<p>Before you begin any of this, I recommend you backup your <code>.dat</code> files just in case something goes wrong.</p>

<p>Your <code>wallet.dat</code> file is located at <code>%APPDATA%\Bitcoin\wallet.dat</code>. Make a copy somewhere safe until this operation is complete.</p>

<p>You're going to want to <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/5933/44137">export your private keys from Bitcoin QT</a> and <a href="http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/faq.html#can-i-sweep-private-keys-from-other-bitcoin-clients" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sweep your private keys in Electrum</a> and you should be golden!</p>

<p>The process of dumping your private keys require you open a console (Bitcoin QT -> help -> debug window -> console), unlock your wallet (<code>walletpassphrase "your walletpassphrase here" 600</code>), and type the command <code>dumpprivkey [your Bitcoin address here]</code>. You can then lock your wallet with <code>walletlock</code>.</p>

<p>With your private keys saved now, you can sweep them with Electrum by opening the sweep menu (Wallet menu -> Private Keys -> Sweep), entering your private keys while leaving the 'Address' field unchanged, and executing the dialogue.</p>

<p>Enjoy your new light-weight bitcoin client.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-13T12:17:50.457Z
The only thing I then am currently wondering about, before I try your guidance, is that you recommend that I export 
 from my old Bitcoin QT wallet, and not from my new Bitcoin Core wallet that I got after upgrading the Bitcoin QT wallet. This because I got the recommendation from another user here on StackExchange (https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/63534/how-much-space-does-a-backup-of-a-wallet-usually-take) that I should upgrade before exporting. He wrote:

0.8 will not really be able to sync (0.15 is orders of magnitudes faster), you'll need to upgrade. – eponymous
Squirrelwalker
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-13T12:26:54.893Z
You won't need to sync anything. As long as you have the keys you can move to Electrum. You're not looking towards using a Bitcoin-QT / Bitcoin-Core wallet (from my understanding) so why wait for a sync. Import the keys into Electrum and there's no more local blockchain dependency.
Monstrum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-12T22:12:08.260Z
2017-12-12T22:17:55.873Z
2017-12-12T22:17:55.873Z
Monstrum
<p>I have an Bitcoin QT v0.8.5-beta wallet (downloaded in 2013) which it seems that I now have sucsessfully upgraded to the latest Bitcoin Core wallet. The  Bitcoin QT wallet did not disappear with the upgrade, and now I also got the Bitcoin Core Testnet wallet that automatically followed the Bitcoin Core wallet upgrade.</p>

<p>About 1/15 of the blockchain is now downloadet in the wallets, and I bought half a bitcoin in 2013 that I do not have catched in in my wallet yet. So I plan to download an Electrum wallet, and then import the private keys from the Bitcoin Core wallet, to the Electrum wallet, so I faster can get my half an bitcoin. </p>

<p>The Core wallet has now, for some hours, reindexed blocs on disc, so I think I should wait until that is ready.</p>

<p>My Bitcoin Core wallet is encrypted with a password, So should I decrypt the wallet before exporting the keys? The problem then is then that I can not find a place in the  Bitcoin Core wallet to quit the password, but only change the password.</p>

<p>And is it a problem that I do not have catched in the whole blockchain yet to the Core wallet before exporting the keys?</p>

<p>Should I export the keys from the Core wallet, or should I import the keys from the Electrum wallet, and where in the right wallet do I find the option?</p>

<p>Other problems a Newbie like me can stumble upon at this project?</p>

<private-key-export>
Which precautions should a newbie like me do when exporting keys from an Bitcoin Core wallet to an Electrum wallet
Squirrelwalker
# Which precautions should a newbie like me do when exporting keys from an Bitcoin Core wallet to an Electrum wallet

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-12)

I have an Bitcoin QT v0.8.5-beta wallet (downloaded in 2013) which it seems that I now have sucsessfully upgraded to the latest Bitcoin Core wallet. The Bitcoin QT wallet did not disappear with the upgrade, and now I also got the Bitcoin Core Testnet wallet that automatically followed the Bitcoin Core wallet upgrade.

About 1/15 of the blockchain is now downloadet in the wallets, and I bought half a bitcoin in 2013 that I do not have catched in in my wallet yet. So I plan to download an Electrum wallet, and then import the private keys from the Bitcoin Core wallet, to the Electrum wallet, so I faster can get my half an bitcoin.

The Core wallet has now, for some hours, reindexed blocs on disc, so I think I should wait until that is ready.

My Bitcoin Core wallet is encrypted with a password, So should I decrypt the wallet before exporting the keys? The problem then is then that I can not find a place in the Bitcoin Core wallet to quit the password, but only change the password.

And is it a problem that I do not have catched in the whole blockchain yet to the Core wallet before exporting the keys?

Should I export the keys from the Core wallet, or should I import the keys from the Electrum wallet, and where in the right wallet do I find the option?

Other problems a Newbie like me can stumble upon at this project?

**Tags:** private-key-export


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-12-12. Score: 1

Before you begin any of this, I recommend you backup your `.dat` files just in case something goes wrong.

Your `wallet.dat` file is located at `%APPDATA%\Bitcoin\wallet.dat`. Make a copy somewhere safe until this operation is complete.

You're going to want to [export your private keys from Bitcoin QT](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/5933/44137) and [sweep your private keys in Electrum](http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/faq.html#can-i-sweep-private-keys-from-other-bitcoin-clients) and you should be golden!

The process of dumping your private keys require you open a console (Bitcoin QT -> help -> debug window -> console), unlock your wallet (`walletpassphrase "your walletpassphrase here" 600`), and type the command `dumpprivkey [your Bitcoin address here]`. You can then lock your wallet with `walletlock`.

With your private keys saved now, you can sweep them with Electrum by opening the sweep menu (Wallet menu -> Private Keys -> Sweep), entering your private keys while leaving the 'Address' field unchanged, and executing the dialogue.

Enjoy your new light-weight bitcoin client.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The only thing I then am currently wondering about, before I try your guidance, is that you recommend that I export   from my old Bitcoin QT wallet, and not from my new Bitcoin Core wallet that I got after upgrading the Bitcoin QT wallet. This because I got the recommendation from another user here on StackExchange (https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/63534/how-much-space-does-a-backup-of-a-wallet-usually-take) that I should upgrade before exporting. He wrote:  0.8 will not really be able to sync (0.15 is orders of magnitudes faster), you'll need to upgrade. – eponymous  
> **username_1**: You won't need to sync anything. As long as you have the keys you can move to Electrum. You're not looking towards using a Bitcoin-QT / Bitcoin-Core wallet (from my understanding) so why wait for a sync. Import the keys into Electrum and there's no more local blockchain dependency.  

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