Fear of losing my coins grabbed me by neck

[Vvang]

Brothers and Sisters on the forum I need your help, I don't have money for a hardware wallet and all I have left is android wallet, the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

[1714040618]

1714040618

[mk4]

Your choices are pretty limited as a lot of things can go wrong. But at the very least, only write down your recovery phrase on a piece of paper, and use a privacy-friendly keyboard app. I personally wouldn't secure my investments on a vanilla Android device though, at the very least I'm going to flash GrapheneOS.

Seriously though, unless you really need to hold crypto (maybe you're from Venezuela or a similar country), I really wouldn't buy crypto if you can't even afford a Ledger Nano S.

[Upgrade00]

I'm having a hard time understanding your request, you don't have money for a hardware wallet, so you are running on a mobile wallet through your Android device; which part of this process requires you to copy your private keys?

On electrum, you will be giving your mnemonic phrase on creating an address and you can back that up physically and store in a secure location without having to copy or screenshot them, which are not advisable for safety.

for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

• Have two devices, one is airgapped where you create a wallet with your private keys,
• On the second device which accesses the internet, you create a watch only wallet with your public key,
• When creating a transaction, you get your raw unsigned transaction on the watch only wallet and then sign that on the airgapped one.

[jackg]

Mobile wallets have been considered one of the most at risk wallets (after Web wallets). I've been keeping some amount of funds on my phone though to test the lightning network and before that I've kept a decent amount of funds in a phone without much issues (the majority of my funds are now on hardware but if you can't afford a hardware wallet, a phone might be OK die the time being - especially if you don't install many random apps).

[mk4]

I'm having a hard time understanding your request, you don't have money for a hardware wallet, so you are running on a mobile wallet through your Android device; which part of this process requires you to copy your private keys?

If I'm going to guess, to import the same wallet backup to a different wallet on a different blockchain. (e.g. having the same backup for both BlueWallet and MetaMask, etc.)

[NeuroticFish]

Brothers and Sisters on the forum I need your help, I don't have money for a hardware wallet and all I have left is android wallet, the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

Warning, this may be a little advanced for newbies, especially if not tech savvy!

For you have a computer or laptop? Or do you have somebody in your family who can help? Do you have 2 USB sticks (you can do also with one and some patience)? Or can you borrow one for a 30-60 minutes job?
Get Tails OS onto an USB stick, boot from that (with no internet at all), run Electrum from there. Create a new wallet.

Write the seed (or the first address' private key) down to paper.
You need in Electrum to see addresses: View->Addresses. Copy/paste the first address from the wallet into a new file into second USB (or you can write to another piece of paper).

Make sure you've written everything correctly, optionally you can do it by trying to recover to a new wallet and see if the (first) address is matching.
Tip: make sure you write different 1, I, l since it's a common mistake.

Now make multiple copies of that seed or private key (copy by hand, not xerox!) and keep them safe in multiple safe locations. Maybe laminate them.

Reboot the computer/laptop into the original PC, you can clean the USB stick (GParted for Linux or Macrorit Partition Expert Free Edition for Windows should be fit for the job) and format like new (keep in mind that if you started Tails without persistence - the default mode - then you don't have anything important on that USB).

Now you can send your coins from Android to the newly created address.
That address never touched the internet and should be safe.
You can look on https://mempool.space how much money you have on that address.
You basically made yourself safely a paper wallet. Enjoy!

[SquirrelJulietGarden]

the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it?

It is only if your device is infected. If you have a good web surfing style, your device will have low risk of infection. So it starts with how you use your device.

How to lose your Bitcoins with CTRL-C CTRL-V

You don't have to own hardware wallet to store and use your Bitcoin. There are good SPV wallets like Electrum wallet for Android. It is available for desktop too.

How to Safely Download and Verify Electrum

[noorman0]

Your skepticism about copy>pasting has been discussed in detail here, well worth reading.
Mobile version wallets generally also provide a seed phrase other than the privatekey, and that (at least) doesn't make it difficult for the user to manually rewrite the key somewhere else. So far, electrum does this.

[BitMaxz]

To me, I never had any issue with my phone never experienced someone hacking my phone or stole my funds from my phone.
I don't use other Android OS I only use the stock firmware from Samsung with Knox which is secured. I put all my crypto wallets under Knox secured folder and the good thing about this is if someone tries to root and hack your Knox secure folder it will automatically stop running and all files and wallets under the secured folder you can no longer access all data.
It means Knox automatically locks your data to prevent unauthorized access.

If you are using a different phone model and you want to use your phone as your hardware wallet then you can do that too you can use your phone as your cold storage and never connect it to the internet.
You can still sign a transaction with your offline wallet(Cold storage) from your phone through QR code scanning. You just need an extra device for generating a unsign transaction either a laptop or phone with a watch-only wallet and can able to scan QR codes.

So all of your raw unsigned/signed transactions are transferred through your camera and from generated QR codes.

[348Judah]

I don't have money for a hardware wallet and all I have left is android wallet, the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too

I agree with you that there are copy and paste malware attack as well but you can't make the claim that finding a secured place to store your keys after copying them is a problem, online mobile wallet isn't advisible at all, i will strongly recommend you to go for hardware wallet, here you don't have to worry about how to save your keys, they are more reliable for use and has least tendencies for an attack unlike the online or mobile wallet, electrum wallet is also another good option for you, it has it mobile version but you just need to have a means to safe-keep your keys, if you consider the amount it will cost you to secure a hardware wallet and the amount of asset worth in your wallet and compare it to the risk attached, you will discover it's worth going for, except you have very little coins in your wallet.

