In Rabby Wallet, you can add any public address as a "watch-only" address to monitor its wallet activity or track its portfolio.
What is a watch-only address
A watch-only address is added using only its public address (the string starting with 0x...). Because you haven't provided the "key" to that address, Rabby can show you the balance and transaction history, but it cannot authorize any outgoing actions.
Why can’t I sign with a watch-only address?
To sign a transaction or move funds, a wallet needs a Private Key or Seed Phrase. These act as your digital signature.
If you imported a wallet using only its public address, Rabby does not have the "authority" to sign for it.
To gain full control and make transactions, you must verify ownership by importing the wallet’s Seed Phrase or Private Key.
How do I transfer funds out of a “watch-only” address?
Even though you can see the balance in Rabby, you cannot move those funds unless you are the actual owner. Ownership is strictly verified through the Seed Phrase or Private Key. Without these, the funds are not accessible to you through the Rabby interface (or any other wallet).
Rabby displays watch-only addresses purely for tracking, not for asset management.
What happens if I transfer funds to a “watch-only” address?
If you are currently viewing a "watch-only" address, Rabby will show a warning if you attempt to use it to receive assets, reminding you that you don't have full control.
If you have already transferred funds to a watch-only address, your next steps depend on your access:
If you own the address: Locate your Seed Phrase or Private Key and import it into Rabby. Once imported as a full account, you will have total control over the funds.
If you do NOT own the address: You must contact the actual owner of that address or the platform it belongs to (if it's an exchange deposit address). Only they can initiate a new transaction to return the funds to you.
Note: Rabby Wallet is self-custodial and does not have access to any funds. Because watch-only addresses are added manually by the user, Rabby cannot identify who an address belongs to or assist in recovering funds sent to it.