watch only non spendable balance

[kboss]

please do anyone know how i can add a watch only address to my wallet?   like  a non spendable balance... i just want it to show balance in my wallet.. i don't want to spend, trade or convert it.. i just want it as proof of funds please i am ready to pay.

[P2PECS]

please do anyone know how i can add a watch only address to my wallet?   like  a non spendable balance... i just want it to show balance in my wallet.. i don't want to spend, trade or convert it.. i just want it as proof of funds please i am ready to pay.

Let me get this straight: you have Bitcoin at one address and you want to take away your own ability to spend it? Because a watch-only address as far as I know is an address that is not yours and you import it to monitor activity.

If that's the case, I guess the best way would be to create another wallet without that address and import it as watch-only but ultimately you would be able to spend it.

It would be nice if you could explain why you want to do this as an internet search indicates it is used as a scam:

https://medium.com/blockchain/the-truth-about-watch-only-addresses-c9708b5b892

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/21jh2i/attention_blockchaininfo_people_are_scamming/

[NotATether]

Watch-only addresses can be imported into many wallets free-of-charge (without paying a penny).

For example, in Electrum you would go to File menu > New, and then in the new wallet prompt screen, you click on "Import addresses or private keys", and then you simply paste the address whose balance you want to show in your wallet.

It's not really useful as a proof-of-funds though, because you can actually import anybody's addresses that way but it doesn't prove that they are yours.

[hugeblack]

please do anyone know how i can add a watch only address to my wallet?  

What do you mean by "watch-only addresses"? When you generate your wallet from seed you are generating an HD wallet from seeds, meaning you can generate multiple addresses/private keys from those seeds, and when you export your master public key you get the view wallet file.

You can list and track multiple master public key using third-party applications (bitcoin trackers^[1][2]) and these applications also allow you to list individual addresses.

watch only wallet is useful in tracking your coins and cannot be used to prove anything, because the proof requires signing a message, which requires a private key.

[1] https://CoinTracker.io
[2] https://coinstats.app/

[NotATether]

You can list and track multiple master public key using third-party applications (bitcoin trackers^[1][2]) and these applications also allow you to list individual addresses.

Why wouldn't a person just create multiple wallets for that purpose instead? It doesn't make sense to throw money at this problem, particularly if the solutions are paid. Simple numerical addition of the total balance will suffice for this purpose (for the wallets are actually SQLite databases - they are encrypted fully only if you provide a password and selecct that particular option, IIRC).