<p>There's many different types and formats for Private Keys. </p>

<p>For example, a single address private key(WIF) should look like:</p>

<pre><code>5HueCGU8rMjxEXxiPuD5BDku4MkFqeZyd4dZ1jvhTVqvbTLvyTJ
</code></pre>

<p>other types: </p>

<ul>
<li>Hierarchical Deterministic (HD) Wallet Keys</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>Wallet software may use a BIP 32 seed to generate many private keys and corresponding public keys from a single secret value. This is called a hierarchical deterministic wallet, or HD wallet for short. The seed value, or master extended key, consists of a 256-bit private key and a 256-bit chain code, for 512 bits in total. The seed value should not be confused with the private keys used directly to sign Bitcoin transactions.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example:</p>

<p><code>xprv9s21ZrQH143K3QTDL4LXw2F7HEK3wJUD2nW2nRk4stbPy6cq3jPPqjiChkVvvNKmPGJxWUtg6LnF5kejMRNNU3TGtRBeJgk33yuGBxrMPHi</code></p>

<ul>
<li>Mnemonic phrase
A mnemonic phrase, mnemonic recovery phrase or mnemonic seed is a list of words which store all the information needed to recover a Bitcoin wallet. Wallet software will typically generate a mnemonic backup phrase and instruct the user to write it down on paper. If the user's computer breaks or their hard drive becomes corrupted, they can download the same wallet software again and use the paper backup to get their bitcoins back.</li>
</ul>

<p>Base58 Wallet Import format</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>When importing or sweeping ECDSA private keys, a shorter format known
  as wallet import format is often used, which offers a few advantages.
  The wallet import format is shorter, and includes built-in error
  checking codes so that typos can be automatically detected and/or
  corrected (which is impossible in hex format) and type bits indicating
  how it is intended to be used. Wallet import format is the most common
  way to represent private keys in Bitcoin. For private keys associated
  with uncompressed public keys, they are 51 characters and always start
  with the number 5 on mainnet (9 on testnet). Private keys associated
  with compressed public keys are 52 characters and start with a capital
  L or K on mainnet (c on testnet).</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li>Mini private key format Some applications use the mini private key format.</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>Not every private key or Bitcoin address has a corresponding
  mini private key - they have to be generated a certain way in order to
  ensure a mini private key exists for an address. The mini private key
  is used for applications where space is critical, such as in QR codes
  and in physical bitcoins. The above example has a mini key, which is:
    <code>SzavMBLoXU6kDrqtUVmffv</code></p>
</blockquote>

<p>You should know which private key they're asking for and you are sending the correct one. </p>

<p>Importing private address key (WIF) command should be like that:</p>

<pre><code>importprivkey yourPrivateKeyInWalletImportFormat "TheLabelThatIWant"
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:41:06.867Z
Unfortunatelly I have no clue :/
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:43:32.560Z
I am a beginner in all of this and not sure which wallet should I try to import my private key to and in which format. Any recommendations for a place where I can store my bitcoins without need of syncing the whole wallet.
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:52:39.350Z
I've added some examples for the answer
Tailer
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:54:57.640Z
My private key is Base Wallet one.
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T22:00:10.013Z
I added it to the online wallet, it says it has no value in it, however, when I check the transaction on blokchain I see the value. I am really desperate about this :/
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:38:05.740Z
2018-03-05T21:52:20.900Z
2018-03-05T21:52:20.900Z
Tailer
<p>I am trying to retrieve my private key by debugging the address that was used for sending bitcoins to my wallet in the Bitcoin Core App. However, when trying to import this private key in another app it does not recognise it.Do you know where the problem might be? 
(Another thing is that I do not have enough space to sync my wallet, can this cause the issue?!) Thanks for help. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:28:18.507Z
What format is the private key in? It might also be encrypted via password.
fihdi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:30:37.940Z
Sorry If my answer will be stupid - number and letters.
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:33:05.583Z
How can I decrypt it?
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:37:07.843Z
@Zuzana is the private key 51 or 52 characters long, and is the first letter an "L", "5" or "K"?
meshcollider
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T21:38:33.443Z
52 characters and L @MeshCollider
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T22:36:07.227Z
Ok then it should definitely be a WIF private key (base58 in the answer below). Is the other app you are using blockchain.info perhaps? Some platforms have weird behavior with some private keys
meshcollider
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-05T22:43:30.430Z
I tried several ones - blokchain, coinspace app, bread bitcoin -> the private key does not work anywhere :/ @MeshCollider is it possible that the private key is wrong? Or if the wallet provides me the private key connected to the address there must be some other issue.
Zuzana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-06T02:28:09.123Z
You can enable `prune={MB>550}` in your `bitcoin.conf` file (accessible from Settings --> Options) to reduce the blockchain storage requirements of Bitcoin Core when necessary.
Willtech
<private-key-import>
My private key is not recognized.
Zuzana
# My private key is not recognized.

