Understanding the limitation of Electrum’s creatnewaddress() function

Electrum, a popular Bitcoin wallet software, provides a command-line interface (creatnewaddress()) to create new Bitcoin addresses. However, a common problem reported by users is that this function only returns legacy Bitcoin addresses (aka “hex” addresses), instead of Bech32 addresses.

In this article, we will dive deeper into the reasons behind Electrum’s behavior and explore ways to create Bech32 addresses using its creatnewaddress() function.

The problem: legacy addresses

When you run creatnewaddress() with no arguments or with a --private argument (default is -1), it generates a new Bitcoin address in legacy format. This means the output looks like this:

0x... (insert your public key)

As you can see, there is no indication that this address is in Bech32 format.

Why legacy addresses?

It appears that Electrum’s creatnewaddress() implementation relies on a specific algorithm to generate addresses. The exact reason for this behavior is not publicly known, but it is possible that the wallet uses an older version of its code or has hard-coded preferences.

The Bech32 encoding scheme is designed to be backwards compatible with legacy Bitcoin addresses. However, it is possible that Electrum has not been updated to support the Bech32 format in the same way, resulting in only legacy addresses being generated.

Creating Bech32 Addresses

To create Bech32 addresses using creatnewaddress(), you will need to provide a specific output string that follows the Bech32 encoding scheme. Here’s an example:

0.1.2.3... (insert your public key)

You can also use the following format:

1234567890abcdef... (insert your private key)

However, please note that these formats are specific and will not work with all Bitcoin wallets or software.

Workarounds

If you need to create Bech32 addresses regularly, consider using Electrum’s newaddress() command. This function supports Bech32 encoding by default:

0.1.2.3... (insert your public key)

Also, if you are using a Linux distribution or other platform that uses creatnewaddress(), you can try adjusting the output format to match the Bech32 scheme:

--private= --output=bech32:

Conclusion

In conclusion, Electrum’s creatnewaddress() function may not support generating Bech32 addresses by default. However, you can create these addresses manually using specific formats or the newaddress() command.

To avoid potential issues with your Bitcoin wallet or software, it is recommended to use the standard newaddress() commands or use a different wallet that supports Bech32 encoding.

Additional Tips

• Always check the output of creatnewaddress() before saving or storing it as a private key.

• Be careful when using user input for public and private keys, as they must be kept secure and not exposed to unauthorized parties.

• Consider creating separate folders or directories for your Bitcoin addresses to keep them organized.

By understanding the limitations of Electrum’s creatnewaddress() function and exploring alternative solutions, you can ensure that your Bitcoin wallet uses Bech32 encoding whenever possible.