Can't get my wallet access back

Hey everyone, my old laptop with my crypto wallet crashed, so I got a new one. Now I'm struggling to get my account back. I have the 12-word seed phrase, but every time I try to restore it, I end up with an empty wallet. No transactions, no balance, nothing.

Do you mean Electrum? It could be you've extended the seed phrase with "custom words". In that case, you'll need to add them again. You said "the laptop broke down". If the disk is still working, you may be able to take it out and recover your wallet from there. But it depends on the laptop type, some (newer laptops) have soldered disks.

No, I didn't add anything, the hard drive is broken.

You didn't answer LoyceV's question. What wallet did you use? If you have the correct seed phrase, you should be able to restore your fund. If you have the correct seed phrase, but you can't do so, the problem may be with the script type or the derivation path.

In that case, all I can think of is expensive hardware recovery. Depending on what in your wallet that may or may not be worth it (now or 10 years from now). It's too late now, but for next time (and for anyone else reading this): this is why it's very important to test your backups! Testing things before it's too late can save your data later.

How can this be if I did everything right, saved the phrase, passwords and so on, I can't restore access to the wallet?

Again, what wallet did you use? Please answer this question. We need more information, so that we can know what's the problem. If you can't restore your wallet, either you have an incorrect seed phrase or you do something wrong when trying to restore your wallet.

How to understand which wallet? Electrum.

If you can't restore your wallet, you didn't do everything right. See if you can figure out what you did wrong. Are you even sure it was Electrum, and not for instance Electron Cash?

You generated your seed phrase using electrum itself? Right? If so, there can't be any problem with the derivation path or the script type and you if you can't generate the same wallet, your seed phrase is incorrect. Is the circle located at the bottom right corner of the window green? Maybe, your wallet is synced.

Yes, of course the phrase was made in the electrum itself, after I entered my seed phrase, I could not click further, I changed to BIP39, and only after that I was able to click further, then I had a password highlighted, I entered the old password, and an empty wallet opened without anything

Try again: maybe you made a mistake typing. When it's correct,  you can continue without BIP39.

Then I'll try tomorrow morning, I'll write you back. I checked every letter, and still only when I put BIP39 I can press next

Try this:

Since your seed phrase has been generated using electrum, it's not BIP39 and you must not check "BIP39" when importing that. Take note that when you check "BIP39", electrum derives your addresses from your seed phrase using a different algorithm and generates a completely different wallet.

Thank you very much, I restored everything

Can you share what solved it? It may help someone else in the future.

If you can not click on Next (it is hidden) after entering your wallet seed words, this means one of or some of your words are inaccurately. If you can click on Next, this means your words are correct. A next step is createing your wallet password to secure that wallet file. Remember that it is for wallet recovery from your wallet seed phrase, and each time you do it, you can set up an entirely new wallet password. This step means that you don't have to type your previous wallet password for wallet recovery. You misunderstood this step in wallet recovery.

I have no words for such a low value, selfish and community disrespecting response from the OP! While his problem existed, the forum members willing to help were good to whine at and leech for a possible solution. Above cited responce basically doesn't say anything, except he found a solution. Sigh, with not telling what did the trick, you're not helping at all. It could be interesting for others. Too bad, youthe OP act like a sociopath and had luck and success. With the attitude you displayed above, I'd say, you didn't deserve to succeed.