How to Create and use a Sparrow Border Wallet

[Pmalek]

If you want more information on border wallets I suggest you read Are border wallets a modification of brain wallet?

I haven't seen other posts mentioning that Sparrow has a feature allowing users to create border wallets. I am not a proponent of this type of wallet, but it's still a hot wallet option you can use when travelling and/or crossing borders. I see no reason why you would make this your standard, every-day wallet, though.

How to Create a Border Wallet in Sparrow
1. Open Sparrow and click "New Wallet."
2. Name it and click the "Create Wallet" button.
3. Under "Keystores" click on "New or Imported Software Wallet."
4. Click the dropdown menu next to "Mnemonic Words (BIP39)" and select "Border Wallets Grid."
5. On the Border Wallets Grid window click the "Generate Grid" button at the bottom left.
6. On the new window that pops up click "Generate New."
7. The software will generate 12 words. You can but you don't have to back this up. The words inform the software about the order in which to put all possible seed words (2048) into the Border Wallets Grid.
8. Click "OK" and save a copy of the grid on your computer.
9. Draw an image pattern on the grid by clicking on 11 or 23 boxes in an order you can remember (an example image is posted below). You need to remember where you started and the pattern which you created.
10. Click "OK."
11. The words you selected in the previous grid will be automatically selected and you need to enter the last word (12th or 24th) manually. You have to remember this last word and/or write it down somewhere/back it up.
12. When you are done, click "Create Keystore."
13. Click "Import Keystore."
14. Click "Apply" and enter a wallet password if you want.

You have now created a new Bitcoin Border Wallet in Sparrow.
Keep copies of you Border Wallet Grid that Sparrow created because you will need it in case of wallet recovery. The grid itself can't be used to steal your coins without knowledge of the correct image pattern. You can save the file digitally anyway you want because there is no sensitive information in it.

How to Recover a Border Wallet in Sparrow
1. Open Sparrow and click "New Wallet."
2. Name it and click the "Create Wallet" button.
3. Under "Keystores" click on "New or Imported Software Wallet."
4. Click the dropdown menu next to "Mnemonic Words (BIP39)" and select "Border Wallets Grid."
5. On the Border Wallets Grid window click the "Load PDF" button at the bottom left.
6. Find the location where you previously saved your Border Wallet Grid and open it. That loads the grid with the words in the same order you previously created.
7. Draw your pattern in the correct order and click "OK."
8. Select the 12th/24th word that you previously used in the dropdown menu.
9. When you are done, click "Create Keystore."
10. Click "Import Keystore."
11. Click "Apply" and enter your wallet password if needed.


Here is an example of a filled out Border Wallet Grid:




Credits go to Ben from BTC Sessions. That's where I found the info on Sparrow's Border Wallets.
Unlock Sparrow Bitcoin Wallet’s Hidden Power: Advanced Features Tutorial

[Pmalek]

Also, when drawing your pattern, consider picking something memorable for yourself, like a shape you can easily recall, to avoid any confusion later.

It's not just the design of the pattern you need to remember. You also have to know the exact word sequence you clicked on and use the same one in case of wallet recovery. Even if you draw the same pattern across the grid but you mess up the sequence of words, you are not going to recover the same wallet. For example, you switched places for words #4 and #5 without impacting the image pattern.

[satscraper]

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I think using the term "wallet" to describe the generated grid is a bit misleading. In reality, the grid is just a way to help memorize the seed generated for your wallet, which would be difficult for others to reproduce. Great explanation of the entire concept can be found here. They also offer the offline tool to generate a so-called "border wallet."

P.S. Not for me. I can easy memorize 12/24 SEED without help of any grid or similar tool.

[Pmalek]

I think using the term "wallet" to describe the generated grid is a bit misleading. In reality, the grid is just a way to help memorize the seed generated for your wallet, which would be difficult for others to reproduce.

You are in fact creating a standard wallet as with any other software. The only difference being that you are included in the decision-making process to some degree. You don't handpick the seed words yourself, but the image pattern you use is based on your choice entirely. In comparison to that, the standard way of creating a wallet is to allow the software to automate everything for you.

I wouldn't agree that the term is misleading. It's just an association meant to show perhaps the primary use case behind these wallets.