Bitcoin Offline Wallet

[Nwada001]

I have about four different multi-wallets that I created with Trust Wallet, SafePal, and Metamask; one is just for altcoins and other cryptos, and the other three are just for bitcoin. I don't have any bitcoin wallets that haven't already been mentioned, and I'd like to know if it's possible to create a bitcoin-only wallet that doesn't require a desktop APP, works offline (because Windows wasn't purchased from a trusted party), and can be protected by a passcode or password. because I want to transfer all of my bitcoin holdings from my trust wallet to a more secure wallet that has higher security.
Read-only paper and hardware wallets are the best, but getting my hands on a hardware wallet now won't be fast or easy because of my location. Every piece of advice and suggestion will be highly appreciated.
 

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[jackg]

Have you thought about airgapping (where you use another machine that stays indefinitely offline for storing and signing with keys and one online for broadcasting and building transactions)?

Aside from that, I'm not sure there's any other good way to do this without using a hardware wallet (it could be something you do while waiting for a hardware wallet though).

[BitMaxz]

I don't have any bitcoin wallets that haven't already been mentioned, and I'd like to know if it's possible to create a bitcoin-only wallet that doesn't require a desktop APP, works offline

I don't get exactly what you mean by this. Are you talking about a Bitcoin wallet that doesn't need to install on your desktop that works offline?
If yes, then a paper wallet is I think what you looking for because most Bitcoin wallet is software that you need to install on your desktop before you can able to use them.
Unless you talking about apps from the Microsoft store? If I'm right then you can use Electrum or Armory(with Bitcoin core installed) or Bitcoin core they do all will work without internet.

[pooya87]

Use a live Linux on a USB disk without network access and install Electrum on it with password protection.

1. Live Ubuntu on USB https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#1-overview
(You can do a full install too but it harder)
2. Download and verify Electrum
3. Unplug your modem, disconnect internet, Lan cable, etc.
4. Boot into the USB with the live Linux
5. Install Electrum
6. Generate a new wallet and write down the seed phrase
7. Send your funds to this cold storage.

Note: you can and should test this setup first and see if you can create it correctly and use it correctly too. You can test using testnet with some free coins and/or with a small amount of bitcoin in a small tx.
To spend from this you can to repeat most of the above steps specially if you didn't enable persistence on the disk. You can read more about cold storage on Electrum docs.
There is an old guide with more details here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=853288.0

[nc50lc]

-snip-
because I want to transfer all of my bitcoin holdings from my trust wallet to a more secure wallet that has higher security.

If Air-Gap cold-storage setup isn't an option, you can consider 2FA Electrum which is categorically safe.
It requires a 2FA device which should be your phone with Authenticator app and (third-party) additional service fee for the 2FA service.
As long as you keep your seed phrase safe and generated it offline, your wallet will be safe even if the computer/wallet gets hacked.

For information and security reasons, you must read and follow the suggestion in Electrum's 2FA wallet setup wizard:

Image from: electrum.readthedocs.io/en/latest/2fa.html

[Nwada001]

I don't get exactly what you mean by this. Are you talking about a Bitcoin wallet that doesn't need to install on your desktop that works offline?
If yes, then a paper wallet is I think what you looking for because most Bitcoin wallet is software that you need to install on your desktop before you can able to use them.

What I mean is a wallet that is Android support and not desktop, but I can still go for the Desktop if it's safe and protective. I don't trust my PC that much since I came across the clipboard virus and how it works on this forum.

Unless you talking about apps from the Microsoft store? If I'm right then you can use Electrum or Armory(with Bitcoin core installed) or Bitcoin core they do all will work without internet.

Can you help drop a direct source link to either the Electrum or Armory let me try and download the wallet and create it.

[hosseinimr93]

Can you help drop a direct source link to either the Electrum or Armory let me try and download the wallet and create it.

Amory isn't available for mobile phones, but you can use the andorid version of electrum.
For downloading the android version of electrum, go to its official website. Click on the google play store link or download the apk file.

[Nwada001]

Amory isn't avaialble for moblie phones, but you can use the andorid version of electrum.
For downloading the android version of electrum, go to its official website. Click on the goole play store link or dowload hte apk file.

Let me download this and give it a try now, if there is anything that's confusing will be back here for some clarification.

