Create Your First Wallet

Step-by-step guide to creating your first Bitcoin wallet in SatSigner with complete UTXO control

Overview

SatSigner supports three types of Bitcoin accounts:

Single-Signature

One key controls the Bitcoin (standard wallet)

Multi-Signature

Multiple keys required (M-of-N setup)

Watch-Only

Monitor addresses without signing capability

This guide focuses on creating a single-signature wallet - the most common setup for personal Bitcoin storage.

Before You Begin

Critical: Seed Phrase Backup

Your seed phrase (mnemonic) is the ONLY way to recover your Bitcoin if:

• You lose your phone
• Your phone is damaged
• You forget your PIN
• You need to restore on a new device

Write it down on paper and store it securely. Never store it digitally or take a photo.

What You’ll Need

• SatSigner installed and initial setup complete
• Pen and paper for seed phrase backup
• 5-10 minutes of uninterrupted time
• Secure, private location (no cameras)

Creating a Single-Signature Wallet

1. Start Account Creation

   From the main screen, tap Add Account or the + button.

   Tap the + (Add Account) button in the top right corner of the home screen.

2. Enter Account Name

   Give your wallet a descriptive name:

   Examples

   "Main Savings"
   "Daily Spending"
   "Cold Storage"
   "Hodl Stack"
   

   Choose a name that helps you identify the wallet’s purpose. You can change this later.

3. Select Account Type

   Choose Single Signature:

   Single Signature

   ✓ Single Signature - One key controls the Bitcoin

   • Simple and straightforward
   • Full control with one seed phrase
   • Recommended for most users
   • Standard Bitcoin wallet setup

   Multi Signature

   Multi Signature - Multiple keys required

   • M-of-N signature threshold
   • Enhanced security for large amounts
   • Requires coordination between devices
   • Advanced setup process

   Watch Only

   Watch Only - No signing capability

   • Monitor addresses only
   • Cannot spend Bitcoin
   • Good for tracking cold storage
   • Import via descriptor or xpub
4. Configure Script Type

   Select the Bitcoin script version:

   P2WPKH (Recommended)

   Native SegWit (P2WPKH) - Modern standard

   Address Format

   bc1q... (mainnet)
   tb1q... (testnet)
   

   Benefits:

   • Lowest transaction fees
   • Native SegWit efficiency
   • Maximum compatibility
   • Recommended for new wallets

   Best choice for most users

   P2TR (Taproot)

   Taproot (P2TR) - Latest Bitcoin upgrade

   Address Format

   bc1p... (mainnet)
   tb1p... (testnet)
   

   Benefits:

   • Enhanced privacy
   • Lower fees for complex scripts
   • Future-proof technology
   • Most efficient for multi-sig

   Excellent choice for privacy-focused users

   Legacy Options

   Other Script Types:

   • P2SH-P2WPKH: Nested SegWit (3… addresses)
   • P2PKH: Legacy format (1… addresses)
   • P2WSH: Multi-sig Native SegWit
   • P2SH: Legacy multi-sig

   Only use legacy types if required for compatibility
5. Set Mnemonic Length

   Choose seed phrase length:

   Words	Security	Use Case
   24 words	Highest (256-bit)	Recommended for all users
   21 words	High	Advanced use cases
   18 words	High	Shorter backup
   15 words	Medium	Legacy compatibility
   12 words	Medium (128-bit)	Minimum recommended

   24 words recommended - Industry standard for maximum security

6. Select Word List Language

   Choose mnemonic language (BIP39 standard):

   • English (default, most compatible)
   • Chinese Simplified
   • Chinese Traditional
   • French
   • Italian
   • Japanese
   • Korean
   • Spanish
   • Czech
   • Portuguese

   English is recommended for maximum compatibility with other wallets.

