Where is the private key on Electrum Android?

[_act_]

Before 4.4.0 updates, I was able to click on address and check my address private key through there, it is the public key that I can only see on the new Electrum Android updates. How can I check the private key?

It is not a seed phrase wallet, I used private key for it, not extended private key, I used private key that starts with K. I am not at home to use my laptop to know the private key. What should I do?

[Lucius]

I can confirm that on version 4.3.4, which I still use, there is an option to view the private key for each address individually, although I personally have never needed something like that. It is possible that this feature was removed, or that they hid it a little more in the new versions.

One of the options is to uninstall the new version and download 4.3.4 from the official Electrum site and make a wallet recovery with your seed, and the other option is to wait for a new version in which the option could be added again (if it was removed at all). I looked at the Electrum github and at first I didn't see anyone mentioning this problem.

[tbct_mt2]

Before 4.4.0 updates

It is not a seed phrase wallet, I used private key for it, not extended private key, I used private key that starts with K.

With a new version of Electrum wallet for Android, you only can get your public key or your mnenonic seed. You can not have option to get a private key for one public address.

I can confirm that on version 4.3.4, which I still use, there is an option to view the private key for each address individually, although I personally have never needed something like that. It is possible that this feature was removed, or that they hid it a little more in the new versions.

I did not see it on my Android too and it was removed from newest version of Electrum. It is available for desktop version and I think they remove it from Android like one of their security-wise concerns.

[BitcoinGirl.Club]

I can confirm that on version 4.3.4, which I still use, there is an option to view the private key for each address individually, although I personally have never needed something like that. It is possible that this feature was removed, or that they hid it a little more in the new versions.

I did not see it on my Android too and it was removed from newest version of Electrum. It is available for desktop version and I think they remove it from Android like one of their security-wise concerns.

I don't use mobile version but on desktop as my hot wallet. However the 4.4.2 version seems complicating the features.

In previous versions you were able to set your preferences from one window using several tabs but it seems now they have less information to set from the preference window. When you try to send and receive bitcoin then there are separate options to set up you personal preferences only for the transaction you are about to do. It makes the job redundant to be honest.

[Pmalek]

It is not a seed phrase wallet, I used private key for it, not extended private key, I used private key that starts with K. I am not at home to use my laptop to know the private key. What should I do?

If you created an Electrum wallet by importing a private key, it means you have that private key somewhere. If you have backups of it, why do you need to view that same key in the Electrum client? If you think about it, it's better for your security if it isn't there because we are talking about a hot wallet. Hopefully, this means that private keys can't get stolen and obtained by outsiders.

[_act_]

If you created an Electrum wallet by importing a private key, it means you have that private key somewhere. If you have backups of it, why do you need to view that same key in the Electrum client? If you think about it, it's better for your security if it isn't there because we are talking about a hot wallet. Hopefully, this means that private keys can't get stolen and obtained by outsiders.

I was not at home that time as I travelled away from my town. I wanted to uninstall and install back electrum on my Android Electrum for some reasons.

People can also know that Electrum wallet is no long showing private key. Even if it is seed phrase, only seed phrase can be seen, not private key shown anymore unless you use computer Electrum.

[Agbe]

If you created an Electrum wallet by importing a private key, it means you have that private key somewhere. If you have backups of it, why do you need to view that same key in the Electrum client? If you think about it, it's better for your security if it isn't there because we are talking about a hot wallet. Hopefully, this means that private keys can't get stolen and obtained by outsiders.

I was not at home that time as I travelled away from my town. I wanted to uninstall and install back electrum on my Android Electrum for some reasons.

People can also know that Electrum wallet is no long showing private key. Even if it is seed phrase, only seed phrase can be seen, not private key shown anymore unless you use computer Electrum.

Okay. But I will advise to have a hard copy of the the private key and the seed phrase because for you to uninstall the app and install it again, you have to insert the seed phrase to bypass the stage. Or probably you should have a copy in inside your phone gallery or message. Anywhere you can keep it save.
This new Electrum Wallet is really confusing. The atmosphere has changed and everything is different from the old one. The only thing I see on the home is receive and send then if you want to do anything you have to click the name of the wallet to that the down drop list. I like the form design.

[Pmalek]

Okay. But I will advise to have a hard copy of the the private key and the seed phrase because for you to uninstall the app and install it again, you have to insert the seed phrase to bypass the stage. Or probably you should have a copy in inside your phone gallery or message. Anywhere you can keep it save.