Just got me new window device which I have downloaded the electrum window supported from the website, I am seeing about 4 different options, which are: standard wallet, wallet with 2-factor authentication, multi-signature wallet, import bitcoin address or private keys, among this option, is the best I would have loved to go for the 2 factors but it will require the use of other external devices.

Edited

[onurgozupek]

Can you help drop a direct source link to either the Electrum or Armory let me try and download the wallet and create it.

Electrum can be downloaded at https://electrum.org/#download

Armory can be downloaded at https://btcarmory.com/0.96.5-release/ but, the last release was published on 2018 and the development stopped. Not advised to use unless it's your last option.

[hosseinimr93]

I am seeing about 4 different options, which are: standard wallet, wallet with 2-factor authentication, multi-signature wallet, import bitcoin address or private keys, among this option, is the best I would have loved to go for the 2 factors but it will require the use of other external devices.

If you create a 2FA wallet, you will actually create a 2 of 3 multi-signature wallet and your transactions need to be signed by a third party called trustedcoin.
Note that trustedcoin will charge you extra fee for your transactions. Also, if you are going to have the 2FA on the same device as your wallet, it would defeat the purpose of 2FA.
Standard wallet is probably what you need.

An a side note, don't forget to save your seed phrase in a safe place.

[Edwardard]

Just got me new window device which I have downloaded the electrum window supported from the website, I am seeing about 4 different options, which are: standard wallet, wallet with 2-factor authentication, multi-signature wallet, import bitcoin address or private keys, among this option, is the best I would have loved to go for the 2 factors but it will require the use of other external devices.

If you are using your personal pc, you can just go with standard wallet option. But if your kids use your computer too you may require 2fa. However, it is not recommended to keep cryptos in such environments. I heard that trustedcoin (the 2fa service used by electrum) is not free and charges you a small fee too.

[hosseinimr93]

I heard that trustedcoin (the 2fa service used by electrum) is not free and charges you a small fee too.

The fee you pay to trustedcoin will be small only if you make many transactions from your wallet.
They offer two batches of 100 and 20 transactions.
As stated in the link you shared, you must pay 0.0005 BTC for the batches of 20 transactions and 0.00125 BTC for the batches of 100 transactions.

This fee will be charged in the first transaction you make from your 2FA wallet.
For example, if you make only one transaction from your wallet and then disable the 2fa or don't use that wallet anymore for any reason, you have to pay around $12 dollars worth of bitcoin only for one transaction.

[onurgozupek]

Instead of using Electrum with a third party 2FA option, try to install it offline and keep your seed phrase in a safe vault.

If you need clean install;
- Install your OS from the scratch (secure format your hard drive if you had any virus/trojan issues in past)
- Do not install any other software, plugin, extension etc.
- Download electrum from electrum.org
- Confirm SHA checksum (this is important)
- Install electrum
Option 1:
- WRITE DOWN YOUR SEED TO A PAPER (do not leave any tracks behind) and keep that paper in a secure vault.
Option 2:
- Install VeraCrypt
- Create a secure storage with at least 2 encryption algorithms (1MB space is enough) and a strong password with at least 12 chars including special chars (%&+_$# etc..) and upper & lower case letters & numbers.
- Mount secured disk through VeraCrypt
- Launch note taking app (notepad, gedit, textedit etc.)
- Write your seed phase and SAVE TO SECURED STORAGE
- Dismount VeraCrypt drive
- Move the secured storage file to a brand new USB drive and keep that drive in a secured vault.

If you want to stay anonymous use each bitcoin address once. Get a new address every time you want to transfer bitcoin to this offline wallet.

[BitMaxz]

What I mean is a wallet that is Android support and not desktop, but I can still go for the Desktop if it's safe and protective. I don't trust my PC that much since I came across the clipboard virus and how it works on this forum.

If it's an Android wallet that you looking for then I only know 3 Bitcoin wallets that you can still use without the internet.

Spectrum is the best but it's already mentioned above so check these two mobile wallets below.

- schildbach bitcoin wallet
- Mycelium

Schildbach wallet supports offline Bluetooth transactions while Mycelium works the same as Electrum just ignores altcoins on their wallet.

[AverageGlabella]

Just got me new window device which I have downloaded the electrum window supported from the website, I am seeing about 4 different options, which are: standard wallet, wallet with 2-factor authentication, multi-signature wallet, import bitcoin address or private keys, among this option, is the best I would have loved to go for the 2 factors but it will require the use of other external devices.

