Bitcoin Forum

Hi. I need to create private key for bitcoin that I can print out. I have learnt about https://www.blockchain.com/ and https://www.bitaddress.org. What would you recommend?

You're basically asking how to make a paper wallet... In this case, i'd say to use https://www.bitaddress.org/ . I have no idear why you'd chose an online wallet like blockchain.com to create a paper wallet, that's really not what they're designed for.


If you create a paper wallet, follow following steps for maximum security:

• DOWNLOAD their sourcecode (at this moment, the latest version of their sourcecode can be downloaded from https://github.com/pointbiz/bitaddress.org/archive/v3.3.0.zip , But you shouldn't trust anybody that shoves a link in your face and surf to bitaddress.org yourself and find a link to the lastest version of their sourcecode)
• disconnect from the internet
• unpack the sourcecode, open the index page
• create a paper wallet (bip38 encrypted), print it on a directly attached printer... Make several copies
• Reboot the printer + PC before you even attempt to reconnect from the internet
• Laminate the paper wallet(s) and store them in multiple dry, dark, cool, physically protected places (like a banksafe)... If a fire destroys your house, you still need to have a copy of the paper wallet in order to access your funds

Thanks a lot for the steps. Yes, I def meant a paper wallet and doing it offline makes perfect sense.

Does anyone have any experience with Exodus?

I don't recommend Exodus (even as a desktop wallet)... and it certainly isn't useful for creating paper wallets.


If you're interested in paper wallets, try having a read of the resources on: https://bitcoinpaperwallet.com/

It has some very good explanations of the entire process and precautions you should take when generating and printing paper wallets.

Would personally avoid paper wallets. Read more here: https://blog.trezor.io/paper-wallets-a-relic-of-the-past-1f711ba82b8c

It does cover some precautions u have to take:

wow, the paper wallets it contains a unique design, but do you know any paper wallets website that provides a segwit/bech32 address?

WARNING: i do not know anybody who vetted this code (yet), so i am not sure if the RNG used by this website is real/safe.
Untill the sourcecode is truely vetted by senior community members, i would not completely trust this site!!!

https://segwitaddress.org/bech32/#entropyRef


WARNING: i do not know anybody who vetted this code (yet), so i am not sure if the RNG used by this website is real/safe.
Untill the sourcecode is truely vetted by senior community members, i would not completely trust this site!!!

I know some of the paper wallets are Bitcoin paperwallet.com, Bitcoin.com Paper wallet and Wallet Generator.net.

Bitcoin paperwallet.com: This will help you print both front and back side.

Bitcoin.com recommends the users to download the source code and generate the seed from an offline laptop.

Wallet Generator.net: This you have to download it from GitHub and open the index.html file from your computer to protect your funds from being stolen.

You should generate a key / paper wallet even off line.
Best resource about this argument is glacier protocol, where you find all informations regarding risks and threats managing private key and how to minimize it. https://glacierprotocol.org/docs/overview/

Let me give you my sincere advice: Don´t start your journey in crypto trying to make a paper wallet.

You are clearly new in this ecosystem, and there is a lot to learn. Paper wallet to be secure need to be properly generated in an offline environment, which requires some skill.

I suggest that you begin with Electrum.org wallet and a hardware wallet if you can afford one (ledger nano).
But just try out electrum, learn how private/public keys work, study a little, and then try to make a paper wallet.

For now, you will be safer with electrum. Just my 2 satoshis

you can use https://www.blockchain.com/ without any problem. But if you have the ability to afford a hardware wallet it will be good for you. A hardware wallet is more secure than others. But you can't afford it blockchain is fine.

I agree with you and I don't know how trusted these paper wallers are. My what if's are..... How do we know the privatekey is not stored or saved by the software and send off somewhere to be collected and stolen at a later time in the future when your wallet is nice and fat?

I offer 2 options.

First is the easy one and works 100% and is safe. Simply get your privatekey and go offline (disconnect the cable or turn on wifi to make absolutely sure) the use anything to print the privatekey out in regular text then keep that page safe somewhere. I better way and more professional would be to do the same thing but with QR codes instead. Offline again and just generate your code of the privatekey as if it were regular text.

The next method is to use one of those official paper wallets (because they really nice and have tamper proof) Use the paper wallet software to make a blank template then import that template into another app and porint it out cut it out and fold it up. Remember do this offline.

Hope this helps.

That is not "safe"... how is generating a privatekey while connected and online and then going offline "safe"? ??? How do you know that the key hasn't been sent before you unplug the cable or disconnect your WiFi? ::)

If you want your paper wallet to be completely "safe"... You need to be offline before you begin anything. The private key needs to be generated completely offline... and stay offline. There are plenty of guides around on how to do this... using dice or flipping coins... or using a Linux "Live" bootable USB/DVD (with no networking enabled) and running the pages offline.

First, install new Windows 10 with lastest version from Microsoft to make sure your Windows is clean.
After that go to these webiste:


Then, write your Private Key out. I'm sure your wallet safe 100%.
It is a simple and free way.

For the easiest you can do some step:

Step 1: Create a wallet at blockchain.com
Step 2: Go to qr-code-generator.com, paste your private key in here and make QR code.
Step 3: Download and print it.

Very eazy !!!

Sure... But:
step 1: if your computer is infected with a virus or a keylogger, you lose all your funds
step 1: since you now have a blockchain account, you run the risk falling for a phising scam
step 2: if qr-code-generator saves your query, they have your private key
step 2: if you visit a non-ssl version of the site, dozens of people will be able to capture your private key
step 3: downloading on itself isn't even safe... Nor is printing using a network printer

Do not generate a paper wallet from an online machine, do not generate a paper wallet using a web wallet.

Use an offline tool, stay offline, use bip38 encryption, never let your private key touch an online machine (don't even go offine directly after creating your key, reboot first) like the walktrough i initially posted on this very topic.
If you can't follow these logic steps, your paper wallet will LESS secure as the online wallet you used to generate your key in the first place... It would defeat the purpose of a paper wallet.

If you're afraid you'll lose your funds, make a paper wallet for the testnet first, fund it with testnet coins, sweep it with a testnet wallet...

OK bro. So i think let him buy a Cold Wallet for store any coin include Bitcoin. It's the best solution for safety and eaziest for newbie.

Personally, I used bitaddress.org to generate my wallet when I didn't had hardware wallet. I generated it on clean PC with disconnected internet and then I just wrote private key down on a sheet of paper. But if you want best security, you should follow step by step guide posted by mocacinno above.
No, Blockchain.com isn't fine. It's not adviced to use web wallet as a main storage of your crypto. If you can't afford hardware wallet, then I suggest to use desktop wallets like Electrum. It's less secure than hardware wallets, but it's much better choice than web wallet.

Just to drop in, avoid https://walletgenerator.net/ <---------------DO NOT CLICK

A bunch of info about their code differing from their public Github code, in such a way that creates duplicate wallets, just came out.

Depends, if you want ease of use there is many propositions out there.
If you want more secure approach, there are another propositions. Securing keys offline or printing them and storing them safe (!) is important advice.
In the end its all about how much you want to store on specific address because its not worth doing 30 steps as someone advices here if you will store $100.
Security must be chosen to amount of money you want to store.

And at a certain point you need to split up that money across multiple wallets. Even the most secure paper wallet can be lost, stolen, or damaged.