How to Save Bitcoins for Future

[Sarah Azhari]

This tutorial is only for beginners who don't know how to save bitcoins. Because as far as I know, many beginners and newbies save their bitcoin on exchange and online wallets which it is very dangerous and not recommended as a future or long time investment.

my method does not need capital or buy a new hardware wallet, the beginners just need to download Electrum wallet, which recommended way has often been explained here many times.

After downloading, just shut down the internet, and make sure no internet connection. Or better to copy Electrum to a flash disk and go to a PC or Laptop which broken wifi and internet

After that step, open Electrum wallet and create a standard wallet with seed and Passphrase, write down the detail on paper (laminated it) or carve on steel, and keep it in the safest place. You have to make sure that place is very safe from fire, flood, people, moisture, and any kind of destroyers. (because this is your future investment and life, so treat the same as gold and money, or other investments)

So what next step is just to look at the Electrum address tab and copied it. And, make sure the address you have copied is correct, look it twice, make sure these addresses are the same, do it several times until you are sure nothing different with your copied and paste.

(I did recheck twice and triple, I closed Electrum and restart the pc and do it again to write the seed and passphrase just to make sure the address is correct and the same as what I write and copied)

After you got the address, permanently delete all data (AppData in Rooming) and electrum, shut down the PC (air-gapped) and you can move to a regular pc with the Internet. Because you only have the Bitcoin address, you can send Bitcoin you get from a buy-in exchange or any service there.

The address you have you can bookmark it on the browser and put it in Explorer, or create watch-only wallet in Electrum Android.
you can track your save in any time and anywhere, you do not have to worry, because this is Bitcoin where only you own the key, you do need to worry if the bank or exchange going to bankrupt, only you are in control of the assets and life.

[Plaguedeath]

After downloading, just shut down the internet, and make sure no internet connection. Or better to copy Electrum to a flash disk and go to a PC or Laptop which broken wifi and internet.

Downloading electrum and then shutdown the internet connection doesn't mean your PC or Laptop are already secure, don't download the electrum on the device you want to use as a cold storage. You need to know if vulnerability isn't only happen because of internet connection, but it also depends on your PC or Laptop security.

Below are the better steps:
1. Perform a malware check in your online device that you use to download Electrum.
2. Format your flash disk and use this to copy your Electrum from your online device to offline device.
3. Format your offline device and install new OS, better to use Linux since it's open source and has a less risk to compared to windows. Disable or remove anything that related to connection e.g. internet, bluetooth etc.
4. Transfer your electrum from your flash disk to your offline device, install it and check the signature.

[mk4]

Heads up: solely turning off the internet doesn't help that much. If you're technically literate enough to decently understand bitcoin/crypto, you should be technically literate enough to learn how to create a bootable Linux OS on a flashdrive and do the wallet generation through it.

[Crypt0Gore]

Heads up: solely turning off the internet doesn't help that much. If you're technically literate enough to decently understand Bitcoin/crypto, you should be technically literate enough to learn how to create a bootable Linux OS on a flash drive and do the wallet generation through it.

Exactly, this is what I did using Linux Mint 2.1.1 on a 20$ USB flash drive, it's been safe like this since 2021, until I bought my new Hardware wallet and I started moving my assets to the hardware wallet.

Use Electrum wallet on your phone if it cant take a week before you make transactions, there is no point doing this using your hardware wallet for every transactions, and use the strategy up there if you want to keep your recovery seed offline for a long period of time or buy a new hardware wallet.

make sure you download your Electrum wallet software from official source only, some third party websites offer Electrum download, do not take such route to download wallets, always use official links.

[lovesmayfamilis]

OP, actually, your post contains very little information about this wallet. I've always assumed that if someone writes a manual, it should start with the first letter and end with the last. Moreover, you write that these tips will be useful for beginners. So everything should be, literally, chewed.
Although I don't write guides like this myself, searching the forums reveals a lot of information about this wallet. And I, frankly, do not understand why such guides are not yet fixed on the forum so as not to create unnecessary topics.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5351743.0

[m2017]

Alternative option:

- Download and install Tails OS on a USB flash drive. The application is already built into this Linux OS family.

Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tails_(operating_system) (There you can also find a link to the official website of Tails OS).

This Live Flash Drive can be booted from any PC. Each session will be from scratch (data from the last session will not be saved).

- Generate a seed phrase and engrave it down on a piece of stainless steel.

- A flash drive can be formatted or physically destroyed.

- Hide the seed phrase on metal in a safe place. For the future.

- Extract when the right time comes and repeat in reverse order using Live Flash Drive with Tails OS.

[Lida93]

I think let me just share a few other alternative resources as it concerns electrum wallet apart from what OP has put down.
Electrum wallet for beginners and advanced users (by BitCryptex) https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=3456040.0

Safely download Electrum (by DireWolfM14) https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5240594.0

How to create a watch-only Electrum wallet (by butka) https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=4573616.0

Import legacy private key in Electrum for beginners (by 1miau) https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5096376.0

[Sarah Azhari]

After downloading, just shut down the internet, and make sure no internet connection. Or better to copy Electrum to a flash disk and go to a PC or Laptop which broken wifi and internet.

