The recovery phrase exists so that users can activate their wallet on multiple browsers and devices along with being able to recover access to their wallet.
When you activate a wallet on your laptop using chrome, for example, this is the only place you can access it. If you want to access it on a different browser, or on another device, you will need to use that recovery phrase again.
We recommend not storing your 12-word recovery phrase on the same device that you access your wallet with, and ideally that you write it down physically.