export TELLORVALOPER_ADDRESS=your_tellorvaloper_prefix_address' >> ~/.bashrc #.zshrc if mac
```

{% endcode %}

Restart your terminal, or use `source ~/.bashrc` before you continue. (if Linux)

Restart your terminal, or use `source ~/.zshrc` before you continue. (if mac)

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">Check accounts any time with:</mark> `./layerd keys list`
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.tellor.io/tellor/running-tellor/manage-accounts.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.