Bitcoin Forum

Brand new bitcoin user. Bought some on an exchange, downloaded bitcoin core for a wallet, sent bitcoins to wallet, then when they didn't show up I slowly realized the whole blockchain thing--whatever that is. What can I do to get my bitcoins back without leaving my computer running for like 4 days to sync all the blocks?
In retrospect I realize I should of picked a lighter wallet o.o
Thanks so much for your help!

get private keys from your bitcoin core wallet and import them to for example multibit (fast SPV client)
http://bitcoinvanitygen.com/bitcoinvanityaddress.php <-- here are guides for importing keys to diffirent wallets Blockchain.info (easy)    Bitcoin-qt (medium)    MultiBit (medium)    Electrum (easy)

you won't need to synchronise bitcoin core then :)

I will suggest to use electrum instead since it's the lightest desktop wallet you can get. 

dump your private keys and import them into electrum, you dont need a vanity address

Or just wait. Your coins are fine.

If you are new to bitcoin than i will suggest not to like take out private key or anything from your bitcoin core as you may lost or expose your private key online. Wait and give it time to sync if you have good internet connection. And after than better you use blockchain.info web wallet or electrum and send that bitcoin from your core wallet to these online wallets or you can compare other web wallets and choose from them.

You'll have to just wait,I don't see what else you can really do

If you do decide to export the private keys and import them in electrum (I don't think multibit HD allows the importing of private keys), make sure you export the keys for all the addresses having inputs. If you only generated one address, you should be fine, if you generated more: be cautious. Since you didn't use the wallet to send funds, I don't think there would be change addresses, so you shouldn't have to worry about those either.

Also, if you export your private key, consider your wallet to be exposed
Last but not least: backup your wallet.dat , even if the wallet shouldn't contain any more funds

I would also suggest to just wait it out if that's possible

Waiting to get your wallet to completely download all blocks info must be safer way here for a new bitcoin user.

Just check your bitcoin address in block explorer to confirm that you had received them.

Exporting privatekey and importing them into electrum or blockchain.info wallet are recommended only for advanced users, if you are having technical background you can go for it.

take the private keu fro. bitcoin core wallet and import it into any other light wallet like electrum or at a mobile  wallet like mycelium wallet i do not use bitcoin core wallet and i do not evwry know that i can do that or not ever

you can wait until you wallet fully sync or can you can import your private key to another wallet like online wallet, if you dont want to wait until the wallet fully sync dont use dekstop wallet you can use online

If you bought the bitcoins to hold them for a while I would suggest leaving Bitcoin Core to sync. You will be helping the network that way.

If you just need to spend the bitcoins moving the private keys into a lightweight client is a good option but it carries some heavy risks of exposing your private keys.

I encountered a similar situation when I bought my first bitcoin's way back in May 2014. Just wait for the client to sync, it's frustrating but better than dumping your private keys onto wallets like blockchain.info just to save time.