In Electrum you get a receive address on the Receive tab: type an optional amount and description, press Create request, and Electrum assigns the next unused address of your wallet to that request and shows it with a QR code. Each request uses a fresh address. Electrum watches a window of addresses ahead of the last used one โ the gap limit, 20 by default โ and that window is what decides whether a payment shows up in your balance after a restore.
Requests, addresses and the Addresses tab
A request in Electrum is a convenience wrapper: address + amount + label + expiry. The address itself is permanent; if the request expires, coins sent to the address still arrive and count. To see every address, enable View โ Show Addresses. The tab lists receiving and change addresses with their balance and number of transactions; unused addresses are those with zero transactions.
- Open the Receive tab.
- Enter a description (it becomes the label in your history) and, if you want, an amount and an expiry.
- Press Create request. Electrum shows the address, a
bitcoin:URI with the amount and a QR code. - Copy the address (or the URI if the sender's wallet supports BIP21) and send it to the payer.
- Paid requests turn to "paid" once the transaction is seen; the balance becomes confirmed after the first block.
What the gap limit protects
An HD wallet can derive billions of addresses from one seed. When you restore it, the software cannot check them all, so it scans in order and stops after a run of empty ones. BIP44 suggests a gap of 20; Electrum uses 20 for receiving addresses. If you create 30 requests that nobody pays and then receive coins at the 30th address, a fresh restore with default settings stops at around address 20 and does not see the payment. The coins are safe on-chain, but invisible until you scan further.
Electrum warns when a new request would go beyond the gap limit and offers to reuse an existing unused address instead. Accepting that is fine โ reusing an address you never shared with anyone has no privacy cost.
Raising the gap limit
If you run a shop or hand out many addresses, you can raise the limit. Open View โ Show Console and run wallet.change_gap_limit(100) (any number above the default). The setting is stored in the wallet file, not in the seed: remember to set it again if you ever restore from the seed, or note it next to your backup. Higher limits make syncing slightly slower because more addresses are watched.
Electrum seed is not a BIP39 phrase
By default Electrum generates its own seed format with a built-in version number that says which address type the wallet uses. It looks like 12 English words, but it is not a BIP39 mnemonic, and many wallets cannot restore it. Electrum can restore BIP39 phrases from other wallets (choose Options โ BIP39 seed during restore), but not the other way round in general. Write "Electrum seed, native SegWit" next to the words in your backup so you or your heirs know which software to use.
| Item | Example | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Seed type | Electrum seed (segwit) | Tells you which software can restore it |
| Passphrase used? | yes / no (not the passphrase itself) | A seed extension changes every address |
| Gap limit | 20 or your custom value | Not stored in the seed |
| First receive address | bc1qโฆ (first 8 and last 8 characters) | Lets you confirm a restore found the right wallet |
Address types and fees
New Electrum wallets use native SegWit (bc1qโฆ). Spending from those addresses costs less than from legacy ones because each input is smaller โ about 68 vB instead of 148 vB. If you expect many small incoming payments, the Bitcoin fee calculator shows what consolidating them will cost later, and the dust limit calculator tells you below which value an output is not worth spending at a given fee rate.
Download and server hygiene
Electrum has been impersonated many times โ fake downloads and malicious servers that push "update" pop-ups. Download only from electrum.org, verify the GPG signature or at least the SHA-256 hash of the file (the checksum verifier computes it locally), and never install an "update" offered by a message inside the wallet. Electrum connects to public servers that learn your addresses; for privacy, connect it to your own Electrum server or node.
Using Electrum for a swap payout
For a BTC payout from KOT.CASH, create a request with a description like "swap payout", copy the address and paste it into the order form. The payout is one transaction; Electrum shows it as unconfirmed in seconds and confirmed after the next block.
FAQ
Why does Electrum warn that the address is beyond the gap limit?
You have about 20 unused addresses already. A restored wallet might not scan that far. Reuse an unused address or raise the gap limit.
How do I raise the gap limit in Electrum?
Open the console (View โ Show Console) and run wallet.change_gap_limit(100). The setting is stored in the wallet file, not in the seed.
Can I restore an Electrum seed in Trust Wallet or Ledger?
Usually not: Electrum seeds are not BIP39. Restore them in Electrum or in software that explicitly supports Electrum seeds.
What happens if a request expires?
Only the request expires. The address keeps working and any coins sent to it arrive in your wallet.
Does Electrum need a memo for BTC?
No. Bitcoin does not use memos; the address alone identifies the payment.