Whar's The Difference Between Private Key and Backup Phrase?

[ContentWriter]

I've used backup phrase to import wallets, but I've been at a loss what to do with private keys.

Any explanation?

[coolcoinz]

This is a wrong section to ask about such things.

In short, there at least 3 ways to access old wallet on a new device. You can use a seed phrase, private key, or a wallet backup file. All of these will give you or anybody else who has them access to your money, so make sure you keep them safe. Exposing your private key will lead to a loss of funds even if you keep the seed safe.

[Charles-Tim]

What is required for the recovery of your coins is the private key. Later was the implementation of hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallet which consists of master private keys but that starts from xprv, yprv, zprv and the likes which are called the master or extended private keys. The characters that private keys consist of are not easy for backup unlike having words which lead to the words backup which are the seed phrases. The seed phrase will generate the master key while the master key will generate the private keys which are called the child private keys in HD wallets.

[ContentWriter]

What is required for the recovery of your coins is the private key. Later was the implementation of hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallet which consists of master private keys but that starts from xprv, yprv, zprv and the likes which are called the master or extended private keys. The characters that private keys consist of are not easy for backup unlike having words which lead to the words backup which are the seed phrases. The seed phrase will generate the master key while the master key will generate the private keys which are called the child private keys in HD wallets.

I like your explanation. I wish I understood it. However, from my understanding, when I input the seed phrase, they generate the private key that imports my wallet into the new one, Right?

[Charles-Tim]

I like your explanation. I wish I understood it. However, from my understanding, when I input the seed phrase, they generate the private key that imports my wallet into the new one, Right?

Yes. The seed phrase will generate the keys needed for you to access your coins for spending.

If you want to understand this better, you can read the chapter 4 of mastering bitcoin which is about bitcoin keys, addresses and wallets

Chapter 4. Keys, Addresses, Wallets

[Stalker22]

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I like your explanation. I wish I understood it. However, from my understanding, when I input the seed phrase, they generate the private key that imports my wallet into the new one, Right?

I think the most important thing for now is keeping your seed phrase safe.  Think of it like a master password for your wallet.  If you keep that secure, all your private keys will be safe too!

So, instead of saving a bunch of private keys, you just need to keep one backup seed phrase safe. I hope that makes sense now.

[BlackBoss_]

I've used backup phrase to import wallets, but I've been at a loss what to do with private keys.

Any explanation?

https://learnmeabitcoin.com/beginners/guide/keys-addresses/
https://learnmeabitcoin.com/technical/keys/hd-wallets/mnemonic-seed/

Private keys are long and hard to remember and back up. Then developers create mnemonic seed that is more easier for human to back up or remember by brain but brain, memory is not a recommended back up method.

https://learnmeabitcoin.com/technical/keys/hd-wallets/mnemonic-seed/#mnemonic-seed-tool
You can practice to create mnemonic seed randomly by that tool and understand the process. Don't use it as your wallet to store bitcoin, the site warns about risk too.

[Frankolala]

I've used backup phrase to import wallets, but I've been at a loss what to do with private keys.

Any explanation?

Only your seed phrase is enough for you to import your old wallet into the new one and you don't need any private keys because your seed phrase generates your private keys. So if you use only your seed phrase it is enough for you to have access to your wallet.

You can use a wallet that the seed phrase and private keys have being generated already by default and no worries to start generating a new private keys from your seed phrase because only you have access to your private keys generated from your seed phrase. Backing up your seed phrase in three different places and keep it out of reach from third party is the important thing

[odolvlobo]

I thought I would list some important terms and clear up some common confusion:

• Address: Bitcoins are sent to an address. An address is derived from its public key. It is not a public key or a wallet.
• Private Key: Used to control the bitcoins at an address. A private key is not a password or a seed phrase.
• Public Key: A public key is used in a transaction, and it is rarely seen elsewhere. A public key is derived from its private key. It is not an address.
• Wallet: A wallet contains and controls private keys and their associated addresses. A wallet is not an address. A wallet typically uses a seed phrase to generate its private keys.
• Seed/Mnemonic/Recovery Phrase: Used by a wallet to generate private keys and their associated addresses. A seed phrase is not a passphrase or a private key. A seed phrase is also known as a recovery phrase because all of a wallet's private keys and associated addresses are derived from it, and, every wallet will generate the same private keys and associated addresses if given the same recovery phrase.
• Passphrase/password: A passphrase is used to encrypt a wallet, private key, or other information. A passphrase is not a private key or a seed phrase. Sometimes a seed phrase can contain an extra word or phrase that may be called a passphrase, but it is not.

Here are sets of terms that are frequently confused with each other:

• Public key <==> Address
• Address <==> Wallet
• Private key <==> Seed/Mnemonic/Recovery Phrase <==> Passphrase

Terms that should be avoided because they are ambiguous or are probably being used incorrectly:

• Wallet address: There is no such thing as the address of a wallet. As stated above, a wallet contains private keys and their associated addresses.
• Public address: Use of this term typically indicates a confusion between the terms "address" and "public key". All addresses are public.
• Public Key: Typically, this term is mistakenly used in place of "address".

[hosemary]

I like your explanation. I wish I understood it. However, from my understanding, when I input the seed phrase, they generate the private key that imports my wallet into the new one, Right?

Take note that your seed phrase doesn't generate a single private key. Your seed phrase generartes a very big number of private keys and addresses and that's one of advantages of having a seed phrase. If you want to have multiple addresses for any reason, you don't have to backup multiple private keys and a single seed phrase is all you need to recover your wallet.