How to add a Bitcoin address to Electrum / Difference between sweep and import private keysThis post is an additional post to
this one, which explains how to create your own unique Bitcoin address (vanity address).
To use external bitcoin addresses (like a paperwallet) in Electrum, there are two functions: sweep and import. Both functions enable to access the balances of the Bitcoin addresses via Electrum. It is possible to import any wallets there, but you need to own the private key. This can be very helpful if you still have an old paperwallet and want to transfer the Bitcoins, an address that you are currently using in another client and would like to use in Electrum or to use your self-created vanity address.
ImportImport is useful to import a Bitcoin address as new wallet to Electrum. The Bitcoins will stay on this wallet and you can access this wallet after importing it to Electrum. It’s also important that this imported wallet will not have a seed and you can’t restore it from a seed because there is none. If you don’t lose the private key, you don’t need a seed either.
SweepIn comparison, the sweep function transfers your bitcoins from your original wallet to a new one in Electrum. Since a Bitcoin transaction (from the old to the new wallet) will happen, sweep requires an internet connection and transaction costs.
In order to be able to use a previously created vanity address in Electrum, the function to be used is import.
It works like this:
1. Open Electrum Open Electrum and go to File => New/Restore
2. Choose a name Choose a name for your wallet which you want to import and click on Next
3. Choose Import Bitcoin addresses or private keys
4. Enter your private key to import the addressNow you can copy your private key from the .txt file and paste it into the window opening at Electrum. Theoretically, you could also import several private keys.
5. Select a password, write it down and click on NextAnd finally, you have imported your 1test wallet successfully. You can now transfer BTC to your wallet or send BTC if you have sent BTC to it before.
Done
Update: if you want to import / sweep a SegWit address (prefix 3 / bc1q) you need to add the following lines in front of your private keys:
Nested SegWit adresses 3... (P2SH-P2WPKH)
p2wpkh-p2sh:Kpriv.key
or
p2wpkh-p2sh:Lpriv.key
Native SegWit bech32 addresses bc1q... (P2WPKH)
p2wpkh:Kpriv.key
or
p2wpkh:Lpriv.key
SourceOr just click "info" when you are importing Bitcoin addresses to see what exactly you have to add:
Done
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