As he said in the post you quoted, he was away from home at the time he needed the private keys. Hence, he didn't have a hard copy of them. I assume you mean a physical backup when you said "hard copy". I wouldn't recommend carrying that with you for your travels. It's better to prepare some UTXOs you want to use and not carry your whole bags.

Additionally, no digital backups should exist of your main stash. If you must have something, then only to a hot wallet you could afford to lose.

[logfiles]

There have been a number of changes in the recent electrum versions, and it looks like they are pushing users to rely on seeds as away of backing up the wallet rather than using private keys.

If you are using the mobile device alone

You can download (https://iancoleman.io/bip39/) and generate the private keys offline using the tool.

[Yamane_Keto]

Your only solution at this moment is to create a new wallet, write the seed in a paper, send bitcoins from that private key to a new address from the seed you created, delete the wallet, re-install it with the new seed.
Writing down 12 words won't take long and is much safer than dealing with a private key.

I don't know if there is an option to sign the message but I think this is not your problem.

[Cricktor]

It is not a seed phrase wallet, I used private key for it, not extended private key, I used private key that starts with K. I am not at home to use my laptop to know the private key. What should I do?

I was not at home that time as I travelled away from my town. I wanted to uninstall and install back electrum on my Android Electrum for some reasons.

What you were about to do 'in the field' is very unsafe, particularly with an Android device (not much better if at all with iOS).

So your wallet is made up with imported private keys. I assume the following steps you intended:
* display a private key
* copy it to clipboard, then paste it somewhere on your device (usually the keyboard app is involved here, too)
* repeat until you copy/pasted all your private keys of your wallet
* de-install Electrum, then re-install the app on your Android
* create new wallet and paste all earlier private keys

The safety issue here on an Android device is at minimum: a lot of other apps can subscribe to changes to the clipboard, you have no control whatsoever which app might get to know your private keys. Can you trust your keyboard app? Some fancy keyboard apps are sometimes a real privacy nightmare, particularly the 3rd party ones.

Correct me if I'm wrong in my assumption of your steps, but anyway it's bad and unsafe practice.

[Little Mouse]

Not so good. I noticed a lot of changes in the windows wallet version too which I didn't like a lot.

I don't use mobile version but on desktop as my hot wallet. However the 4.4.2 version seems complicating the features.

It took me more than half an hour to figure out the "Pay to many" section today morning when I tried to send payment from Flush Campaign. Even when I tried to import CSV file, it didn't work, don't know what was wrong then though it worked now lol. Well it's not complicated, it's rather uncomfortable due to some significant changes.

[Yamane_Keto]

What you were about to do 'in the field' is very unsafe, particularly with an Android device (not much better if at all with iOS).

Correct me if I'm wrong in my assumption of your steps, but anyway it's bad and unsafe practice.

I think you forgot the first word in the topic, which is that the user has updated to 4.4.0 version, which did not provide an option to copy the private key.
There is a way, which is to make a screenshot and use an application that converts images into words, but I do not know whether there is a screenshot activated inside the wallet or not, not to mention the risks.
The safest solution is currently creating a new wallet and writing the seeds.

It took me more than half an hour to figure out the "Pay to many" section today morning when I tried to send payment from Flush Campaign. Even when I tried to import CSV file, it didn't work, don't know what was wrong then though it worked now lol. Well it's not complicated, it's rather uncomfortable due to some significant changes.

You are not the only one complaining, I haven't updated yet but many are upset about the changes that have occurred. Maybe in the next versions things will improve a bit.

[rby]

Not so good. I noticed a lot of changes in the windows wallet version too which I didn't like a lot.

I don't use mobile version but on desktop as my hot wallet. However the 4.4.2 version seems complicating the features.

It took me more than half an hour to figure out the "Pay to many" section today morning when I tried to send payment from Flush Campaign. Even when I tried to import CSV file, it didn't work, don't know what was wrong then though it worked now lol. Well it's not complicated, it's rather uncomfortable due to some significant changes.

The idea behind versioning is to make the software and/or application more user friendly. This is to say that the latest version would be more user friendly and secured than the previous version. But, if by any means, after an update, a precious user struggles severely to use the said app or even prefer the former version, I can say that the update is unwanted or its purpose is defeated.

There is a way, which is to make a screenshot and use an application that converts images into words, but I do not know whether there is a screenshot activated inside the wallet or not, not to mention the risks.

I cannot remember being able to take screenshot in an electrum wallet. Even if I know the security advantage of it, I will always sweep my fingers to screenshot and then nothing will happen.