We have an example: what happens if I have the BlueWallet app on my mobile, with a wallet created there, but I have lost / stolen / damaged my mobile and I cannot access this wallet. Well, as we already have the recovery keywords saved, at any time we can access this wallet, from any other wallet app, which supports the BIP39 protocol.
In this example we are going to use the Electrum app for desktop PC. Here are the steps to recover the wallet created in Bluewallet app:
- Download Electrum for Desktop (Linux / Mac / Windows): https://electrum.org/#download
- Create a new wallet and put the name “bluewallet” to identify it later easier, in case we create more wallets. Next.
- We left selected “standard wallet“. Next.
- We select “I already have a seed.” Next.
- We write one by one, separated by space, each word of the seed. You will see that just by starting to write the word, you get suggestions, and you just have to select them, and they are automatically added with a space.
NOTICE: take a good look at which words you write and the order in which they are written. Any change in this, can generate another wallet, which would not be ours!
When we have finished writing all the words, check once more that everything is fine. Now we click on the “Options” button and select “BIP39 seed“. Next. - We leave selected “native segwit” and do not change anything else. Next.
- It asks us to put a password, to protect this wallet file. This password will always be used when opening the wallet and also every time a transaction is sent. Save this password in your password file, using KeePass, as we have already explained in the other guide on “how to protect my BTC“. Next.
- We already have our wallet imported, and in a few moments, the previous transactions, made in Bluewallet, will appear there in the history list. From this moment, you can use this same wallet, in Bluewallet and in Electrum.
For advanced use of the Electrum we recommend configuring the interface in this way:
- In the menu – View – we activate to view: Addresses, Currencies, Contacts, Channels
- In the menu – Settings:
- General: we put the desired language, base unit “BTC” (better for onchain)
- Transactions: Use, replace-by-fee, advanced preview, use change directions, enable rounding on output value
- Lightning: we don’t change anything at the moment
- Fiat: Fiat EUR currency, show price history, show fiat balance for addresses
- In the menu – Portfolio – Information we activate Lightning. This then offers us the possibility of using this wallet with LN integrated directly in Electrum. But it is optional.