Technical guide to Bitcoin Wallets and how to recover the locked BTC
Table of contents
Source information data
First we need to determinate what is the information you have when you want to recover your Bitcoin Wallet.
There are hundreds of different Bitcoin Wallets and depending on the wallet type and backup data, the ways vary.
If you have an online wallet, and have no idea where its from, a very good start is blockchain.com
By going to their login page and entering an email address, you might get lucky and receive an email with the login ID.
BACKUP FILE
There are many type of backup files, and usually it can be determinated which wallet by looking at the file.
240 byte files
If the wallet has 240 characters and start with U2 and last character is a = then most likely its a private key encrypted with AES and SSL.
You should be able to decrypt it using OPENSSL or BTC Recovery a github repo using Python scripting language. You can also try to import the file into the Schildbach Bitcoin wallet which is using that exact format. Schildbach can be downloaded here: https://github.com/schildbach
If the wallet filename is wallet.aes.json, then its a blockchain.info or blockchain.com wallet. You can import it into blockchain by dropping the file into the following link:
If your wallet name is wallet.dat then you could import it into bitcoin core. You can download it from here:
If you have a data-dir or your wallet is ending with .key or .wallet then its most likely a Multibit Classic Wallet. You can read more about Multibit Classic here: https://multibitclassic.com
If your filename is wallet_backup then its the default electrum wallet filename. You can download Electrum from https://electrum.org
SEED WORD SETS
If you have a set of 12 or 24 words then you can most likely import them to most wallets to see your funds.
The easiest wallet to do so is Exodus or Trust Wallet. They will scan multiple blockchains in order to see if you have any funds.
If you have a Bitcoin only word set then Electrum wallet is the choice to go. Electrum wallets can be downloaded from https://electrum.org
If you have Solana, then Phantom wallet is the wallet of choice. The address to download or read more about the wallet is https://phantom.com
For Ethereum, the wallet of choice is Metamask wallet. You can download metamask from https://metamask.io
If you have 3 sets of 20 words then your word set is probably a Shamir Secret. You can read more about Shamir secrets here:
If your Seed word length is 17 words, then its possibly a Multibit HD wallet seed. Multibit HD is no longer supported but you can still download the source code from the original Github page.
ONLINE LOGIN
If your wallet is a WEB wallet, then most likely its an old blockchain.info or blockchain.com
Their online login page lets you enter an email and you will receive a list of wallet IDs which look like this:
Go to https://blockchain.com/login
Enter your email address
Check mail.
You should get a wallet ID in the format
49f111e6-c680–405a-d3f1–956effab11d7
If the password you remember does not work, then try this guide:
Or if you need you need to talk to an export, then please send us an email to keychainx@protonmail.com
PAPER WALLET
A paper wallet that was created using bitcoinaddress.org have usually two sets of QR codes. One is the public key and the other is the private key. WARNING! Some claim the address bitcoinaddress.org is comprimised, dont use it to create new wallets.
The public key is the address of where your Bitcoin is stored and the Private key is used to move the bitcoin and confirm transactions.
There are many wallets where you can import the private key, like Electrum or Exodus.
If you use Electrum then by launching it you open a new wallet, and choose the option to import private key. This will scan the blockchain and look for transactions in the past, if the wallet private key corresponds to an address that has been used on the blockchain, then you will be able to access those funds.
Depending if you have a Legacy, Segwit or bech32 address that corresponds to your key, you can use various techniques to import them into Electrum.
Legacy wallets: Input key ‘as is’
Segwit wallet, add: p2wpkh-p2sh:
For bech32 add: p2wpkh:
For Exodus this will be automatic and the software will scan all three different addresses.
GOOD LUCK!
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FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions
How does recovery of lost Bitcoin work?
We usually start by looking at the wallet type and what info is missing. After an initial evaluation we sign a contract and start working on the recovery.
Do you recover all types of wallets?
No, we do not accept wallets that are sold online. Usually those are forged and therefor impossible to recover
Do you recover stolen funds?
No, we recover passwords from encrypted backups.
Is there any upfront fees?
No, our service is success based. No recovery, no fee.
Do you recover scams?
Since there is no way to reverse transactions, scams cannot be recovered.
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About us
KeychainX is a Wallet Recovery company helping individuals and companies with recovery of lost crypto funds. We specialize in recovery of Bitcoin and Ethereum. We have been around since 2017 and helped hundreds of people go gain access to their lost crypto fortunes. If you would like to discuss crypto recovery pls send and email to keychainx@protonmail.com