<p>Unfortunately, (it seems to me) neither the Armory paper backup nor the Export Keys does not contain the private key (only the Root key is shown)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-15T07:15:56.910Z
2015-09-15T07:15:56.910Z
sanyy
<p>You will need to import the paper backup if you wish to spend from it. Click "import" in the upper right of the window and type in the contents of your paper wallet's <code>root key</code> and <code>chain code</code> (if it has one). You'll have to wait for Armory to rescan if you're not at the lastest beta version.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-06T01:34:08.530Z
seems to me that if compared to getting a new regular wallet address every time it's used, watch-only wallets add an extra layer of inconvenience with no extra safety.
Gaia
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-06T01:35:31.540Z
Do both the root key and the chain code look the same (about a dozen four letter words each)?
Gaia
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-06T01:36:57.190Z
The intention of Armory is that you have a completely separate computer that never touches the internet containing the non-watchonly wallet, and you ferry transactions between the two using a USB drive. It's extremely high security if done properly, but incredibly inconvenient.
Anonymous
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-06T01:37:45.910Z
Yes, the `root key` and `chain code` are two lines of 4 character keys. Armory will try and correct any typos you make, but try to have them as correct as possible, and verify that the wallet ID matches that of your paper backup.
Anonymous
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-06T01:26:20.660Z
2013-12-06T01:26:20.660Z
Anonymous
<p>I had to use this option right now, because I couldn't handle my armory wallet. With my blockchain.info wallet, in order to send BTCs from my 'watch only' armory wallet to my blockchain.info wallet I had to use as private key the string for the PrivBase58 without spaces instead the PrivHexBE. Hope that helps
BR P</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-06T21:02:51.587Z
2017-06-06T21:02:51.587Z
Peter Unterkircher
<p>worked for me in Armory 0.93.3 on a Mac:</p>

<p>Backup this wallet ></p>

<p>See other backup options ></p>

<p>Export Key Lists</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-17T08:33:39.247Z
While this sounds like a valid answer, it would be helpful if you clarified whether this worked for watch-only addresses and added a little more explanation in general.
Murch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-17T22:19:20.150Z
I was using a regular address, not watch-only
CryptoCoinUser
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-16T20:38:12.287Z
2017-10-16T20:38:12.287Z
CryptoCoinUser
<p><strong>This is how you obtain the private key for an <a href="https://bitcoinarmory.com" rel="noreferrer">Armory</a> wallet:</strong></p>

<p>In Armory-Qt, click on Wallet Properties (or in the newer versions, double click on your wallet to open your Wallet Properties), then click Backup this wallet>See other backup options>Export Key Lists then click the button <em>Export Key Lists</em>. Enter your passphrase and Armory will show your wallet's list of public addresses and private keys. If you are --offline or didn't download the blockchain, the list may be empty (Armory thinks no addresses were used), but checking "include unused" will allow you to see the entire list. Note that a watch-only copy of a wallet uses the same private key as the original wallet it was created from.</p>

<p><strong>This is useful if you want to send coins from an Armory wallet without using Armory</strong>, for example from an armory wallet address you imported into blockchain.info. In order to do so, you need to enter into the chosen service the private keys to the wallet you want to send from. In the case of <a href="https://blockchain.info" rel="noreferrer">BlockChain.info</a>, the key it accepts is the one in <strong><em>PrivHexBE</em> format</strong>, <strong>after you remove the spaces</strong>.</p>

<p><strong>Word of caution:</strong> after you enter a wallet's private key into any online service that wallet is no longer secure. You should considering transferring all the coins it holds out - do not use that wallet again.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-05T00:48:44.180Z
That option doesn't seem to exist in the latest version : /
B T
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-05T00:59:17.273Z
NM, figured it out and updated the answer to be a little clearer
B T
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-07T10:22:24.230Z
Used this to move keys into Electrum. Some addresses i had to use "include unused" to find some keys even though was up to update on client.
Piotr Kula
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-06T05:53:29.557Z
2017-08-08T17:13:05.270Z
2017-08-08T17:13:05.270Z
Gaia
<p>I have a paper backup, a digital wallet backup and all the passwords: how do I retrieve the private key for a watch-only wallet so I can send some coins out of it (created in armory and imported into, for example, blockchain.info)?</p>

