If you bought cryptocurrencies a long time ago, you may have been instructed to save a WIF key on your computer or on a storage device such as a USB key. Or perhaps you saved it yourself as a backup of your wallet. However, with the passage of time, you might have no idea where that WIF key is now. If that sounds familiar, this tutorial is for you.
What is a WIF key?
A WIF key, or Wallet Import Format key, is a key that gives you access to your cryptocurrencies. It’s a series of
alphanumeric characters that is comprised of 51 or 52 characters. Bitcoin private keys start with 5, L or K.
Here are examples of WIF keys:
5Kb8kLf9zgWQnogidDA76MzPL6TsZZY36hWXMssSzNydYXYB9KFL1aW4aubDFB7yfras2S1mN3bqg9nwySY8nkoLmJebSLD5BWv3ENZKzQhifVHanPvBmnqTjNnRSqKU64LLJfJXbEmdmxeTdX8jLKkhFMr
However, WIF keys for other cryptocurrencies (such as Litecoin, Dash or Dogecoin) might start with different characters
like 6, 7, T, X or Q. Thus, these are also WIF keys:
T745ZNSYzc7vD1yTpEPQaL8CzSbXv13LEPYPRtmYdNXWWc9FvhUz7r7iHB7e6EA2kc2ZP5wCcRfYAvQijycp9sFssUcKPwCsn4xAesCXDndCPeJi54rjTbsvUnEFMs6anjhEgu588pfXnrtCEFR7h9E45Kq6J8csdv3eDrnJcpSEb4shfjMh2JTiG9MKzC1Yfge4Y4GyUsjdM6QNcdLVw8fHkixm6NNyN6nVwxKek4u7qrioRbQmjxac5TVoTtZuot
The problem with searching for a WIF key manually
There is no reliable way to find a WIF key manually. Since it’s made up of random characters with no pattern visible to
the human eye, you can’t simply remember it or guess where it might be. That being said, you might find success by searching
your computer for keywords like wallet, bitcoin, btc, private key or wif key. However, this approach is limited.
If your WIF key was saved in a file with an inconspicuous name or moved to an obscure location, a manual search will likely
come up empty-handed.
The solution: Treasure Hunter
Because the manual approach is so limited, you should consider the automatic way through my software, Treasure Hunter. Treasure Hunter is an application that can scan storage devices for the presence of WIF keys. It works by searching for certain files and documents that may contain private keys. It is designed to detect them even if attempts have been made to hide them, for instance by moving them to an obscure location or by giving them an inconspicuous name.
Treasure Hunter has several advantages:
- It works on a variety of storage devices: HDDs, SSDs, USB keys, SD cards, CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.
- It works on Windows, Mac and Linux.
- You can scan your storage devices for free.
- It can find WIF keys in all sorts of files and documents.
If you have a WIF key somewhere on your storage devices, Treasure Hunter is your best bet for finding it.