7. Configure Entropy Source

   Choose how to generate randomness:

   System RNG (Default)

   None (System RNG) - Use device’s random number generator

   Entropy

   // Cryptographically secure
   crypto.getRandomValues()
   

   • Recommended for most users
   • Uses OS-level cryptographic RNG
   • Fast and secure
   • Industry standard approach

   Coin Flips

   Coin Flips - Generate entropy with a physical coin

   • Ultra-paranoid security
   • Requires 256 coin flips (24 words)
   • Heads = 1, Tails = 0
   • Verifiable randomness

   Good for air-gapped or high-security setups

   Dice Rolls

   Dice Rolls - Generate entropy with standard dice

   • Physical entropy source
   • Requires ~99 rolls (24 words)
   • Each roll contributes 2.58 bits
   • Casino-grade dice recommended

   Popular method among Bitcoin maximalists
8. Generate or Import

   Choose to generate a new wallet or import an existing one:

   Generate New

   Generate New Seed Phrase

   Tap Generate to create a new seed phrase.

   The app will:

   1. Generate cryptographically secure entropy
   2. Create a BIP39 mnemonic
   3. Derive your master private key
   4. Display your seed phrase

   Write down your seed phrase NOW. You’ll be tested on it next.

   Import Existing

   Import Existing Seed Phrase

   Tap Import to restore from backup.

   You can import via:

   • Manual word entry
   • QR code scan
   • NFC tag read
   • Descriptor string
   • Extended public key (xpub)

   See Import Wallet for details.

9. Write Down Seed Phrase

   Your seed phrase is displayed. Write it down carefully:

   Example (DO NOT USE)

   1. abandon
   2. ability
   3. able
   4. about
   ...
   24. zoo
   

   Best Practices:

   ✓ Use Paper and Pen

   • Write on durable paper
   • Use permanent ink
   • Consider metal backup plates for long-term storage
   • Never type or store digitally

   ✓ Double Check Every Word

   • Verify spelling carefully
   • Check word order (numbers matter!)
   • Ensure legible handwriting
   • Confirm you have all 24 words

   ✓ Store Securely

   • Fireproof safe
   • Bank safety deposit box
   • Multiple geographic locations (split carefully)
   • Protected from water damage

   ✗ Never Do This

   • ✗ Take a photo
   • ✗ Store in cloud (Google Drive, iCloud, etc.)
   • ✗ Send via email or messaging
   • ✗ Store in password manager
   • ✗ Share with anyone
   • ✗ Store on any digital device
10. Verify Seed Phrase

    SatSigner will test your backup by asking you to verify specific words:

    Example Quiz

    What is word #7?
    [ ability ] [ umbrella ] [ donate ] [ merge ]
    
    What is word #18?
    [ square ] [ ecology ] [ render ] [ typical ]
    

    This ensures you wrote down the correct words in the correct order.

    If you get any wrong, you’ll be shown the seed phrase again to re-verify your backup.

11. Wallet Created!

    Your Bitcoin wallet is now ready to use.

    You’ll see:

    • Account name
    • Master fingerprint (first 4 bytes of key)
    • Receive address
    • Balance (0 sats initially)
    • UTXO chart (empty)

Understanding Your Wallet

Master Fingerprint

Your wallet’s unique identifier:

Example

Fingerprint: a1b2c3d4

• First 4 bytes (8 hex characters) of your master public key
• Used to identify your signing device
• Important for multi-sig coordination
• Safe to share (doesn’t reveal private keys)

Derivation Path

SatSigner uses BIP44/49/84/86 derivation paths:

Standard Paths

P2WPKH:  m/84'/0'/0'/0/0  (Native SegWit)
P2TR:    m/86'/0'/0'/0/0  (Taproot)
P2SH:    m/49'/0'/0'/0/0  (Nested SegWit)
P2PKH:   m/44'/0'/0'/0/0  (Legacy)

SatSigner follows Bitcoin standards for maximum compatibility with other wallets.

Receiving Your First Bitcoin

1. Get Receive Address

   Tap Receive in your wallet.

   You’ll see:

   • QR code of your address
   • Address string (bc1q…)
   • Address type indicator
2. Verify Address

   Always verify the full address before sharing:

   • Check first few characters
   • Check last few characters
   • Verify address format matches script type

   Address verification prevents sending to wrong address due to malware or clipboard hijacking.

3. Share Address

   Share via:

   • Show QR code in person
   • Copy and send address string
   • Export via NFC (if available)

   Bitcoin addresses are safe to share publicly. They only allow receiving, not spending.

