What do you think?

[Maus0728]

If you want your electrum wallet to be completely secure, you should create it on an airgapped device.
This means that you should use a device which has been always offline and will never connect to the internet.

Really difficult to do but this is the way to go, no way that hackers or virtual crooks can get in when they can't connect to it other than a physical interaction to the device.

What you're doing OP is a good idea though, I'm sure that there's a way that you can do it much better, maybe follow what @hosseinimr93 advised, airgapped devices are basically impregnable.

[pawanjain]

Is this good advice for those who can't afford a hardware wallet?

Using a Bitcoin Electrum wallet or other, disconnect from the internet before generating a new seed and never connecting to the internet again.

Until you are ready to sell everything in that wallet.

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

There are huge differences between a hardware wallet and an air gapped PC.
To be honest, using a hardware wallet is much cheaper, easier, secure and convenient than to use an air gapped PC.
If you still want to go ahead with using an air gapped PC then you can go ahead with the process you mentioned.
Be sure to get the wallet from official source only and make sure it is open source.
Make sure that you are not connecting the device to internet or connecting any storage devices to the air gapped PC.

[bettercrypto]

Is this good advice for those who can't afford a hardware wallet?

Using a Bitcoin Electrum wallet or other, disconnect from the internet before generating a new seed and never connecting to the internet again.

Until you are ready to sell everything in that wallet.

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

If I didn't have a hard wallet like me, who only used an electronic wallet in the few years I've been using it, I wouldn't have had any problems with this. really proven and tested,
as long as you always update it so that you are not prone to hackers.

Think about it: after 6 years, I can still use electrum up to the present time, which means it is really 100% completed, as long as it is correct and you know what you are doing with it.

[hosseinimr93]

Create Electrum wallet using internet connection only once by electronic device i.e. computer, mobile or smartphone and it is better not to establish internet connection on that device before preparing to sell BTC.

What you are saying?
You don't need internet connection for creating your electrum wallet at all. Your keys are generated through some mathematical calculations locally on your own device.
You can also sign your transaction offline without any need to internet connection.

If your want your wallet to be cold storage, your keys should never touch the internet.

[PX-Z]

If you want your electrum wallet to be completely secure, you should create it on an airgapped device.
This means that you should use a device which has been always offline and will never connect to the internet.

This is the best way to hold and to avoid another expense for a new hardware wallet, only if you have a spare computer.

Although i used electrum on a laptop where it is connected on internet but never had any lost or hacking issue since i entered this space. It's matter of good practice on how to use the device and use AV as precautions to avoid undetected malware on the device.

[Zaguru12]

If you don't want buy anything, than using old smartphone would be acceptable with disabled all connections (airplane mode) and removed sim cards.

Old smart phones can be infected with malware even before you turn it to an airgapped device, i will say OP should rather stick to the hardware if they are serious about holding their coins securely.

as long as you always update it so that you are not prone to hackers.

Updating the wallet doesn’t stops you from attacks or hacks it is just as same as the old wallet just that bugs might have been fixed but external attack are still very much same.

Electrum wallet is not for newbies. This is for those who have a complete understanding of all wallets. While using the electeum wallet, some other security systems like 2FA have to be logged in. Apart from this though it is made for Windows, Mac. However, these devices have more support for Android. After all we know that special security can cause special damage. So I think it will be better to use hardware wallet instead of using electrum wallet.

This is totally wrong, you don’t need to set up a 2FA if you don’t want it. You can simply create a new standard wallet like the other wallets do except that electrum seeds are custom seeds. You can add pass phrases like other wallets too and also use multi sig if you prefer it. The 2FA just an extra option if you want. It is not compulsory to use it if you don’t want it.

Also Electrum is available for all softwares except IOS (iPhone smart phones). That means on mobile device it is available for Androids only but available for all softwares on laptop or computer. There is nothing different with electrum and other wallets.

Although i used electrum on a laptop where it is connected on internet but never had any lost or hacking issue since i entered this space. It's matter of good practice on how to use the device and use AV as precautions to avoid undetected malware on the device.

