If you have an old phone lying around, you might be wondering what to do with it. Instead of throwing it away or selling it for a low price, why not turn it into a hardware wallet for your crypto assets? A hardware wallet is a device that stores your private keys offline, making it more secure than a software wallet that runs on your computer or phone. Hardware wallets are usually expensive and hard to find, but with Polkadot Vault, you can create your own hardware wallet using your old phone.
Polkadot Vault is an app that allows you to turn any Android phone into a hardware wallet for Polkadot and other Substrate-based blockchains. It works by creating a secure enclave on your phone that isolates your private keys from the rest of the system. You can then use Polkadot Vault to sign transactions from another device using QR codes. This way, you can keep your old phone offline and use it only when you need to make a transaction.
In this blog post, We will guide you on how to set up the Polkadot Vault on your old phone and use it to manage your Polkadot account:
Step 1: Download and install Polkadot Vault on your old phone
The first step is to download and install Polkadot Vault on your old phone. You can find the app on Google Play Store, iOS App store or download the APK file from GitHub. Once you have the app, open it and grant the necessary permissions.
Step 2: Create or import a Polkadot account on your old phone
The next step is to create or import a Polkadot account on your old phone. You can either generate a new account using the app or import an existing account using your seed phrase. If you choose to create a new account, make sure you write down your seed phrase and store it in a safe place. You will need it to restore your account in case you lose or damage your phone.
Step 3: Pair your old phone with Polkadot.js
The third step is to pair your old phone with Polkadot.js, which is a web interface for interacting with Polkadot and other Substrate-based blockchains. You can access Polkadot.js from any browser on your computer. Once you open the Polkadot.js extension on your browser, click on the “+” icon on the right top corner > and select “Attach External QR Signer Account”. This should open the webcam on your computer. Then open the Polkadot account on your Polkadot Vault App on your Old Phone.
Scan the QR code displayed on your Mobile phone using your computer camera and you should see the account reflecting on Polkadot.js. You can also do the same using the polkadot.js website. Simply go to > Accounts > Add account using QR Code. This will pair your old phone with Polkadot.js and allow you to use it as a hardware wallet.
Congratulations! You have successfully turned your old phone into a hardware wallet using Polkadot Vault. You can now use it to manage your Polkadot account and sign transactions from any device using QR codes. To do this, simply go to any page on Polkadot.js that requires signing, such as Transfer or Staking, and click “Sign and Submit”. You will see another QR code on your computer screen that you need to scan with your old phone. Then confirm the transaction details on both devices and click “Sign”. Your transaction will be broadcasted to the network.
That’s it! You have learned how to turn your old phone into a hardware wallet using Polkadot Vault. I hope you found this blog post useful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below or contact us on Twitter @blockbuzztermag