I was planning to move my coins to an online wallet like blockchain
Moving your coins from a 12 word seed phrase written on paper to an online wallet doesn't make it safer, unless you fear your paper get stolen or burned. 
Topic: changing watching only wallet to normal wallet (Read 252 times)
Thank you for your help!
@HCP: I will install a new version of electrum on my new Macbook and follow your steps.
@coin-keeper: Thanks for the warning. I was planning to move my coins to an online wallet like blockchain, but will investigate hardware wallets.
@HCP: I will install a new version of electrum on my new Macbook and follow your steps.
@coin-keeper: Thanks for the warning. I was planning to move my coins to an online wallet like blockchain, but will investigate hardware wallets.
HCP gave you some good steps to get it done. However I would like to add and caution you about using Electrum online in "full wallet mode". Its been a long time since you have used your wallet according to your words. Hackers and malware have come a long way from "back in the day". Frankly, they are good now and would love to take your coins. In the proper hands you can actually operate a fully capable wallet online, but it ALWAYS comes with a risk that I would never be willing to take. You may want to spend some time reading about using a cold wallet approach, OR get a hardware wallet and just end the risk of malware out of the gate. Its your call but I felt it important to give you a heads up.
In Electrum, you just need to create a new "standard" wallet and use your 12 words.
1. Goto "File -> New\Restore"
2. Input a wallet name (different from your original watching only wallet name)
3. Select "Standard Wallet"
4. Select "I already have a seed"
5. Enter your 12 words
6. Be happy
NOTE: You probably want to go and download the latest version of Electrum (https://electrum.org/#download)... it is up to 2.9.3, has a TON of bug fixes... and I believe older versions may have trouble connecting to servers and syncing properly.
1. Goto "File -> New\Restore"
2. Input a wallet name (different from your original watching only wallet name)
3. Select "Standard Wallet"
4. Select "I already have a seed"
5. Enter your 12 words
6. Be happy
NOTE: You probably want to go and download the latest version of Electrum (https://electrum.org/#download)... it is up to 2.9.3, has a TON of bug fixes... and I believe older versions may have trouble connecting to servers and syncing properly.
Hello,
I searched for a guide online to change my watching only wallet into a normal wallet to be able to use my bitcoins but could't find any, therefore I hope someone here can help me.
Situation:
- Several years ago I installed Electrum (version 1.9.5) and bought bitcoins.
- Next I changed the electrum wallet into watching only and never looked back, the same version of electrum is still on my PC.
- I did write down a phrase of 12 words that I still have.
Now I want to spend the bitcoins, but I unfortunately forgot all about how electrum works.
Can someone please help me with the best steps to take to change my wallet back to normal?
I can use the same PC (W7) or my newer notebook, whatever is recommended.
Thank you.
I searched for a guide online to change my watching only wallet into a normal wallet to be able to use my bitcoins but could't find any, therefore I hope someone here can help me.
Situation:
- Several years ago I installed Electrum (version 1.9.5) and bought bitcoins.
- Next I changed the electrum wallet into watching only and never looked back, the same version of electrum is still on my PC.
- I did write down a phrase of 12 words that I still have.
Now I want to spend the bitcoins, but I unfortunately forgot all about how electrum works.
Can someone please help me with the best steps to take to change my wallet back to normal?
I can use the same PC (W7) or my newer notebook, whatever is recommended.
Thank you.
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