<p>I have a watch only wallet i was given the address for can i buy a private key and add it to the watch only wallet</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-15T14:26:05.927Z
This sounds like a scam. There is no guarantee that whomever gave you the watch-only wallet even *has* the private key for it.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-15T14:59:04.867Z
Yes i am very suspicious myself
John Milne
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-15T15:11:38.847Z
I dont think you need the private key to create a watch-only wallet
John Milne
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-15T15:14:51.973Z
No, but you cannot access funds with a watch-only wallet; as the name says, it is only for watching. You should not assume anyone has the ability to give you access to those funds.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-15T15:23:06.130Z
Pieter i totally understand that, i cannot spend or even transfer anything from a watch only wallet, that is why i was even asking if it is ever possible to changes its state from watch-only to a normal wallet that can transfer or spend its contents.
John Milne
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-15T15:28:04.650Z
If you have the private key(s), you don't need the watch-only wallet anymore; you can just create a new wallet that has access to the funds through the private key material directly. Having the watch-only wallet to begin with doesn't help with that. But again, you should assume this is a scam (I understand you're suspicious already, but let me be 100% clear: if someone offers to sell you private keys, they are scamming you; if they had the keys they'd be taking the funds themselves).
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-15T15:38:34.657Z
Exactly my point, it is not going to happen.
John Milne
<watch-only>
Can i buy a private key and add it to my watch-only wallet
John Milne
# Can i buy a private key and add it to my watch-only wallet

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-08-15)

I have a watch only wallet i was given the address for can i buy a private key and add it to the watch only wallet

**Tags:** watch-only

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This sounds like a scam. There is no guarantee that whomever gave you the watch-only wallet even *has* the private key for it.  
> **username_0**: Yes i am very suspicious myself  
> **username_0**: I dont think you need the private key to create a watch-only wallet  
> **username_1**: No, but you cannot access funds with a watch-only wallet; as the name says, it is only for watching. You should not assume anyone has the ability to give you access to those funds.  
> **username_0**: Pieter i totally understand that, i cannot spend or even transfer anything from a watch only wallet, that is why i was even asking if it is ever possible to changes its state from watch-only to a normal wallet that can transfer or spend its contents.  
> **username_1**: If you have the private key(s), you don't need the watch-only wallet anymore; you can just create a new wallet that has access to the funds through the private key material directly. Having the watch-only wallet to begin with doesn't help with that. But again, you should assume this is a scam (I understand you're suspicious already, but let me be 100% clear: if someone offers to sell you private keys, they are scamming you; if they had the keys they'd be taking the funds themselves).  
> **username_0**: Exactly my point, it is not going to happen.  

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## 0 answers

