Accessing Windows 10 desktop wallet from Android

[rb000001]

Hi

I've been trying to gain access to my bitcoins, currently residing in an Electrum wallet on Windows 10, from my Android phone after installing the Electrum app.

Entering the 12 seed words doesn't enable the 'Next' button.



neither does 'Next' button get enabled after Pasting in the exported keys, via that route.

Could someone let me know how this is supposed to be done? Is it possible to share across phone and desktop in some way??

Thanks

[1715491423]

1715491423

[1715491423]

1715491423

[1715491423]

1715491423

[SFR10]

I've been trying to gain access to my bitcoins, currently residing in an Electrum wallet on Windows 10, from my Android phone after installing the Electrum app.

Entering the 12 seed words doesn't enable the 'Next' button.

Most likely you typed something wrong or chose the wrong word (whenever it gives some options, when you type halfway), make sure to double check for errors or missing words.

Could someone let me know how this is supposed to be done?

Same process as you did. Standard wallet > I already have a seed

Is it possible to share across phone and desktop in some way??

Yes, I just did the whole thing again (in case there's an issue) and everything worked perfectly.

[rb000001]

Thanks for having a look at this.
But ...tried half a dozen times now.

Seed words are easy to get right since the app gives a list of qualifying words after initial letters entered.

Electrum v 3.0.3.0 on Android

   I already have a seed

   Entered 12 word seed phrase (correctly)

   'Next' button never enables.

This same 12 word seed created wallets on two different Windows 10
computers without a problem.

One thing that might affect this is that the wallet and seed phrase
was originally created on a desktop in the Multibit HD software and then
transferred to Electrum using the specific Multibit import facility Electrum provides.
I'm thinking maybe the seed phrase is one that is only enabled on PC because it comes from a Multibit wallet, and the Android app does not have that facility??

(In which case you are probably going to tell me to create a new Electrum PC wallet, send the funds to that and then open an Android wallet with the new wallet's seed phrase. Would prefer to avoid the transaction costs but will do this if that's what's happening).

Thanks

[Lucius]

Thanks for having a look at this.
But ...tried half a dozen times now.

Seed words are easy to get right since the app gives a list of qualifying words after initial letters entered.

Electrum v 3.0.3.0 on Android

   I already have a seed

   Entered 12 word seed phrase (correctly)

   'Next' button never enables.

This same 12 word seed created wallets on two different Windows 10
computers without a problem.

One thing that might affect this is that the wallet and seed phrase
was originally created on a desktop in the Multibit HD software and then
transferred to Electrum using the specific Multibit import facility Electrum provides.
I'm thinking maybe the seed phrase is one that is only enabled on PC because it comes from a Multibit wallet, and the Android app does not have that facility??

(In which case you are probably going to tell me to create a new Electrum PC wallet, send the funds to that and then open an Android wallet with the new wallet's seed phrase. Would prefer to avoid the transaction costs but will do this if that's what's happening).

Thanks

Problem is in derivation paths,since you use seed which is created in MultiBit HD and you recover your wallet in Electrum with that seed,but desktop version have option to select derivation paths and in android version there is no such option.

Like you say only way to have same seed on desktop&android version of Electrum wallet is to create new Electrum wallet with new seed and send your BTC to that wallet in transaction-then you can use that seed on android version and you will see your balance&transaction.

[rb000001]

Makes sense. Many thanks.

Shouldnt it be possible to import the pc wallet using Android app's 'Import Bitcoin addresses or private keys' route to creating a new wallet ?

[Lucius]

Makes sense. Many thanks.

Shouldnt it be possible to import the pc wallet using Android app's 'Import Bitcoin addresses or private keys' route to creating a new wallet ?

I never use Electrum for Android OS,but if you see option for import private keys then it should be possible to do it.If you import only address then you can create "watch only wallet",with import of private key you can see your balance-transaction and send /receive BTC.But if you import private keys from Electrum which is HD(hierarchical deterministic) wallet you on some way expose your seed because all private keys are generated from seed.

So when you have HD wallet like Electrum,Trezor or Ledger it is best to use only seed for recovery-import to new wallet.But if you trust your android phone to store private keys you can try that option,otherwise only other(safe option)is to create new Electrum wallet(new seed)send BTC in transaction and use that seed on android.

[HCP]

The problem is that you are using a BIP39 seed from MultiBit HD

- Electrum Desktop allows you to import BIP39 seeds (click "Options", select BIP39 seed)... and allows you to use custom derivation paths during import.
- Electrum Android ONLY allows you to use an Electrum Seed (these are NOT BIP39 compatible).

You can however import private keys, so you'd need to export the private keys from your desktop wallet and then import those into the Android wallet.

[rb000001]

Thanks for your help everyone.

I saw the notice that there'd been a vulnerability discovered in Electrum necessitating the download of 3.0.5.
Doing this results in my Windows 10 Defender Smart screen blocking the app, because it's 'unrecognised' which is a bit disconcerting.

I'd have thought that a) users should be automatically informed of significant vulnerabilities rather than having to notice it by chance on Electrum website and b) the app should be registered with Windows Defender.





 

[HCP]

I'd have thought that a) users should be automatically informed of significant vulnerabilities rather than having to notice it by chance on Electrum website

How exactly should it do this? Do you want your Bitcoin wallet "phoning home" to ask if there are updates? What if a hacker infiltrates the "auto update" system and uploads malware? What if you're using Electrum offline? There is a reason that even the Bitcoin Core devs removed the "alert" system from Bitcoin Core.

Again... "Be your own Bank" also implies that you have to "Be your own security department"... The onus is on the Bitcoin user to stay on top of things.

[rb000001]

email ?

[HCP]

Aside from the obvious privacy implications of your suggestion, what would happen when hundreds of users (who have given up their privacy to join a mailing list) suddenly receive either "phising" or spoofed emails from "ElectrumDevs" telling them they need to update and providing a handy link to download the "updated wallet"... That directs the user to an identical looking scam website that lets them download a nice malware version of Electrum that steals all their coins?

A big part of Crypto is "independence"... users need to start taking responsibility for the safety and security of their coins.

In any case, I'm sure there are probably already mailing lists and/or twitter accounts that you can follow to get notifications of bitcoin related issues like this.

[rb000001]

Receiving an email is no great security threat.

One from Electrum which warned of a problem in the software and advised checking the website would be much safer for registered users than having to poll the site regularly to check nothing had come up recently.

I agree that downloading software from links in emails is not a good idea (you guys are doomed .