<p>If that's not possible, is <strong>using passphrase from within armory</strong> the only way to send coins out of an armory watch-only wallet?</p>

<backup><armory>
How to obtain the private key of an Armory wallet?
Gaia
# How to obtain the private key of an Armory wallet?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-06)

I have a paper backup, a digital wallet backup and all the passwords: how do I retrieve the private key for a watch-only wallet so I can send some coins out of it (created in armory and imported into, for example, blockchain.info)?

If that's not possible, is **using passphrase from within armory** the only way to send coins out of an armory watch-only wallet?

**Tags:** backup, armory


---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2013-12-06. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

**This is how you obtain the private key for an [Armory](https://bitcoinarmory.com) wallet:**

In Armory-Qt, click on Wallet Properties (or in the newer versions, double click on your wallet to open your Wallet Properties), then click Backup this wallet>See other backup options>Export Key Lists then click the button *Export Key Lists*. Enter your passphrase and Armory will show your wallet's list of public addresses and private keys. If you are --offline or didn't download the blockchain, the list may be empty (Armory thinks no addresses were used), but checking "include unused" will allow you to see the entire list. Note that a watch-only copy of a wallet uses the same private key as the original wallet it was created from.

**This is useful if you want to send coins from an Armory wallet without using Armory**, for example from an armory wallet address you imported into blockchain.info. In order to do so, you need to enter into the chosen service the private keys to the wallet you want to send from. In the case of [BlockChain.info](https://blockchain.info), the key it accepts is the one in ***PrivHexBE* format**, **after you remove the spaces**.

**Word of caution:** after you enter a wallet's private key into any online service that wallet is no longer secure. You should considering transferring all the coins it holds out - do not use that wallet again.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: That option doesn't seem to exist in the latest version : /  
> **username_6**: NM, figured it out and updated the answer to be a little clearer  
> **username_7**: Used this to move keys into Electrum. Some addresses i had to use "include unused" to find some keys even though was up to update on client.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-09-15. Score: 1

Unfortunately, (it seems to me) neither the Armory paper backup nor the Export Keys does not contain the private key (only the Root key is shown)


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-12-06. Score: 1

You will need to import the paper backup if you wish to spend from it. Click "import" in the upper right of the window and type in the contents of your paper wallet's `root key` and `chain code` (if it has one). You'll have to wait for Armory to rescan if you're not at the lastest beta version.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: seems to me that if compared to getting a new regular wallet address every time it's used, watch-only wallets add an extra layer of inconvenience with no extra safety.  
> **username_0**: Do both the root key and the chain code look the same (about a dozen four letter words each)?  
> **username_2**: The intention of Armory is that you have a completely separate computer that never touches the internet containing the non-watchonly wallet, and you ferry transactions between the two using a USB drive. It's extremely high security if done properly, but incredibly inconvenient.  
> **username_2**: Yes, the `root key` and `chain code` are two lines of 4 character keys. Armory will try and correct any typos you make, but try to have them as correct as possible, and verify that the wallet ID matches that of your paper backup.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-06-06. Score: 0

I had to use this option right now, because I couldn't handle my armory wallet. With my blockchain.info wallet, in order to send BTCs from my 'watch only' armory wallet to my blockchain.info wallet I had to use as private key the string for the PrivBase58 without spaces instead the PrivHexBE. Hope that helps
BR P


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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-10-16. Score: -1

worked for me in Armory 0.93.3 on a Mac:

Backup this wallet >

See other backup options >

Export Key Lists

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: While this sounds like a valid answer, it would be helpful if you clarified whether this worked for watch-only addresses and added a little more explanation in general.  
> **username_4**: I was using a regular address, not watch-only  

---

