Electrum 4.5.0 released

[cygan]

since yesterday the new Electrum version is available for download
this version contains numerous new features and fixes. you can find out exactly what these are in the release notes: https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/master/RELEASE-NOTES
to download for the respective operating systems follow this link only - be sure to check the gpg signatures: https://electrum.org/#download

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[Pmalek]

Seems like an important update and feature was introduced to Electrum for Android devices.
You can now sign and verify messages just like it's been possible to do on the desktop version for a long time. I actually thought it was possible to do all this time but never had a reason to check it on my phone.

- new: message sign & verify (e5e1e46)

https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/master/RELEASE-NOTES

[apogio]

Does anyone know what this means?

- remove SSL options from config

I don't think any of the changes interest me personally, so perhaps I will delay upgrading because of laziness. 

Looks like a solid release though, with small but important features and fixes.

[nc50lc]

Does anyone know what this means?

- remove SSL options from config

The reference "(012ce1c)" next to it points to this commit: 012ce1c1bb6fad43e55ab18e92f85ec7514e96e6

Basically, it's what's described.
It removed "ssl_certfile" and "ssl_keyfile" options in the config file and related code in various features and plugins.

They'll have to update their documentations after this version.

[BlackHatCoiner]

Does anyone know what this means?

Not entirely sure, but seems like Electrum stops directly managing SSL encryption and instead suggests to using a reverse proxy. Here's the commit: https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/commit/012ce1c#diff-33652baeb8cf51e4476fe0cc5d326185c2ee51065dc51727555bcae0910c7611. Electrum servers will probably have to update.

They appear to have focused on lightning. It's good seeing them still being that active in terms of development.

[khaled0111]

Seems like an important update and feature was introduced to Electrum for Android devices.
You can now sign and verify messages just like it's been possible to do on the desktop version for a long time. I actually thought it was possible to do all this time but never had a reason to check it on my phone.

- new: message sign & verify (e5e1e46)

https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/master/RELEASE-NOTES

I run an old version of Electrum and it's not possible to sign or to verify a message with it. I didn't update my Electrum app but if the only new feature they have introduced is signing and verifying messages then I won't update my app. It's a waste of time and data.

[nc50lc]

I run an old version of Electrum and it's not possible to sign or to verify a message with it. I didn't update my Electrum app but if the only new feature they have introduced is signing and verifying messages then I won't update my app. It's a waste of time and data.

You should click the link to release notes below the quoted message to see all the changes under "Android" and "General".

There are reintroduced features in the new QML Android GUI version that was available in the old Kivi Android GUI.
There also various bugfixes.

[Pmalek]

I didn't update my Electrum app but if the only new feature they have introduced is signing and verifying messages then I won't update my app. It's a waste of time and data.

It's not the only change that the developers made in the recent update. There is about 20 fixes and new features for the Android version of Electrum alone. But there is no major change or a fix of a vulnerability, which would require a quick update to not get affected from it.

Another thing I noticed in the release notes is that you can now put your payment requests to never expire. That's not bad because we sometimes get questions from newbies who believe their bitcoin addresses have expired and they are asking if the addresses are still valid and can be used. A never expiring payment invoice might minimize that.

[apogio]

Another thing I noticed in the release notes is that you can now put your payment requests to never expire. That's not bad because we sometimes get questions from newbies who believe their bitcoin addresses have expired and they are asking if the addresses are still valid and can be used. A never expiring payment invoice might minimize that.

You must be referring to this:

* QML GUI (Android):
   - new: allow never expiring payment requests (#8631)

Is it for LN invoices or for on-chain payment requests? I don't use electrum for android, that's why I ask.

[hosseinimr93]

Is it for LN invoices or for on-chain payment requests? I don't use electrum for android, that's why I ask.

That's for generating a new receiving address in the android version of electrum.

Look at the following screenshot. I haven't updated electrum on my android phone yet.
As you in the image, there is no "Never" option when setting the expiry time for the request.

[Z-tight]

Looks like a solid release though, with small but important features and fixes.

The new option of signing and verifying a BTC message on their android version is a great addition, this is one of the features that the android version lacked, good thing it has been included now. It still lacks features like coin control and customizing fees, and i don't know if they have plans to make these important additions sometime in the future, for people who use Electrum on their mobile devices.

[hosseinimr93]

It still lacks features like coin control and customizing fees,

The latest android version of electrum allow you to control your coins.
To do so, you should tap on your wallet name at top left corner of the screen and go to "Addresses/Coins". After that, electrum will show you the full list of your UTXOs and you will be able to freeze any of them.