Downloading electrum and then shutdown the internet connection doesn't mean your PC or Laptop are already secure, don't download the electrum on the device you want to use as a cold storage. You need to know if vulnerability isn't only happen because of internet connection, but it also depends on your PC or Laptop security.

I don't know where the virus came from if my laptop never connected to the internet?

I just make sure both my laptop is very clean, I am the type of insecure person who never believes before all safe, and because I'm very careful, I am very brave to run the wallet offline and online.

And thanks for adding 4 basic points, I hope the beginner read that also and increase their confidence to believe that Bitcoin is one save instrument asset.

Heads up: solely turning off the internet doesn't help that much. If you're technically literate enough to decently understand bitcoin/crypto, you should be technically literate enough to learn how to create a bootable Linux OS on a flashdrive and do the wallet generation through it.

because I am not regularly using the wallet, I just keep it for a long investment (just plan to open it again for the next 10 years), so in that situation, I don't need the bootable Linux. I just hear that OS like tails are always updated regularly, so rather than update all the time, better for me to just keep that seed on the paper.

Use Electrum wallet on your phone if it cant take a week before you make transactions, there is no point doing this using your hardware wallet for every transactions, and use the strategy up there if you want to keep your recovery seed offline for a long period of time or buy a new hardware wallet.

how lucky me never installed a wallet on my phone, I don't know what the purpose install wallet in phone?, because I don't regularly use the wallet, I just keep bitcoin for long investment. I want to be rich, I won't to sell my bitcoins.

OP, actually, your post contains very little information about this wallet. I've always assumed that if someone writes a manual, it should start with the first letter and end with the last. Moreover, you write that these tips will be useful for beginners. So everything should be, literally, chewed.
Although I don't write guides like this myself, searching the forums reveals a lot of information about this wallet. And I, frankly, do not understand why such guides are not yet fixed on the forum so as not to create unnecessary topics.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5351743.0

Thanks for the link,

I create the thread just as a reminder because I read too many threads asking how to save in Bitcoin.

I know how lazy the beginner come here, they are lazy to read and search old thread about safety and security. because of that I begin with this.

And, I hear that ledger has a problem also, I see on social media a lot of users throw away and ruin their ledger wallet. maybe this thread could be a solution even is not so perfect, I hope after they read this looking for a way to make it perfect, especially for long investments. If want to use it regularly, better to buy Trezor or an open-source wallet.

This Live Flash Drive can be booted from any PC. Each session will be from scratch (data from the last session will not be saved).

For regular users better to activate persistent storage, because the data will be saved there.

~

Thanks for sharing the important link.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

And, I hear that ledger has a problem also, I see on social media a lot of users throw away and ruin their ledger wallet. maybe this thread could be a solution even is not so perfect, I hope after they read this looking for a way to make it perfect, especially for long investments. If want to use it regularly, better to buy Trezor or an open-source wallet.

The problem is that Trezor is not reliable either, as it has long had a bug whereby someone with access to the USB stick could extract the seeds. There are other options, but they don't have as much of a track record, with Passport being a good option, but it's a lot more expensive than a Trezor One or a Ledger Nano, although these should be ruled out,

[UchihaSarada]

Alternative option:

- Download and install Tails OS on a USB flash drive.

How to Install Tails OS on USB flash drive for Wallet Purpose

[mk4]

because I am not regularly using the wallet, I just keep it for a long investment (just plan to open it again for the next 10 years), so in that situation, I don't need the bootable Linux. I just hear that OS like tails are always updated regularly, so rather than update all the time, better for me to just keep that seed on the paper.

The reason you create the bootable drive is for security purposes because Windows is pretty much spyware. You only use the bootable drive temporarily to generate the wallet securely, not necessarily to use it.

[tabas]

Make sure that gadget is free from any malware or virus so that you're sure that it won't be controlled and gone. And that's gonna take for a long time for you to connect it again to the web and that's when probably you're about to sell then. If this is too much for you to handle and you've got no laptop or the same device or gadget then the best thing to do is to buy a new hardware wallet, and because of some things happening with Ledger, choose Trezor.

[BitDane]

because I am not regularly using the wallet, I just keep it for a long investment (just plan to open it again for the next 10 years), so in that situation, I don't need the bootable Linux. I just hear that OS like tails are always updated regularly, so rather than update all the time, better for me to just keep that seed on the paper.

The reason you create the bootable drive is for security purposes because Windows is pretty much spyware. You only use the bootable drive temporarily to generate the wallet securely, not necessarily to use it.

