Sentinel Watch Only Guide: Setup Steps Explained.

Okay, so you're that guy with wallets on your hardware signer, maybe a few multisigs scattered across apps and cold storage. But checking balances? It's a pain-logging into exchanges, flipping through block explorers, worrying about privacy. That's where Sentinel Watch Only saves the day. I remember my first time: imported my XPUB from a Trezor, hooked it to my Dojo node, and boom-live balances, transaction history, all private over Tor. No keys on your phone, just watching. Perfect for mobile paranoia. Sound familiar? Let's get you set up, step by step, like I'm walking you through it over beer.

The thing is, Sentinel's from Samourai Wallet folks-super privacy focused. It's free, Android only for now, and works with Bitcoin mainnet, testnet, whatever. You'll need an Android phone, obviously. And honestly, a Dojo node makes it shine, but it's optional. Why bother? Full node means no trusting third parties for your balance info. Gas? Nah, Bitcoin doesn't have that-fees are on chain when you actually spend, like ~0.000005 BTC sometimes, but we're watch only here, so zero cost to watch.

Grab the App and Fire It Up

1. Head to sentinel.watch on your phone-use a browser like Orbot if you're extra careful. Download the APK direct. Don't trust app stores; sideloading's safer.
2. Enable "Install unknown apps" in Android settings for your browser. Install it. Boom, done.
3. Open Sentinel. Pick your network-mainnet unless you're testing. Testnet's for play money.

Now you're at the welcome screen. It spells it out: "Watch only wallet for Bitcoin." Skim it, hit continue. Home screen loads-empty, but ready. In my experience, this is where newbies freak out. "Where's my stuff?" Patience, friend.

Two Must Dos Before Importing Anything

These aren't optional if you care about privacy. Skip 'em and you're phoning home to random servers. Why does this matter? Block explorers leak your addresses.

• Tap the network icon top right. Toggle Tor routing. Watch it connect-takes 10-20 seconds. Green means good.
• Next, enable Dojo if you've got one (highly recommend). Tap the Dojo icon, pick "Connect to existing Dojo." Scan your node's QR code. No Dojo? It'll fall back to public servers, but that's lame.

If Tor fails? Check your internet. Firewall blocking? Common on corporate WiFi. Restart app. Still busted? Dojo light mode works without full node.

Importing Your Watch Only Wallets: The Fun Part

Alright, core stuff. Sentinel handles single addresses, XPUBs (for HD wallets), even xpubs from multisigs. I usually start with my main XPUB-covers unlimited addresses.

1. Hit the blue + bottom right. Choose "Import account."
2. Paste XPUB or address. XPUB example: zpub6rosq.. (starts with z for mainnet). Single address? Like bc1q...
3. Name it-"Cold Storage" or whatever. Hit import.
4. Wait for sync. Tor slows it first time-grab coffee, like 1-2 minutes per account.

Multiple accounts? Repeat. Dropdown top lets you switch. Combined view shows total balance across all. Pretty much magic.

Wallet Type	What to Import	Example	Pro Tip
Single Address	bc1q address	bc1qxy2kgdygjrsqtzq2n0yrf2493p83kkfjhx0wlh	Good for legacy UTXOs
HD Wallet (SegWit)	zpub XPUB	zpub6r..	Watch thousands of addrs auto
Multisig XPUB	Your cosigner's XPUB	zpub6r.. (path m/48'/0'/0'/2')	Specify derivation path if needed

Potential issue: Invalid XPUB error? Double check copy paste. Wrong network? zpub is mainnet, vpub testnet. Multisig paths tricky-use Electrum or Sparrow to export correct XPUB with path.

Day to Day: Checking Balances and Transactions

Once imported, home screen shows balance, tx list. Tap account for details-UTXOs, history. Swipe to refresh. Super smooth.

Receiving funds? Blue + again, "Deposit." Pick account, get QR/address. Share it safe-QR best. Funds hit? Watch 'em appear live. No confirmations needed beyond Bitcoin's.

But wait, labels? Tap tx, add note like "Boss payment." Sticks to that address. I label everything-makes tax time less hell.

Dojo Deep Dive: Why It's Worth the Hassle

Dojo's Samourai's full node. Runs on your server or Umbrel/Raspiblitz. Pairs via QR-scan once, remembers.

In my setup, Dojo indexes my wallets privately. No data leaves your network. Public mode? Trusts blockstream.info or similar-okay for casual, but meh.

1. Install Dojo (separate guide, but Umbrel's one click).
2. Generate pairing QR in Dojo dashboard.
3. Sentinel: Dojo settings > Connect existing > Scan.
4. Done. Syncs faster too.

Issue: Connection drops? Check Dojo's running, ports open (Tor hidden service best). Firewall? Poke 9735 or whatever Dojo uses.

Tips, Tricks, and Gotchas I Learned the Hard Way

• Backup your imports. Export feature under account settings-saves XPUB list as text. No seeds, since watch only.
• Switch networks? Long press network icon. Careful-don't mix main/test.
• Big balances slow sync? Normal first time. Subsequent? Seconds.
• Battery drain? Tor sips power-close other apps.
• Android 14 issues? Update app from site; dev's quick on fixes.
• Multisig watching: Import all cosigners' XPUBs separately, or use descriptor if advanced.

Honestly, the app's lightweight-under 10MB. No ads, no tracking if Torred up.

Advanced: Labels, Exports, and Power Moves

Want CSV for taxes? Account menu > Export transactions. Filters by date, confirmed/unconfirmed. Clean format.

Labels sync? No cloud-local only. Multiple phones? Manual re import.

Privacy max: Always Tor + Dojo. Avoid WiFi without VPN. Phone fingerprint? GrapheneOS if hardcore.

What's next for gaps? Gap limit-Sentinel watches 20 unused addresses by default. More funds? Rescan or increase in settings. Rare issue.

Troubleshooting Table for Common Messes

Problem	Why?	Fix
Balances zero forever	No sync	Toggle Tor, check Dojo, wait 5 min
Import fails	Bad format	Validate XPUB on iancoleman.io
Tor won't connect	Network block	Use mobile data or Orbot app
Dojo QR invalid	Version mismatch	Update both apps
App crashes on import	Low RAM	Close apps, restart phone

Living with It: My Weekly Routine

Sunday mornings, I open Sentinel. Switch accounts-savings, spending, lightning bridges. All green? Good week. See incoming? Label it. Takes 30 seconds.

Traveling? Deposits to fresh addresses-Sentinel generates 'em endless from XPUB. No risk.

Upgraded phone? Export all, reinstall, import. Zero downtime.

The killer feature? UTXO view. See exact outputs, amounts. Plan coin control without full node on phone.

Scaling Up: Multiple Phones, Family Wallets

Share watch only with spouse? Export XPUB text, they import. Same view, no spend power.

Business? Separate accounts per client. Combined total for quick checks.

Edge case: Liquid sidechain? Nah, Sentinel's Bitcoin only. Use something else.

In my experience, after a week, you forget life without it. Checking via app > clunky explorers any day.

One more: Updates. Check site monthly-bug fixes, features like better multisig. Auto? Nah, manual APK.

Potential Pitfalls and How I Dodge 'Em

Lost phone? No sweat-watch only. Just reinstall.

Government grabs phone? Tor traffic looks random, no keys. But lockscreen PIN mandatory.

Sync lags during mempool spikes? Happens-wait or force rescan.

Fees irrelevant here, but for context: Watching costs zilch. Spending? From hot wallet elsewhere, ~1-5 sat/vB.

That's it. You're running Sentinel watch only like a pro. Hit a snag? Common stuff above covers 99%. Go make those deposits watchable.