How do I view/see my private keys on Bitcoin-Qt

[tenakha]

Hi,

I've read on forums that you can export your wallet and view/see the private keys.

On QT - there is a "backup" feature and there is an export feature.

When I back up my wallet the .dat file is unreadable, and the export does export addresses and transactions.

How do I export so I can see the private keys with each of my addresses? Or is this something that you can only do in other wallets like Armoury.?

T.

[1714932569]

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[1714932569]

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[1714932569]

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[1714932569]

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[Severian]

What operating system are you using?

[🏰 TradeFortress 🏰]

Just get armoury, it's way better.

[Stephen Gornick]

How do I export so I can see the private keys with each of my addresses?

From Bitcoind you can export the keys but if you are using accounts, you will need to do the export for each account. 

See:
 - http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/4633/153

Pywallet is a utility that will export the keys.

Just make sure you have closed the client before accessing the database with pywallet.

And make sure you make a good backup of your wallet.dat before doing any of this.

[tenakha]

What operating system are you using?

Im on mac os. Also - where does Bitcoin-Qt save the main wallet.dat file that it uses?
(Im a fairly new Mac user too so still working out where the app files are etc)

I keep hearing really good things about Armoury ... so do you justsend your coins from Bitcoin-qt to yourself in your new Armoury wallet?

T.

[Severian]

Im on mac os. Also - where does Bitcoin-Qt save the main wallet.dat file that it uses?
(Im a fairly new Mac user too so still working out where the app files are etc)

Go to /Library/Application Support/Bitcoin to find bitcoin's data. wallet.dat lives there.

To dump a private key, do thus:

1.) From Menu, click Help > Debug Window

2.) Click on Console

3.) type dumpprivkey [bitcoin address]

I keep hearing really good things about Armoury ... so do you justsend your coins from Bitcoin-qt to yourself in your new Armoury wallet?

T.

Or you could import the private key you just dumped into Armory. I assume Armory has an import key command.

[rav3n_pl]

You need bitcoind.

Code:

bitcoind help

It will give you all supported commands.

To get private key you need use command:

Code:

bitcoind dumpprivkey 1YourAddressYouWantToDump

If wallet is encrypted you need

Code:

bitcoind walletpassphrase YourWalletPassword 60

to unlock it for 60seconds.

To import address to another wallet you need use

Code:

bitcoind importprivkey PrivKeyYouHaveDumpedEarlier LabelForThisAddress

Importing new key takes some time (even few mins, depends on machine), because bitcoin is scanning entire blockchain to determine current address balance.

[Raoul Duke]

You need bitcoind.

Except there is no bitcoind for Mac.

Severian already gave him the correct answer.
Just one thing, Bitcoin-qt needs to be 0.7.0, or else there will be no debug window

[rav3n_pl]

You need bitcoind.

Except there is no bitcoind for Mac.

Severian already gave him the correct answer.
Just one thing, Bitcoin-qt needs to be 0.7.0, or else there will be no debug window

Oops, missed that is MAC lol

[Severian]

Just one thing, Bitcoin-qt needs to be 0.7.0, or else there will be no debug window

0.7.0 is a huge improvement for Mac. I could import a key previously via the GUI, but it wasn't pretty or graceful.

[World]

useful info thx Severian

[philipma1957]

Im on mac os. Also - where does Bitcoin-Qt save the main wallet.dat file that it uses?
(Im a fairly new Mac user too so still working out where the app files are etc)

Go to /Library/Application Support/Bitcoin to find bitcoin's data. wallet.dat lives there.

To dump a private key, do thus:

1.) From Menu, click Help > Debug Window

2.) Click on Console

3.) type dumpprivkey [bitcoin address]

I keep hearing really good things about Armoury ... so do you justsend your coins from Bitcoin-qt to yourself in your new Armoury wallet?

T.

Or you could import the private key you just dumped into Armory. I assume Armory has an import key command.

this still true for a mac say with 0.14.2 core

I could use a way to get one address's key's as I think i need them