<p>An imported address is watch-only and cannot be used to spend money.</p>
<p>See</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/22796/13866">I am new to Bitcoin, how can I get started?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/84306/13866">Watch Only Wallets</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/81240/13866">What kinds of wallets are there?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-13T13:02:47.583Z
So I can learn. Why people use this?
Nah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-13T13:44:25.117Z
One use for imported addresses is for a  wallet you can use to monitor your balance without any risk that someone could use the wallet to steal your money or that a virus or malware infection of the PC can steal money. Meanwhile you keep the private keys in a separate "cold wallet" on a PC or device that is not ever connected to any network (Wifi, bluetooth, ethernet, etc) and is therefore much safer. A watch-only wallet can receive money and calculate a balance but cannot spend it.
RedGrittyBrick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-13T15:05:34.393Z
Thank you so much for the information! So if I want to use or spend the only way it’s to transfer?
Nah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-13T15:20:31.217Z
The way I understand what you describe is that your father can spend the money but you can't. If your father wants to give you the ability to spend this money, the easiest way is for him to create a normal bitcoin transaction paying you by sending money to a receiving address you generated using a wallet you created yourself - preferably not a custodial wallet like a blockchain account unless you plan to lose all the money in learning day trading or something :-)
RedGrittyBrick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-13T16:15:45.603Z
That’s exactly what I need! So I need to ask for a transaction. What is a custodial wallet? I’m not going to lose it I promise lol
Nah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-13T17:01:54.643Z
See third link re custodial wallet
RedGrittyBrick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-13T09:19:52.390Z
2022-05-13T09:19:52.390Z
RedGrittyBrick
<p>I had some btc in a hardware and I transferred to my new blockchain account. But now it shows in a imported address.
Do I have access from my blockchain? Can I sell, exchange … or watch only?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-12T19:59:25.293Z
How did you transfer? By sending coins, or by importing an address?
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-12T20:56:33.083Z
I think importing. I’m new at this
Nah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-12T21:14:02.610Z
In that case, there is no way that your blockchain.info can spend the coins, as it does not have the key.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-12T21:23:06.133Z
Can I put the key somewhere? I n the blockchain i mean
Nah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-12T22:49:27.650Z
That would defeat the purpose of a hardware wallet. If it functions correctly, there should be no way to extract the private keys from it. If you want to move the coins off the device, move them by creating a transaction. I'm also a bit puzzled why you'd want this in the first place, given that you already appear to have a hardware wallet (a very decent option for self custody), and would be moving to the very flimsy security an online wallet provides.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-12T23:49:20.970Z
The hardware it’s actually my father’s and he has others wallets there. And he wants to give me one
Nah
<blockchain><importaddress>
Imported Address
Nah
# Imported Address

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-05-12)

I had some btc in a hardware and I transferred to my new blockchain account. But now it shows in a imported address.
Do I have access from my blockchain? Can I sell, exchange … or watch only?

**Tags:** blockchain, importaddress

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How did you transfer? By sending coins, or by importing an address?  
> **username_0**: I think importing. I’m new at this  
> **username_1**: In that case, there is no way that your blockchain.info can spend the coins, as it does not have the key.  
> **username_0**: Can I put the key somewhere? I n the blockchain i mean  
> **username_1**: That would defeat the purpose of a hardware wallet. If it functions correctly, there should be no way to extract the private keys from it. If you want to move the coins off the device, move them by creating a transaction. I'm also a bit puzzled why you'd want this in the first place, given that you already appear to have a hardware wallet (a very decent option for self custody), and would be moving to the very flimsy security an online wallet provides.  
> **username_0**: The hardware it’s actually my father’s and he has others wallets there. And he wants to give me one  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-05-13. Score: 1

An imported address is watch-only and cannot be used to spend money.

See

* [I am new to Bitcoin, how can I get started?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/22796/13866)
* [Watch Only Wallets](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/84306/13866)
* [What kinds of wallets are there?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/81240/13866)
* <https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So I can learn. Why people use this?  
> **username_2**: One use for imported addresses is for a  wallet you can use to monitor your balance without any risk that someone could use the wallet to steal your money or that a virus or malware infection of the PC can steal money. Meanwhile you keep the private keys in a separate "cold wallet" on a PC or device that is not ever connected to any network (Wifi, bluetooth, ethernet, etc) and is therefore much safer. A watch-only wallet can receive money and calculate a balance but cannot spend it.  
> **username_0**: Thank you so much for the information! So if I want to use or spend the only way it’s to transfer?  
> **username_2**: The way I understand what you describe is that your father can spend the money but you can't. If your father wants to give you the ability to spend this money, the easiest way is for him to create a normal bitcoin transaction paying you by sending money to a receiving address you generated using a wallet you created yourself - preferably not a custodial wallet like a blockchain account unless you plan to lose all the money in learning day trading or something :-)  
> **username_0**: That’s exactly what I need! So I need to ask for a transaction. What is a custodial wallet? I’m not going to lose it I promise lol  
> **username_2**: See third link re custodial wallet  

---

