Bitcoin Forum

Hello and Happy New Year!
I have a paper wallet (from 2017) and would like to now put it on my Bitcoin core wallet. It's not immediately apparent how do it. (I almost put the paper wallet onto my Electrum wallet, but decided to wait for advice on the Bitcoin core.) Could someone tell me how it's done? Thanks!

• Import your bitcoin wallet on a bitcoin software, using your private keys or seed phrase. Preferably, do this using an air gapped device for signing transactions to avoid compromising your privacy,
• You can use an online device to broadcast the transaction,
• Send all your coins to your new address on bitcoin core.

Alternatively;
• You could import the wallet directly into bitcoin core
• This could also pose a security risk and would be safer to sweep into a new address.

First of all note that if you insist on using bitcoin core for any reason, you have to download the blockchain. It's currently around 380 GB.

For importing your paper wallet into bitcoin core, Go to console (Window > Console) and use the following command.


Warning:
Before doing anything, make sure that your device is secure.

In addition to what others have said.
Sweeping of paper wallet is a procedure of you importing your private keys on BitcoinQt while the entire balance is moved into your new address but Bitcoin core will require you to download the entire blockchain before your current wallet balance will be visible as stated by hosseinimr93
You'll find a guide here https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Help:How_to_import_private_keys_in_Bitcoin_Core_0.7%2B
Why do you use a wallet like Electrum which will save you time and stress?

Thanks alot for the help.
The 22.0 version I have is fully synced and ready. It's just that it doesn't have a 'debug window', 'console', and 'Import Private key' unlike the 0.14.0 v core wallet I downloaded 4 years ago, which my laptop ran out space. So I had to download the 22.0v. If there's no easy way to do it, I could sweep to my Electrum.

It is important to note the difference between "importing" a private key and "sweeping" a private key, and their security implications.

When you "import" a private key, the wallet continues to hold and use the private key. You should destroy all copies of the private key after it is imported because the bitcoins haven't moved and the private key still gives access them. Otherwise, anybody who somehow gains access to one of these copies can still spend the bitcoins. However, note that some wallets do not back up imported keys. So, if the imported private key is not backed up and the wallet is damaged or lost, then imported private key is lost.

When you "sweep" a private key, the software sends the bitcoins to a new address generated by the wallet. After sweeping a private key, the key is now useless because the bitcoins have been moved. The drawback to "sweeping" a private key is that it involves a transaction and a transaction fee.

Note that if you have downloaded the blockchain in pruned mode and wants to import a new private key now, you have to download the blockchain again.


In the case you import the private key into a wallet and don't move the fund, you shouldn't destroy the copies. Instead, you should keep them in safe places. You will need your private key as a backup for your fund.

Click Window > Console (at list this is how it shows in my version).
Or press CTRL-T.
Keep your paper wallet backup.

If your wallet is from early 2017, you probably also own some Forkcoins. Don't do anything with them before you move all Bitcoin to a new address.

Don't destroy your paper wallet, just make sure nobody can get to it!

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If it's a large value, you may want to find a different solution than keeping everything on a computer connected to the internet.

Success! Thank you everyone for your help! Much appreciated.

So, what did you do in the end? Did you import your private key or did you create a new wallet and sweeped the coins (sweept? *unsure*) everything from the old one?
If someone else comes across this thread looking for similar answers, it would benefit them if they can read how you solved it and why.

How are your keys stored now?
On paper, digitally, somewhere online?...