4. Wait for Transaction

   Once someone sends Bitcoin to your address:

   1. Transaction appears as “Unconfirmed”
   2. After ~10 minutes, first confirmation
   3. After 6 confirmations, considered final
   4. UTXO appears in your wallet

Next Steps

Quick Start Guide

Learn common wallet operations and workflows

UTXO Management

Understand and control your UTXOs

Sending Bitcoin

Send your first Bitcoin transaction

Wallet Security

Advanced security features and best practices

Advanced Options

BIP39 Passphrase (25th Word)

Add an optional passphrase (sometimes called “25th word”) to your seed:

• Enables plausible deniability
• Creates entirely different wallet
• Must be enabled in Settings → Features → BIP39 Passphrases
• Warning: Forgetting passphrase = permanent loss of access

Only use passphrases if you fully understand the implications. Lost passphrase = lost Bitcoin.

Seed Dropping

After wallet creation, you can optionally “drop” (delete) the seed phrase from the app:

• Only extended public key remains
• Can still receive and view transactions
• Cannot sign transactions
• Reduces attack surface on device

Use case: Create wallet, drop seed, import seed only when needed to sign

Enable in Settings → Security → Seed Dropping

Custom Derivation Paths

Advanced users can specify custom derivation paths:

Examples

m/84'/0'/0'     Standard account
m/84'/0'/1'     Second account
m/48'/0'/0'/2'  Multi-sig account

Only change derivation paths if you know what you’re doing or need compatibility with specific wallets.

Multi-Signature Wallets

For enhanced security, consider multi-signature:

1. Select Multi-Signature Type

   When creating account, choose Multi Signature

2. Configure Threshold

   Set M-of-N:

   • M = signatures required
   • N = total cosigners

   Examples:

   • 2-of-3 (2 keys required, 3 total)
   • 3-of-5 (3 keys required, 5 total)
3. Add Cosigners

   Import or generate keys for each cosigner:

   • Generate on this device
   • Import from other devices
   • Scan QR codes
   • Import descriptors
4. Create Descriptor

   SatSigner creates a sortedmulti descriptor combining all cosigner keys

See Multi-Signature Guide for detailed instructions.

Watch-Only Wallets

Monitor addresses without private keys:

1. Select Watch-Only Type

   Choose Watch Only when creating account

2. Import Data

   Provide one of:

   • Output descriptor
   • Extended public key (xpub/ypub/zpub)
   • Bitcoin address
3. Monitor Only

   Wallet can:

   • ✓ View balance
   • ✓ See transactions
   • ✓ Generate receive addresses
   • ✗ Cannot sign transactions

Troubleshooting

Can't See Balance After Receiving

1. Wait for blockchain sync (can take a few minutes)
2. Check network connection
3. Verify you’re on correct network (Mainnet vs Testnet)
4. Pull down to refresh balance
5. Check transaction in a block explorer

Wrong Address Type Generated

• Verify script version matches your selection
• P2WPKH = bc1q… (Native SegWit)
• P2TR = bc1p… (Taproot)
• P2SH = 3… (Nested SegWit)
• P2PKH = 1… (Legacy)

If wrong, delete wallet and recreate with correct script type.

Lost Seed Phrase Backup

If you lost your seed phrase backup:

1. Your Bitcoin is at risk if you lose your phone
2. You should immediately:
   • View your seed phrase in app (Settings → Security)
   • Write it down properly
   • Store securely
   • Consider sending Bitcoin to a new wallet with proper backup

Security Reminders

Never Share:

• ✗ Seed phrase (mnemonic)
• ✗ Private keys
• ✗ BIP39 passphrase (if used)
• ✗ Your PIN

Safe to Share:

• ✓ Receive addresses
• ✓ Extended public keys (xpub)
• ✓ Output descriptors (public key version)
• ✓ Master fingerprint

Backup Checklist

Before receiving significant Bitcoin:

• Seed phrase written on paper
• Seed phrase verified (quiz passed)
• Paper backup stored in secure location
• Consider second backup in different location
• Never stored digitally
• Family members know where to find backup (if applicable)
• Understand recovery process

Getting Help

Documentation

Complete feature guides

GitHub Issues

Report problems

Discussions

Community support