Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Development & Technical Discussion => Topic started by: timk225 on August 13, 2016, 12:57:02 PM



Title: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: timk225 on August 13, 2016, 12:57:02 PM
I have the Bitcoin Core 11.2 wallet.  Recently, I made a few small transactions, sending and receiving BTC.  Now I have a list of these transactions on my wallets' page when it is open.  I want to delete this list of transactions.

How do I do this?


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: timk225 on August 13, 2016, 12:59:43 PM
So that list is there forever, and it cannot be gotten rid of unless I download a whole new wallet copy?

If that is the case I will have to be careful of what I type in there for comments.


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: achow101 on August 13, 2016, 01:49:09 PM
So that list is there forever, and it cannot be gotten rid of unless I download a whole new wallet copy?
The list is there forever because it is a list of all of your transactions. Without it, you wouldn't be able to send any Bitcoin because the software wouldn't know what it can spend from.

If that is the case I will have to be careful of what I type in there for comments.
You can change those. Just go to the transactions tab and right click on a transaction. Then choose the option for "Edit label".


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: timk225 on August 13, 2016, 02:13:23 PM
Ah, ok.  Good, thanks.   :)


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: DannyHamilton on August 13, 2016, 03:21:47 PM
So that list is there forever, and it cannot be gotten rid of unless I download a whole new wallet copy?

If that is the case I will have to be careful of what I type in there for comments.

If you're very careful, and you don't care about keeping any bitcoin addresses that you currently have in your wallet, there is a way to remove all transactions from your wallet without re-downloading anything.

  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_1).
  • Be very careful to store backup_1 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Delete the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Bitcoin Core will generate a new wallet.dat with new bitcoin addresses and no transactions at all
  • In the "Receive" tab, choose "Request payment" to get a bitcoin address from this wallet.
  • Save this bitcoin address somewhere that you won't lose it.
  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_2).
  • Be very careful to store backup_2 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_1
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • You will see all your old addresses and transactions again.
  • Create a new transaction sending your entire balance to the address that you created and saved earlier in these instructions (be sure to include a good transaction fee)
  • Wait until the transaction has 1 confirmation
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_2
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Wait for it to establish peers and synchronize
  • You will have a wallet that has only 1 transaction received (and none sent) and your wallet will have the entire balance that you sent from backup_1 in that transaction.

Note:  If you make a mistake and accidentally lose, delete, or overwrite your copy of backup_1 or backup_2 at the wrong time, it will be possible to PERMANENTLY lose access to ALL bitcoins that you had.  Nobody will be able to help you recover those bitcoins.  They will be gone forever.  If you choose to follow these instructions, please be VERY CAREFUL.

I disclaim all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or implied, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or otherwise, or incidental or consequential loss or damage) arising out of or in connection with any use or reliance on the information or advice in this post. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material in this post, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this post, I disclaim all liability for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the information contained in this post or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: btcdevil on August 13, 2016, 03:36:10 PM
So that list is there forever, and it cannot be gotten rid of unless I download a whole new wallet copy?

If that is the case I will have to be careful of what I type in there for comments.

If you're very careful, and you don't care about keeping any bitcoin addresses that you currently have in your wallet, there is a way to remove all transactions from your wallet without re-downloading anything.

  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_1).
  • Be very careful to store backup_1 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Delete the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Bitcoin Core will generate a new wallet.dat with new bitcoin addresses and no transactions at all
  • In the "Receive" tab, choose "Request payment" to get a bitcoin address from this wallet.
  • Save this bitcoin address somewhere that you won't lose it.
  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_2).
  • Be very careful to store backup_2 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_1
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • You will see all your old addresses and transactions again.
  • Create a new transaction sending your entire balance to the address that you created and saved earlier in these instructions (be sure to include a good transaction fee)
  • Wait until the transaction has 1 confirmation
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_2
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Wait for it to establish peers and synchronize
  • You will have a wallet that has only 1 transaction received (and none sent) and your wallet will have the entire balance that you sent from backup_1 in that transaction.

Note:  If you make a mistake and accidentally lose, delete, or overwrite your copy of backup_1 or backup_2 at the wrong time, it will be possible to PERMANENTLY lose access to ALL bitcoins that you had.  Nobody will be able to help you recover those bitcoins.  They will be gone forever.  If you choose to follow these instructions, please be VERY CAREFUL.