If you are using your personal pc, you can just go with standard wallet option. But if your kids use your computer too you may require 2fa. However, it is not recommended to keep cryptos in such environments. I heard that trustedcoin (the 2fa service used by electrum) is not free and charges you a small fee too.

If any one but you has access to your btc do not store your bitcoin on there. Someone else could get a virus or malware without you knowing and they could install a keylogger or something that can capture your keystrokes or screen and get into your wallet. I would only have a hot wallet on a computer that only I have access to other wise you could get your btc stolen because of someone else without you knowing. Kids always download weird stuff that could have viruses embedded into it.

[NotATether]

You can also use an older Android phone that has the Airgap Wallet installed on it; that app is designed to use the secure chip of your phone to store the secret data inside.

I said older Android phone and not iOS because now you need iOS 13 to run Airgap wallet, which is not something that most older iphones have.

[Nwada001]

If any one but you has access to your btc do not store your bitcoin on there. Someone else could get a virus or malware without you knowing and they could install a keylogger or something that can capture your keystrokes or screen and get into your wallet. I would only have a hot wallet on a computer that only I have access to other wise you could get your btc stolen because of someone else without you knowing. Kids always download weird stuff that could have viruses embedded into it.

I have an older PC, which I said I don't trust, and the reason I use this system is for browsing and online gaming, during which I might have visited sites that might be suspicious. My brother and a few others also have access to it, which is the major reason why I need a new one that is specifically for my wallet and personal use alone.

You can also use an older Android phone that has the Airgap Wallet installed on it; that app is designed to use the secure chip of your phone to store the secret data inside.

I said older Android phone and not iOS because now you need iOS 13 to run Airgap wallet, which is not something that most older iphones have.

I have an android phone like what version of android do you consider old, let me give it a try because I really prefer using mobile phone over laptop wallet, even after backing up my wallet outside the phone, I always protect my mobile device in every way possible and i don't share it.

[BlackHatCoiner]

[...]

In addition to that, I'd recommend using Tails instead as you avoid some risks.


This post is an opportunity to quote myself in the future.

Steps to configure an air-gapped Bitcoin wallet only device.

• Close your curtains.
• Download Tails (a privacy and security focused Linux distro)
• Verify the binaries <- Important step, you need to ensure the integrity of the OS. Do it on a clean environment.
• Burn the OS image to a USB.
• Take the device and physically remove any Wi-Fi antennas (and obviously, Ethernet cables if any).
• Plug the USB to that device, and start up.

You can see that Electrum comes pre-installed. The device will not connect in any network. It's also recommended to encrypt the electrum part of the USB (as shown in the Tails start screen), in case someone gains access to the USB.

[pooya87]

In addition to that, I'd recommend using Tails instead as you avoid some risks.

Yeah that's a good suggestion.
I usually suggest Ubuntu because it is a very popular distro and has a general purpose so it is very versatile. The popularity also means you can find any questions you have that are specific to this distro very quickly online.
I also prefer downloading, verifying and installing Electrum myself instead of having it come with the distro. The other problem with Tails is that it is designed to not-have persistence (although you can go around that by putting some effort into it) which is something you need if you are setting up your own storage device.

[Nwada001]

In addition to that, I'd recommend using Tails instead as you avoid some risks.


This post is an opportunity to quote myself in the future.

Steps to configure an air-gapped Bitcoin wallet only device.

• Close your curtains.
• Download Tails (a privacy and security focused Linux distro)
• Verify the binaries <- Important step, you need to ensure the integrity of the OS. Do it on a clean environment.
• Burn the OS image to a USB.
• Take the device and physically remove any Wi-Fi antennas (and obviously, Ethernet cables if any).
• Plug the USB to that device, and start up.

You can see that Electrum comes pre-installed. The device will not connect in any network. It's also recommended to encrypt the electrum part of the USB (as shown in the Tails start screen), in case someone gains access to the USB.

My operating system is Windows; the Linus you mentioned I taught is only OS support; correct me if my guess is wrong, or is it also window support?I just need an option that will be compactable with the device that I am using and kind of simple, which will not complicate things for me since it is my first time trying to set up this wallet.
Thank you all very much for your suggestions and help, but my small brain is just finding it difficult for all of this whole process. I just need something that I can go with so easily.