This method suggested by mk4 is way safer than using the window OS.  Lots of hack and malware infection happen in windows environment and rarely I have heard linux being infected by malware.  Aside from that, it is also important to make sure the environment or OS system we are using in creating the wallet and private key extraction is clear of possible trojan viruses and other malware that can sniff our private key.  So  a fresh install OS is way better than using the OS that is exposed to a lot of sites.   Who knows that system is unknowingly infected by some hidden new malware that cannot be detected by AV and Internet securities.

[mk4]

This method suggested by mk4 is way safer than using the window OS.  Lots of hack and malware infection happen in windows environment and rarely I have heard linux being infected by malware.  Aside from that, it is also important to make sure the environment or OS system we are using in creating the wallet and private key extraction is clear of possible trojan viruses and other malware that can sniff our private key.  So  a fresh install OS is way better than using the OS that is exposed to a lot of sites.   Who knows that system is unknowingly infected by some hidden new malware that cannot be detected by AV and Internet securities.

Even viruses and malware aside, the fact that Windows is a huge privacy nightmare OS to start with automatically makes it a huge no-no. You're not only fearing the hackers, but even Microsoft themselves.

[Z390]

This method suggested by mk4 is way safer than using the window OS.  Lots of hack and malware infection happen in windows environment and rarely I have heard linux being infected by malware.  Aside from that, it is also important to make sure the environment or OS system we are using in creating the wallet and private key extraction is clear of possible trojan viruses and other malware that can sniff our private key.  So  a fresh install OS is way better than using the OS that is exposed to a lot of sites.   Who knows that system is unknowingly infected by some hidden new malware that cannot be detected by AV and Internet securities.

Even viruses and malware aside, the fact that Windows is a huge privacy nightmare OS to start with automatically makes it a huge no-no. You're not only fearing the hackers, but even Microsoft themselves.

Same thing that I used to advice all windows OS users, this OS is not the best for running crypto wallets, you want to keep your keys off any centralized platforms and Microsoft is another centralized company, it's wrong.

If keeping recovery seed on OS is your thing, there are Linux OS that are fully tested and trusted and they are also open source unlike windows OS, Linux OS is more recommendable for this need than windows OS.

[UchihaSarada]

Same thing that I used to advice all windows OS users, this OS is not the best for running crypto wallets, you want to keep your keys off any centralized platforms and Microsoft is another centralized company, it's wrong.

It does not mean Microsoft steals your keys. You can be cautious with Windows OS but if an operating system itselfs can not protect your security or privacy if you don't use your device carefully with any OS.

If keeping recovery seed on OS is your thing, there are Linux OS that are fully tested and trusted and they are also open source unlike windows OS, Linux OS is more recommendable for this need than windows OS.

Linux is open source that is good reason to use it.

Linux is a less favorite target of hackers, less than Windows so you will have less risk from hackers on Linux. However again, Linux can not protect you and your device security will depend on you and your computer usage.

[Salahmu]

Same thing that I used to advice all windows OS users, this OS is not the best for running crypto wallets, you want to keep your keys off any centralized platforms and Microsoft is another centralized company, it's wrong.

It does not mean Microsoft steals your keys. You can be cautious with Windows OS but if an operating system itselfs can not protect your security or privacy if you don't use your device carefully with any OS.

If keeping recovery seed on OS is your thing, there are Linux OS that are fully tested and trusted and they are also open source unlike windows OS, Linux OS is more recommendable for this need than windows OS.

Linux is open source that is good reason to use it.

Linux is a less favorite target of hackers, less than Windows so you will have less risk from hackers on Linux. However again, Linux can not protect you and your device security will depend on you and your computer usage.

I actually agreed with you, is a less favorite or major target for hackers, as such makes the Linux more secured but still You are however responsible for securing and backing up your wallet. Linux also use Tor as a proxy to prevent attackers or Internet service providers from associating your payments with your IP address.

[ImThour]

Just buy them on any CEX you find easy to use and let it be there. Kraken is the most trusted and followed by Coinbase.
Instead of being a nerd, creating your own wallets and risking it to various malicious attacks, I would just simply trust the companies who are spending millions on security.

[Obari]

I guess this is best for you but not for the rest persons especially  like myself because I don't see any reason why I should put myself through any of this processes  that aren't even safe and also consumes time and energy and also money  and I can simply download a decentralized wallet and since I can't take a screenshot, I have to use another phone to snap  and just send the picture straight to my icloud and googledrive because that space its always very preferable especially  for the ease to own one wallet.
Remember  that disasters especially  in cases of fire, flood, war and even earth quakes can't be easily predicted and at such I think your method is obsolete and I don't even feel safe using a hardware wallet despite its cost

[Truthlovecoins]

This is very informative mostly for a newbie like me still trying to figure out how to buy some coins and keep for sometime before I can figure out how to trade or invest in other crypto related service that would earn me profit.

For someone who is only making use of a mobile device for now, will it be safe to still download and use Electrum wallet on the mobile, seeing that there is no other device except on an OTG flash where I can save this wallet?

I also think that unless one is having a lot of coins before it should be necessary to use this kind of offline wallet, because it is not worth the stress of saving just little coins that may be used anytime.