Ethereum: How do I get the private key of an address in descriptor wallets? How to dumpprivkey?

How ​​​to Get Private Keys in Descriptor Wallets: A Guide

Descriptor wallets, also known as descriptor-enabled wallets, are a newer type of cryptocurrency wallet that has gained popularity in recent years. A common problem that many users encounter when trying to access their private keys is related to the dumpprivkey command. In this article, we will explore how to get the private key of an address in descriptor wallets and provide some troubleshooting steps.

What is dumpprivkey?

The dumpprivkey command is used to generate a private key for a specific address. It is part of the Bitcoin Core (BCC) software, which is commonly used as a wallet management tool. The command is available in several versions of BCC.

Why does dumpprivkey fail?

The error message “This wallet type does not support this command” suggests that descriptor wallets do not have an equivalent to the dumpprivkey command. This may seem surprising, since descriptor wallets are designed to be compatible with Bitcoin Core. However, the real problem lies in the structure of the wallet storage.

How ​​​to get the private key of an address in descriptor wallets:

Descriptor wallets use a separate wallet storage for their descriptors. To access the private key of an address using dumpprivkey, you must first generate a descriptor from the original wallet. Here is a step-by-step guide:

• Generate a descriptor: First, make sure your wallet is updated to version 0.21.1 or higher. Then run the command “descriptor-new –address “. Replace “” with the address you want to generate a descriptor for.

• Get the descriptor’s private key: Once the descriptor is generated, you can use it to get the original wallet’s private key. Run the command dumpprivkey .

• Use the private key in your Bitcoin Core wallet: You now have access to the original wallet’s private key. You can store this private key in your Bitcoin Core wallet.

Troubleshooting steps:

If you’re still having trouble accessing your private key, here are some troubleshooting steps:

• Check your wallet version:

  Make sure your wallet is updated to the latest version.

• Check the descriptor format: If you’re using an older version of BCC, consider upgrading to a newer version.

• Run descriptor-new with multiple addresses: If you have a large number of addresses in your wallet, try running descriptor-new with all of them to see if that resolves the issue.

Conclusion:

Retrieving the private key of an address in Descriptor wallets requires some care and attention to detail. If you follow these steps, you should be able to access your private key using “dumpprivkey”. If the issue persists, feel free to request further assistance or explore other options.