[dkbit98]

I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

Don't worry, you don't have to buy hardware wallet and you don't to use need any special hard technique to secure your coins.
Simple solution is to use regular paper with pencil and write down all your seed words during creation of your wallet, this is best to be done offline.
It's much easier to write seed words than private key, and you can later generate multiple addresses for receiving coins.
If you want to be even more secure you can use metal plates or stainless steel washers instead of regular paper.
Always keep your paper or metal backup in safe place, best have multiple copies in different locations.

[examplens]

Brothers and Sisters on the forum I need your help, I don't have money for a hardware wallet and all I have left is android wallet, the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

why would you even transfer a private key anywhere using the android device?
A phone device is probably the worst way for holding crypto funds. I think one of the easiest options for you is to have a blockchain.info wallet and use their application, you can also access it via the web from other devices.
there you can use a QR code for everything, thus you will avoid the risk of a potential clipboard infection.

[sunsilk]

You can always look out and be alert upon copy pasting. Your worry is valid because there are malware that really attacks you with copy pasting of addresses and the hackers address will replace yours.

First, don't save your private keys/seeds on your mobile device. Keep it simple in a written form and keep that in a place that's safe and only you know it at least.

Second, a mobile wallet is what you'll use since you don't have much option. Research on what's the most recommended one, if you're for a multi currency wallet, there are plenty of them but make sure that they provide private keys for their users.

Lastly, as what I've said in the first sentence. Be vigilant and don't send quickly, before you send a transaction, check it as many times as you can if the address you'll be sending it out is correct.

[sheenshane]

Though I know that possible hacking and malware infection in mobile wallet apps but fortunately, I've never experienced it in how many years using an android mobile phone.  But you shouldn't create your wallet on your mobile phone in the first place, upon creation finds a device that is rarely used on the internet, a laptop would be better to create a wallet through Electrum.

But if that's a big amount that you've wanted to store in a long run, it would be better if you have to spend a little amount to buy a hardware wallet which is pretty safe.  Don't risk your investment and might you'll regret it in the future.

[bittick]

You shall not feel worry about that. What you can do to double check when you were clicking the ccopy and pasting your privatekey. There was also another way like prepare a note to write your privatekey manually. This is will much more safe if you are feeling worry by using the copy and pasting board. I think that if it is the best way to write your privatekey manually. I do know that the reputation of android is the worst thing to hodl your crypto.
This is working pretty the same like when you were using the paper wallet. This is the most easiest way to do rather than gone with a complicated way but you must keep your paper wallet privately.

[jrrsparkles]

Brothers and Sisters on the forum I need your help, I don't have money for a hardware wallet and all I have left is android wallet, the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

Write down the private keys into you personal diary or something which isn't not accessible by others, that is the better way in my opinion. I don't know how much you're holding in your android wallet but if I am not wrong I kept upto one bitcoin in my Electrum wallet which is created on both PC and android but I sm sure that I didn't have installed any pirated apps and applications from third party websites so I can say that I am safe so not really worried.

[Poker Player]

To me what strikes me about this, is that if the OP doesn't have money for a hardware wallet, he must not have much money in the Android Wallet, I'm guessing something like $50.

Looking at his post history, he seems like an impulsive person who is driven by the fads of the moment to invest in shitcoins, and surely with the market downturn there has been, the value of his portfolio is laughable.

Friend Vvang, if you don't have money for a hardware wallet you shouldn't be spending money on the shitcoins of the moment to see if you hit the lottery.

I would tell you that before spending a penny more on "investments" you should do a lot of research and not put money into something because you've seen the Youtuber of the moment, but as impulsive as I think you are I doubt you'll listen to me.

Having funds that you're afraid to lose on an Android mobile is just one more disaster out of everything you've been doing lately. Stop, reflect and try to do things right from now on.

[cryptoaddictchie]

Brothers and Sisters on the forum I need your help, I don't have money for a hardware wallet and all I have left is android wallet, the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

Ive read some cases on axie infinity community regarding this kind of virus wherein you copy an address and paste it then the wallet is different suddenly. When they transact the tokens sent to the wrong address. So be careful when you click links might get some malware like that.

To be safe actually using free wallets download is never try to join massive airdrops with potential scam links. Cause you might get those kind of viruses that could resulted to hack.

[Rengga Jati]

Brothers and Sisters on the forum I need your help, I don't have money for a hardware wallet and all I have left is android wallet, the problem is fear of copying my private key into something else, I have come to realise that clicking on COPY on your phone can be dangerous, where to decide to PASTE can be unsafe too, for those who aren't using hardware wallet how are you doing it? What is the safe procedure with mobile wallet users.

Exactly, this is risky enough. There maybe malware clipboard if we are clicking copying and then pasting and this means that the private keys copied and pasted may be different.
Aditionaly, saving our private keys online is not safe enough. Not only about malware but also hack probability. Commonly, an app or certain platform has print options in their platform or wallet. This may be used to print out the private kye and store it to the safest thing or person that we know. But if you don't trust it anymore, it is better to save it by yourself.

[Darker45]

I have been using mobile wallets for years and so far nothing untoward has happened. Perhaps you only need to choose a wallet which is both open-source and non-custodial. Of course, the level of security is lower for a hot wallet compared to a cold wallet. But for the meantime, while you have yet to secure yourself a hardware wallet, it's best to take note of that.

Also, avoid saving vital information in your phone as you're probably connecting it online every now and then and undesirable entities could get access to those files. So instead of copy-pasting your private keys in your mobile device, it's best to just manually write it down on a piece of paper, make several copies, and keep them in different safe places.