[Pmalek]

Is it for LN invoices or for on-chain payment requests? I don't use electrum for android, that's why I ask.

hosseinimr93 answered this question, so there is no need for me to repeat it. The Play Store has still not added the latest Electrum Android version it seems. I don't see it among the suggested updates for my phone. According to the official Electrum Play Store page, the last update was released on 21 August 2023. But the download page on Electrum.org features the latest releases and signature files. 

The latest android version of electrum allow you to control your coins.
To do so, you should tap on your wallet name at top left corner of the screen and go to "Addresses/Coins". After that, electrum will show you the full list of your UTXOs and you will be able to freeze any of them.

Hasn't the freezing of coins been available for quite some time already on the mobile app? I remembered that we talked about it a long time ago as a type of workaround for the standard coin control feature that is missing.

[hosseinimr93]

Hasn't the freezing of coins been available for quite some time already on the mobile app?

In the older versions, you could freeze addresses, not the coins.

Assume that you have UTXOs A and B in the same address.
In the older versions, you couldn't freeze UTXO A without freezing UTXO B.
In the latest version, you can freeze each of UTXOs A and B without freezing the other one.

[Pmalek]

In the older versions, you couldn't freeze UTXO A without freezing UTXO B.
In the latest version, you can freeze each of UTXOs A and B without freezing the other one.

This is great news and would almost put Android mobile on par with Blue Wallet in my book. This is proper coin control just worded differently. Just for the record, when you say the last version, are you talking about v4.4.6 or the v4.5.0 that came out a few days ago?

[apogio]

Assume that you have UTXOs A and B in the same address.
In the older versions, you couldn't freeze UTXO A without freezing UTXO B.
In the latest version, you can freeze each of UTXOs A and B without freezing the other one.

This is great news and would almost put Android mobile on par with Blue Wallet in my book. This is proper coin control just worded differently. Just for the record, when you say the last version, are you talking about v4.4.6 or the v4.5.0 that came out a few days ago?

This is indeed a great addition. Thank you both for pointing it out.

Pmalek, can you do this with BW? I don't use it to be honest, but I would like to know. I used to use it in the past, but I have never noticed.

[hosseinimr93]

This is proper coin control just worded differently. Just for the record, when you say the last version, are you talking about v4.4.6 or the v4.5.0 that came out a few days ago?

The possibility of freezing coins was added in the version 4.5.0 and that has been mentioned in the release note.

- new: add coins/UTXOs to addresses list, add filters (cf91d2e)

apogio, bluewallet supports coin control.
In bluewallet, you can see the full list of UTXOs when making a transaction and select or freeze any of them.

[Pmalek]

Pmalek, can you do this with BW? I don't use it to be honest, but I would like to know. I used to use it in the past, but I have never noticed.

Yes, Blue Wallet has had many coin control options for several years ahead of Electrum. You get a full list of UTXOs and can decide what you want to do with them. Freezing is one option, spending from is a different one (an option that is still missing in Electrum). I think labelling is also a feature you can use on Blue Wallet. I have never had much use for coin control since mobile wallets aren't my preferred software for storing a lot of coins, and when I did use them, I transferred some coins there to be spent quickly when on the go.

[apogio]

Yes, Blue Wallet has had many coin control options for several years ahead of Electrum. You get a full list of UTXOs and can decide what you want to do with them. Freezing is one option, spending from is a different one (an option that is still missing in Electrum). I think labelling is also a feature you can use on Blue Wallet. I have never had much use for coin control since mobile wallets aren't my preferred software for storing a lot of coins, and when I did use them, I transferred some coins there to be spent quickly when on the go.

apogio, bluewallet supports coin control.
In bluewallet, you can see the full list of UTXOs when making a transaction and select or freeze any of them.

Thanks guys.
I think BW must be more feature rich for mobile since BW is dedicated to mobile-only. If you can connect to your own electrum wallet via tor (which I think you can, but when I tried I faced some connectivity issues), then I would say BW and Samourai are better for mobile. But electrum does a lot of improvements on the field. Let's see. Pluralism is good, anyway!

[ABCbits]

Since there's no mention of further P2TR/Taproot support on the release notes, it looks like problem of lack of contributor/developer still exist. I just download Electrum 4.5.0 and generate new wallet, but it create Native SegWit address.

* Plugins:
   - new: swapserver plugin (#8489)

Does anyone understand what this plugin does? I briefly checked relevant pull link at 8489, but i only can figure out it's related with LN.