FAQ: Isn't changing everybody's addresses a recipe for confusion, even disaster?

With the hardfork to Seraphis and Jamtis all existing 95-character Monero addresses will become invalid, and every wallet will get new addresses.

There sure is a certain risk that this will cause confusion, but there are also several factors that mitigate this risk and make outright disaster improbable.

Mistakes like sending funds to "nirvana" are almost impossible to make, simply said because apps will reject all "old" addresses. Maybe you can't make some urgent XMR transfer because you don't know the new Seraphis destination address yet, but that's it.

There will be tools to tell people the new addresses of their wallets a long time before the hardfork, so there should be ample time to disseminate them, change donation addresses on websites, etc. well ahead.

In a way, you as a Monero user can't miss the address change, there is no limited transition period after which it's too late: Your seeds will stay valid, ready to restore your wallets and tell you your new Seraphis addresses even years after the hardfork. Seraphis wallet apps will probably also directly read your existing wallet files indefinitely and be able to use them under their new Seraphis addresses.