Yes I agree with you that the way you treat your wallet is as important as the choice of wallet it self in securing its funds. But no matter the level security applied once a wallet is an hot wallet. There is the risk of it getting compromised. You can’t be sure or trust it because you haven’t experience it before. Also it is not all Malwares that an AV can dictate so relying on them too is risky to me

[nakamura12]

Is this good advice for those who can't afford a hardware wallet?

Using a Bitcoin Electrum wallet or other, disconnect from the internet before generating a new seed and never connecting to the internet again.

Until you are ready to sell everything in that wallet.

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

That would work in my opinion as long as it didn't connect to the internet and only use the wallet address to receive bitcoin and only connect when you want to sell. It's entirely up to you on what you should do and we are only giving you an idea on what you should do and shouldn't do. You can start creating a wallet on electrum which supports different devices like desktop and mobile devices and create a backup of the seed phrase which is used to access the wallet.

Electrum wallet is not for newbies. This is for those who have a complete understanding of all wallets. While using the electeum wallet, some other security systems like 2FA have to be logged in. Apart from this though it is made for Windows, Mac. However, these devices have more support for Android. After all we know that special security can cause special damage. So I think it will be better to use hardware wallet instead of using electrum wallet.

You don't need 2FA to login or access the wallet if you created a standard wallet which doesn't require you to complete 2FA. Electrum wallet can be used by newbies and you are right about electrum having 2FA but it's up to you if you use standard wallet which doesn't have 2FA or required 2FA or with 2FA wallet.

[DiMarxist]

Op yes Electrum wallet is good for a reasonable amount of big to be hodle but if you are holding big or huge amount of bitcoin whether Electrum wallet is good for offline or not or is better for your to use hardware wallet which is more saver than the Electrum wallet of offline. If you have it in your device and the day you connect your device to the net and you were about checking your wallet that day then it must connect to the internet and one thing I discovered from Electrum wallet is that if you didn't connect it to the internet, you won't see the current balance if you transfer new coins to it unless you connect it to the internet before the present balance would show.
So the best way is to buy hardware wallet and just transfer the coins to it and let them stay there until you want to use them.

[Faisal2202]

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

That's good advice mate, you can make an Air-Gapped wallet, using electrum and Electrum is the best choice to do it as it can generate your seed phrase, just disconnect the internet, open the wallet, create the wallet, a seed phrase will be provided. But I doubt how you will manage to get the address (receiving) to store funds in them.

Besides it, the guy who has been into crypto since 2013 and you are in the circle with him, dude I must say you should accept him as your mentor. As these people are OGz and if he still has the BTC from that time, then he is a pro OG as he has bear a hell lot of pressure. People like these are not easily found haha. This guide might help you -------Electrum air gapped device Air-gapped wallets are best and the knowledge that a person gets while setting them up is also awesome. best of luck

[The Cryptovator]

We trust Electrum as a hardware wallet. If you can't afford to buy a hardware wallet, then you can use an Electrum wallet. But you need to secure your wallet seed safely. And the device you are using, the Electrum wallet, should not be compromised. The important thing is to secure your seed, and your device should be secured from the attack. Also, make sure you keep safe seeds in multiple places; in case one is lost, another will recover the wallet. But it is always best to get a hardware wallet. 

[Assface16678]

Well, electrum wallets I think have popularity and legitimacy. I didn't use this wallet, but I saw many users recommending and agreeing with you, so I think it is a good wallet to use. You just have to make sure that your wallet will be safe from anyone, and also the seed phrase you need to secure in order for you to access it anytime you want to. If you want a wallet that cannot be reached by the internet and is away from malicious intents or attempts, then use a device that you will not open or access the internet, but of course you need to secure that device, and it will add up for you to secure along with the seed phrase. Even a low-end device will do; it doesn't need to have high specs, just that it can handle an electronic wallet, you can also use that device as your OTP where all you OTP sim or email are in that device.

[davis196]

Is this good advice for those who can't afford a hardware wallet?

Using a Bitcoin Electrum wallet or other, disconnect from the internet before generating a new seed and never connecting to the internet again.

