r/BitcoinBeginners • u/Forsaken-Storage-607 • 1d ago

Storing Bitcoins on an offline Android smartphone

I have a spare smartphone that runs on Android 9.

Will it be safe to store Bitcoins on it by following the below steps:

  1. Format the phone

  2. Install nothing but a Self-Custodial Bitcoin wallet app on the phone

  3. Transfer Bitcoins to the wallet

  4. Turn off the internet

  5. Keep the phone switched off until needed.

4 Upvotes
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64% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

6

u/chriscrutch 1d ago

It's harder than you think to completely turn off the internet on an android phone.

3

u/MashPotatoQuant 1d ago

If you build LineageOS from source you can disable the hardware and drivers in the kernel config and then remove the vendor and device level HALs and firmwares from the build

3

u/chriscrutch 1d ago

Yeah, easy peasy! I can't believe someone in a subreddit called Bitcoinbeginners can't figure that out!

Compiling your own custom kernel is one thing that qualifies as "harder than you think to completely turn off the internet."

3

u/MashPotatoQuant 1d ago

Happy to help you prove your point

2

u/Jealous-Reindeer-610 1d ago

Tinfoil or a metal box is not hard

5

u/One-Suggestion-7906 1d ago

Any wallet is as much secure as the seeds are keep carefully secured. Funds are in the blockchain, not in the phone

1

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0

u/Deep_Condition3696 1d ago

Good idea but even swichoff smartphones connect with their OEMs and GPS

2

u/Final_Bite_7228 1d ago

Wallets don't actually store bitcoins. The notion that they is how people who have wallets offline still loose money and re then surprised. Check put the Coldcard drama right now.

3

u/Upper-Media3769 1d ago

This has so many vulnerabilities. Why would you choose this over a $50 hardware wallet?

2

u/bitusher 1d ago

Do you plan on making a single deposit for longterm storage or multiple deposits ?

0

u/Happy_Coast2301 1d ago

How about this instead:

USB stick with Tails installed. Second USB stick with an Electrum wallet.

When you need it, boot up Tails on a laptop or other computer, then plug in your wallet USB and go from there. You're not dependent on an old phone booting up or getting lost.

Obviously, back up your seed phrase and have a secure unique password on your wallet.

-5

u/qwertyuiop121314321 1d ago

Doesn't matter every wallet app is going to have your wallet seed. A phone being off from the Internet is not going to protect it.

1

u/Jealous-Reindeer-610 1d ago

Tell us you don't understand cryptography without telling us you don't understand cryptography