<p>You have to have that private key already. You cannot derive it from the public address. A watch-only address is an imported address.</p>

<p>If you've imported it from a paper wallet, check for the private key that should be printed on the same paper. You can scan the private key and upgrade the watch-only address to one that you can spend from as well.</p>

<p>If you imported some address you do not have the private key of, it will remain a watch-only address for you forever.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-17T21:40:16.493Z
2017-12-17T21:40:16.493Z
Christiaan Westerbeek
<p>How did you add your address to blockchain.info?
Did you use a paper wallet Qrcode to import your address? In this case, you supposed to write your private key and if you haven't you've lost it.</p>

<p>As I remember if you just used blockchai.info to have a wallet, blockchain.info won't give you any private key. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T00:28:00.787Z
2017-12-18T00:28:00.787Z
Mahdi 1
<p>I am new to BTC and I have a question: How to get private key from Blockchain wallet for a "Watch only" address? I have been trying for days with no positive results. Thanks.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-18T05:30:01.743Z
The derivation of a private key from its public key is impossible. A watch-only wallet is explicitly non-spending and cannot be used to spend Bitcoins.
Monstrum
<transactions><blockchain><blockchain.info><wallet-recovery>
Unable to get private key for Blockchain wallet
Peter
# Unable to get private key for Blockchain wallet

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-11)

I am new to BTC and I have a question: How to get private key from Blockchain wallet for a "Watch only" address? I have been trying for days with no positive results. Thanks.

**Tags:** transactions, blockchain, blockchain.info, wallet-recovery

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The derivation of a private key from its public key is impossible. A watch-only wallet is explicitly non-spending and cannot be used to spend Bitcoins.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-12-17. Score: 1

You have to have that private key already. You cannot derive it from the public address. A watch-only address is an imported address.

If you've imported it from a paper wallet, check for the private key that should be printed on the same paper. You can scan the private key and upgrade the watch-only address to one that you can spend from as well.

If you imported some address you do not have the private key of, it will remain a watch-only address for you forever.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-12-18. Score: 0

How did you add your address to blockchain.info?
Did you use a paper wallet Qrcode to import your address? In this case, you supposed to write your private key and if you haven't you've lost it.

As I remember if you just used blockchai.info to have a wallet, blockchain.info won't give you any private key.


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