Until you are ready to sell everything in that wallet.

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

I guess that you are a little bit paranoid here.
Electrum is really secure. You can add additional words to the 12-word seed. You could create a multi-sig wallet on Electrum(multi-sig wallets are more secure than standard Electrum wallets), or you could simply add 2-factor authentication. Those 3 options can totally enhance the security of your Electrum wallet.
Are you really sure about "never connecting to the internet again"? You will have to connect to the internet, when you decide to sell your BTC. Do you plan to keep BTC forever in that wallet, without touching them ever again? This seems weird.

[Kakmakr]

Well, you do not need Electrum to do that, because you can simply create a Paper wallet with a offline script and only import that Private key when you want to use it. 

I used Electrum for a while to collect some dust for things I did online and only accessed that wallet on the day when I shifted those coins to my hardware wallet. (Just make sure you store your pass phrase, when you create that wallet)

[Lida93]

Is this good advice for those who can't afford a hardware wallet?

Using a Bitcoin Electrum wallet or other, disconnect from the internet before generating a new seed and never connecting to the internet again.

Until you are ready to sell everything in that wallet.

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

For you to have an amount of coins that you jealously securing against any malware attack through any internet connection then you should be capable of affording a hardware wallet without stress right? Because from what is established conventionally in the financial world is that people only create protection on something of great value to them.

Electrum wallet is one bitcoin wallet with a good security I can at any point in time recommend to bitcoin users, and if it's a small amount of coins then it's a great idea with what OP has proposed for those that can't yet afford a hardware wallet. The internet is not friendly with bitcoin wallets that at any slight mistake of a bug attack or malware you can go zero balance without knowing it is for this that air gap wallets are preferred safer far above any other linked to wireless communications.

[Ayers]

Is this good advice for those who can't afford a hardware wallet?

Using a Bitcoin Electrum wallet or other, disconnect from the internet before generating a new seed and never connecting to the internet again.

Until you are ready to sell everything in that wallet.

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

I guess that you are a little bit paranoid here.
Electrum is really secure. You can add additional words to the 12-word seed. You could create a multi-sig wallet on Electrum(multi-sig wallets are more secure than standard Electrum wallets), or you could simply add 2-factor authentication. Those 3 options can totally enhance the security of your Electrum wallet.
Are you really sure about "never connecting to the internet again"? You will have to connect to the internet, when you decide to sell your BTC. Do you plan to keep BTC forever in that wallet, without touching them ever again? This seems weird.

Actually, protecting bitcoins or keeping our wallets safe is not too difficult, but some people are complicating matters and getting themselves into complicated situations. I have also been using Electrum for many years and even my computer is constantly connected to the Internet and I work with it every day. But I've never had any security issues or had my bitcoins stolen. I think as long as we turn on all the necessary protection layers for the Electrum wallet, don't use pirated software for our computers, don't click on strange links...we will be safe.

[dkbit98]

Old smart phones can be infected with malware even before you turn it to an airgapped device, i will say OP should rather stick to the hardware if they are serious about holding their coins securely.

Even an average grandpa and grandma can click and a button and reset smartphone to it's factory settings, everyone else can install open source alternative like GrapheneOS, LienageOS or DiverstOS.
When I said old smartphone I didn't mean that it should be full of installed crap apps.
Hardware wallet is still a better option.

[Zanab247]

We trust Electrum as a hardware wallet. If you can't afford to buy a hardware wallet, then you can use an Electrum wallet. But you need to secure your wallet seed safely. And the device you are using, the Electrum wallet, should not be compromised. The important thing is to secure your seed, and your device should be secured from the attack. Also, make sure you keep safe seeds in multiple places; in case one is lost, another will recover the wallet. But it is always best to get a hardware wallet. 

Electrum wallet is a good wallet, that will give you the best quality you want from a wallet to store your BTC, and you can also confirm it from those that are using it over some years till now nothing has happen to their BTC.

All you need to do which is very important to anyone that is using electrum wallet, is to write the seeds phrase down in a secure place, in case anything happen to your system, it will be easy for you to recover and continue hodling your BTC till the right time to sell come.

