Changing wallet, keeping address

[Waldschrat]

Hi guys,
My question can actually be found in the title of this thread: How can I change my Bitcoin wallet (for example from Bitcoin core to an alternative wallet) and keep my Bitcoin addresses? Thank you very much for your help.

Cheers,
Waldschrat

[PolarPoint]

Export your private key from bitcoin core using "dumpprivkey" command and import the private key into your new client. Which client are you using now?

[Waldschrat]

Right now I'm using Bitcoin core and I want to use Electrum. What this procedure work with this combination?

[EcuaMobi]

As PolarPoint said, export the private key using dumpprivkey.

Steps:
http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/4203/how-can-i-export-the-private-key-for-an-address-from-the-satoshi-client

Then import the key on Electrum on Wallet > Private keys > Import

http://www.thecleverest.com/importing-bitcoin-from-a-paper-wallet-into-electrum/

Make sure to move all the keys with balance, even the change ones.

http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/9077/how-to-get-all-addresses-including-the-change-addresses-from-bitcoind

[Waldschrat]

Thank you both very much!

[DannyHamilton]

Right now I'm using Bitcoin core and I want to use Electrum. What this procedure work with this combination?

This is a bad idea for a couple of reasons.

First of all, any addresses that you import into Electrum will NOT be able to be recovered from the Electrum seed.  Therefore, if you ever need to recover your Electrum wallet, and you use the seed to do so, you will have lost all the addresses (and associated bitcoins) that you imported.

Second, addresses really aren't meant to be re-used.  It is best to use a new address for every transaction.  Re-using addresses reduces your privacy, and reduces the privacy of the people that you do business with.  It also slightly reduces your security.  If you are already using a new address for every transaction, then there is no need to import any addresses.

The best thing to do would be to create your Electrum wallet and then send all of your bitcoins from your Bitcoin Core wallet to a new address from your Electrum wallet.  Then back up your wallet.dat file from your old, and now empty, Bitcoin Core wallet, just in case anyone accidentally re-uses one of those old addresses to send you bitcoins.

[ColderThanIce]

i was going to mention the electrum seed problem with importing a private key. you won't be able to recover that key if you ever lose the encryption key to your wallet, or something along the lines of that.

it would be all around better to just start a fresh new electrum wallet, and try and transfer your existing payments from your current address to a new electrum address.

[LuckyBtc]

Right now I'm using Bitcoin core and I want to use Electrum. What this procedure work with this combination?

I would say give a try to Blockchain.info instead of Electrum if you really want to use your Bitcoin Core address. You can import your wallet here https://blockchain.info/wallet/import-wallet

[specgamer]

I don't think this can work, but you have to contact the individual wallet companies to let you do this. That's why its better to go blockchain at first.

[PolarPoint]

Right now I'm using Bitcoin core and I want to use Electrum. What this procedure work with this combination?

This is a bad idea for a couple of reasons.

I will not dispute anything Danny puts forward. He is right about not being able to restore bitcoin core addresses with electrum seeds.

But I do think it is desirable to import the bitcoin core address private keys into electrum because you never know when you will receive coins into the old addresses. I would keep the keys of those old addresses in electrum and not use them. Only delete them in the future when I am 100% sure.

[lalaisen]

How to know private key of a address from Bitcoin Wallet clients (Ex: Bitcoin core 0.10.0)

and how to import a address into Bitcoin wallet ?

Sincere thanks !

[Abdussamad]

Right now I'm using Bitcoin core and I want to use Electrum. What this procedure work with this combination?

It will work with electrum 1.9.8 but not 2.0.x because this version no longer supports private key imports. Instead it allows you to sweep private keys in which case all the bitcoins are sent to an address in your electrum wallet.

Note that imported private keys (not swept but imported) are not backed up by the wallet seed so you'll need to backup the wallet file using file > save copy. This is one reason why importing is not allowed anymore in 2.0.x and future electrum versions.

[Abdussamad]

How to know private key of a address from Bitcoin Wallet clients (Ex: Bitcoin core 0.10.0)

dumprivkey command on the debug console. You get to the debug console via the help menu about dialog box I think. help menu > debug window > console tab.

and how to import a address into Bitcoin wallet ?

Which bitcoin wallet? if you mean core then importprivkey command in the debug console or command line should do it.

https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Original_Bitcoin_client/API_calls_list

[loan4]

How to know private key of a address from Bitcoin Wallet clients (Ex: Bitcoin core 0.10.0)

dumprivkey command on the debug console. You get to the debug console via the help menu about dialog box I think. help menu > debug window > console tab.

and how to import a address into Bitcoin wallet ?

Which bitcoin wallet? if you mean core then importprivkey command in the debug console or command line should do it.

https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Original_Bitcoin_client/API_calls_list

Oh great ! I have the same question above but you have already answered it here. Sincere thanks !