Do This First
Do not send ETH to the compromised wallet. Sweeper bots monitor compromised wallets and will steal any funds you send — often within seconds.
Stop using the compromised wallet immediately
Create a new, secure wallet
Check if you still own your ENS name in the ENS App
What ENS Can and Cannot Do
Before attempting recovery, understand these limitations:
ENS cannot reverse transactions or restore access — blockchain transactions are permanent
No ENS administrator can transfer your name for you — only the wallet owner can sign transfers
You cannot transfer ownership during Grace Period — the name must be actively registered
Recovery requires ETH for gas — and sending ETH to a compromised wallet is risky
Check Your Situation
Before choosing a recovery method, answer these questions:
Do you still own the name?
Check in the ENS App. If the name shows a different owner, it's already been transferred and cannot be recovered through ENS.
Is the name in Grace Period?
If yes, you cannot transfer it until you extend the registration. But extending may signal you want to recover the name.
Is there a sweeper bot active?
If ETH disappears within seconds of arriving, a bot is active. Standard transfers won't work.
Recovery Options
Option 1: Transfer Immediately (If No Bot Is Active)
Best for: Wallets where the attacker hasn't set up a sweeper bot
Success rate: High if you act fast, before a bot is deployed
Steps:
Send a small amount of ETH to the compromised wallet
Immediately transfer the ENS name to your new secure wallet
If the ETH disappears before you can transfer, a bot is active — stop and try another method
Option 2: Wait for the Bot to Stop
Best for: Wallets with active sweeper bots
Success rate: Low to moderate — bots sometimes go inactive after weeks or months
Risks:
The attacker may transfer your name while you wait
The name may expire
Sending ETH to test if the bot stopped may reactivate it
Steps:
Monitor the wallet without sending any funds
After several weeks, send a tiny test amount of ETH
If it stays, quickly transfer your ENS name
If it disappears, the bot is still active
Option 3: Wait for Expiry and Re-register
Best for: When other methods have failed and the name isn't highly valuable
Success rate: Low — others may register before you
Risks:
The attacker may extend the registration (anyone can do this)
Someone else may register the name after it's released
You'll pay Temporary Premium fees if you don't wait 21+ days after Grace Period
Steps:
Wait for the name to expire and pass through the 90-day Grace Period
Monitor the Temporary Premium auction
Register as a new name when the price is acceptable
Be aware: others are watching too
Option 4: Flashbots Rescue (Advanced)
Best for: Technical users comfortable with complex tools
Success rate: Moderate — requires precise timing and technical skill
These tools bundle multiple transactions to outrun sweeper bots:
FlashbotsBundlerUI — React app for building Flashbots bundles
flashbots-ens-rescue — Tool specifically for ENS recovery
Ambire Wallet — Has gas tank features that may help fund transfers using tokens the bot hasn't touched (including some on L2s)
Warning: These are not ENS tools. They are community and third party built tools which may not be actively maintained. Use at your own risk.
Common Misconceptions
"My name was burned — I was hacked!"
When an expired name is newly registered by someone else, the old NFT is destroyed. This looks like a hack but isn't. Check the registration date in the Ownership tab — if it shows a recent date, the name was simply re-registered after expiry.
"ENS can help me get my name back"
ENS has no ability to reverse blockchain transactions or override ownership. Only the wallet holding the NFT can transfer it.
Prevent Future Compromise
Once you've secured a new wallet, protect your names:
Use multi-wallet security — Keep ownership in a cold wallet, use a hot wallet for daily transactions. See: Setup Multi-Wallet Security
Never share your seed phrase — ENS will never ask for it
Verify transaction details — Read what you're signing before approving