 Don't forget that once you expose the seeds phrase to people around you, they can make use of your coins without your approval because the power behind that wallet is the seeds phrase so do everything possible to keep them safe.

[fuguebtc]

We trust Electrum as a hardware wallet. If you can't afford to buy a hardware wallet, then you can use an Electrum wallet. But you need to secure your wallet seed safely. And the device you are using, the Electrum wallet, should not be compromised. The important thing is to secure your seed, and your device should be secured from the attack. Also, make sure you keep safe seeds in multiple places; in case one is lost, another will recover the wallet. But it is always best to get a hardware wallet. 

Electrum wallet is a good wallet, that will give you the best quality you want from a wallet to store your BTC, and you can also confirm it from those that are using it over some years till now nothing has happen to their BTC.

All you need to do which is very important to anyone that is using electrum wallet, is to write the seeds phrase down in a secure place, in case anything happen to your system, it will be easy for you to recover and continue hodling your BTC till the right time to sell come.

 Don't forget that once you expose the seeds phrase to people around you, they can make use of your coins without your approval because the power behind that wallet is the seeds phrase so do everything possible to keep them safe.

Electrum, bluewallet or sparrowwallet...as long as you are using a wallet that is open source and a non-custodial wallet are all equally secure wallets. But I think comparing them and assuming they have the same level of security as hardware wallets is not entirely accurate because hardware wallets will at least always be offline and that's what m akes it more valuable. But saying that does not mean that software wallets like Electrum are not safe because it depends on how we preserve them, but they have disadvantages compared to hardware wallets .

But no matter what kind of wallet we use to store bitcoins, much of the safety will depend on us, not because we use a hardware wallet, our bitcoins will never be hacked or lost.

[Cryptomultiplier]

Is this good advice for those who can't afford a hardware wallet?

Using a Bitcoin Electrum wallet or other, disconnect from the internet before generating a new seed and never connecting to the internet again.

Until you are ready to sell everything in that wallet.

Is this practice similar to using a hardware wallet? This advice came from a man I know who said to have been keeping his BTC since 2013 in the same manner, he said the internet/online is the culprit or enemy of every crypto wallet.

The internet is an enemy of every crypto wallet that is connected to it because it would be considered hot.
Without running a full node, the electrum wallet is non-custodial and uses hot storage for safeguarding Bitcoins.
Meaning that it interacts with the Blockchain network when there is a withdrawal or deposit.

It is good advice given to disconnect from the internet unless ready to use your electrum wallet, but incase you do forget or just think of doing a fast transaction while still online, how do you think it would be easier disconnecting and doing your transactions?
It will be way better to use a hardware wallet or cold wallet like ledger or trezor that's easily tucked away from prying eyes, that is if you have good BTC investments or plan to accumulate safely and do not want to be bothered about hackers gaining access to your funds.

[GbitG]

Electrum wallet is a good wallet, that will give you the best quality you want from a wallet to store your BTC, and you can also confirm it from those that are using it over some years till now nothing has happen to their BTC.
 
All you need to do which is very important to anyone that is using electrum wallet, is to write the seeds phrase down in a secure place, in case anything happen to your system, it will be easy for you to recover and continue hodling your BTC till the right time to sell come.
 
 Don't forget that once you expose the seeds phrase to people around you, they can make use of your coins without your approval because the power behind that wallet is the seeds phrase so do everything possible to keep them safe.

Yeah obviously Electrum is a good wallet, no doubt about that, but it requires one to keep the app on a device such as a smartphone or a computer to run and use the wallet to make transactions, and any app that is stored on a device can be compromised and attacked by exploiters using malware, viruses, and other stuff that they use to steal people's funds.
 
But still, one can use Electrum to store a reasonable amount of Bitcoin that one uses for regular transactions which is hassle-free because the interface is clear and user-friendly, and it is very easy to make transactions using Electrum. but for storing large amounts, one shouldn't prefer Electrum or any other software wallet even if they are open-source and non-custodial.