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-05)

I am trying to retrieve my private key by debugging the address that was used for sending bitcoins to my wallet in the Bitcoin Core App. However, when trying to import this private key in another app it does not recognise it.Do you know where the problem might be?
(Another thing is that I do not have enough space to sync my wallet, can this cause the issue?!) Thanks for help.

**Tags:** private-key-import

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What format is the private key in? It might also be encrypted via password.  
> **username_0**: Sorry If my answer will be stupid - number and letters.  
> **username_0**: How can I decrypt it?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 is the private key 51 or 52 characters long, and is the first letter an "L", "5" or "K"?  
> **username_0**: 52 characters and L @MeshCollider  
> **username_2**: Ok then it should definitely be a WIF private key (base58 in the answer below). Is the other app you are using blockchain.info perhaps? Some platforms have weird behavior with some private keys  
> **username_0**: I tried several ones - blokchain, coinspace app, bread bitcoin -> the private key does not work anywhere :/ @MeshCollider is it possible that the private key is wrong? Or if the wallet provides me the private key connected to the address there must be some other issue.  
> **username_3**: You can enable `prune={MB>550}` in your `bitcoin.conf` file (accessible from Settings --> Options) to reduce the blockchain storage requirements of Bitcoin Core when necessary.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-03-05. Score: 1

There's many different types and formats for Private Keys.

For example, a single address private key(WIF) should look like:

```
5HueCGU8rMjxEXxiPuD5BDku4MkFqeZyd4dZ1jvhTVqvbTLvyTJ

```

other types:

* Hierarchical Deterministic (HD) Wallet Keys

> Wallet software may use a BIP 32 seed to generate many private keys and corresponding public keys from a single secret value. This is called a hierarchical deterministic wallet, or HD wallet for short. The seed value, or master extended key, consists of a 256-bit private key and a 256-bit chain code, for 512 bits in total. The seed value should not be confused with the private keys used directly to sign Bitcoin transactions.

Example:

`xprv9s21ZrQH143K3QTDL4LXw2F7HEK3wJUD2nW2nRk4stbPy6cq3jPPqjiChkVvvNKmPGJxWUtg6LnF5kejMRNNU3TGtRBeJgk33yuGBxrMPHi`

* Mnemonic phrase
  A mnemonic phrase, mnemonic recovery phrase or mnemonic seed is a list of words which store all the information needed to recover a Bitcoin wallet. Wallet software will typically generate a mnemonic backup phrase and instruct the user to write it down on paper. If the user's computer breaks or their hard drive becomes corrupted, they can download the same wallet software again and use the paper backup to get their bitcoins back.

Base58 Wallet Import format

> When importing or sweeping ECDSA private keys, a shorter format known
> as wallet import format is often used, which offers a few advantages.
> The wallet import format is shorter, and includes built-in error
> checking codes so that typos can be automatically detected and/or
> corrected (which is impossible in hex format) and type bits indicating
> how it is intended to be used. Wallet import format is the most common
> way to represent private keys in Bitcoin. For private keys associated
> with uncompressed public keys, they are 51 characters and always start
> with the number 5 on mainnet (9 on testnet). Private keys associated
> with compressed public keys are 52 characters and start with a capital
> L or K on mainnet (c on testnet).

* Mini private key format Some applications use the mini private key format.

> Not every private key or Bitcoin address has a corresponding
> mini private key - they have to be generated a certain way in order to
> ensure a mini private key exists for an address. The mini private key
> is used for applications where space is critical, such as in QR codes
> and in physical bitcoins. The above example has a mini key, which is:
> `SzavMBLoXU6kDrqtUVmffv`

You should know which private key they're asking for and you are sending the correct one.

Importing private address key (WIF) command should be like that:

```
importprivkey yourPrivateKeyInWalletImportFormat "TheLabelThatIWant"

```

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Unfortunatelly I have no clue :/  
> **username_0**: I am a beginner in all of this and not sure which wallet should I try to import my private key to and in which format. Any recommendations for a place where I can store my bitcoins without need of syncing the whole wallet.  
> **username_4**: I've added some examples for the answer  
> **username_0**: My private key is Base Wallet one.  
> **username_0**: I added it to the online wallet, it says it has no value in it, however, when I check the transaction on blokchain I see the value. I am really desperate about this :/  

---