I disclaim all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or implied, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or otherwise, or incidental or consequential loss or damage) arising out of or in connection with any use or reliance on the information or advice in this post. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material in this post, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this post, I disclaim all liability for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the information contained in this post or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information


I think the way you have told if anyone is following then 90% surely they will mix-up everything and their will be lot of problem with the wallet. because what you told to do is very hard to memarise so it is better that leave the wallet same as their is no chance of deleting the transactions from the wallet.

This transactions are the records of how much time a address is been using and how old is it.


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: DannyHamilton on August 13, 2016, 03:41:34 PM
- snip -
what you told to do is very hard to memarise
- snip -

Where did I ask anyone to memarise (or memorize) anythihng?  If you have a printer, you can print out the instructions and follow them carefully.  If you don't have a printer, then carefully copy them with a writing implement.

Please take you signature ad campaign crap posts elsewhere.


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: UdjinM6 on August 14, 2016, 04:38:39 AM
So that list is there forever, and it cannot be gotten rid of unless I download a whole new wallet copy?

If that is the case I will have to be careful of what I type in there for comments.

If you're very careful, and you don't care about keeping any bitcoin addresses that you currently have in your wallet, there is a way to remove all transactions from your wallet without re-downloading anything.

  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_1).
  • Be very careful to store backup_1 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Delete the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Bitcoin Core will generate a new wallet.dat with new bitcoin addresses and no transactions at all
  • In the "Receive" tab, choose "Request payment" to get a bitcoin address from this wallet.
  • Save this bitcoin address somewhere that you won't lose it.
  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_2).
  • Be very careful to store backup_2 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_1
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • You will see all your old addresses and transactions again.
  • Create a new transaction sending your entire balance to the address that you created and saved earlier in these instructions (be sure to include a good transaction fee)
  • Wait until the transaction has 1 confirmation
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_2
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Wait for it to establish peers and synchronize
  • You will have a wallet that has only 1 transaction received (and none sent) and your wallet will have the entire balance that you sent from backup_1 in that transaction.

Note:  If you make a mistake and accidentally lose, delete, or overwrite your copy of backup_1 or backup_2 at the wrong time, it will be possible to PERMANENTLY lose access to ALL bitcoins that you had.  Nobody will be able to help you recover those bitcoins.  They will be gone forever.  If you choose to follow these instructions, please be VERY CAREFUL.

I disclaim all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or implied, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or otherwise, or incidental or consequential loss or damage) arising out of or in connection with any use or reliance on the information or advice in this post. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material in this post, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this post, I disclaim all liability for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the information contained in this post or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information


Could optimize few steps using a bit safer option "-wallet=somefile.dat" imo e.g. start with "-wallet=wallet_new.dat", create new address addr1, start as usual, send funds to addr1, start with "-wallet=wallet_new.dat" again and make sure funds arrived (and confirmed, optionally). Rename wallet.dat to wallet_old.dat, rename wallet_new.dat to wallet.dat, start as usual and confirm funds are there.


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: moses1980 on August 14, 2016, 12:20:53 PM
So that list is there forever, and it cannot be gotten rid of unless I download a whole new wallet copy?

If that is the case I will have to be careful of what I type in there for comments.

If you're very careful, and you don't care about keeping any bitcoin addresses that you currently have in your wallet, there is a way to remove all transactions from your wallet without re-downloading anything.

  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_1).
  • Be very careful to store backup_1 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Delete the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Bitcoin Core will generate a new wallet.dat with new bitcoin addresses and no transactions at all
  • In the "Receive" tab, choose "Request payment" to get a bitcoin address from this wallet.
  • Save this bitcoin address somewhere that you won't lose it.
  • Create a backup of your wallet (let's call that backup_2).
  • Be very careful to store backup_2 somewhere that you won't accidentally erase, lose, or overwrite it.
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_1
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • You will see all your old addresses and transactions again.
  • Create a new transaction sending your entire balance to the address that you created and saved earlier in these instructions (be sure to include a good transaction fee)
  • Wait until the transaction has 1 confirmation
  • Shut down Bitcoin Core
  • Replace the wallet.dat that is in the bitcoin data directory with a copy of backup_2
  • Start Bitcoin Core back up
  • Wait for it to establish peers and synchronize
  • You will have a wallet that has only 1 transaction received (and none sent) and your wallet will have the entire balance that you sent from backup_1 in that transaction.

Note:  If you make a mistake and accidentally lose, delete, or overwrite your copy of backup_1 or backup_2 at the wrong time, it will be possible to PERMANENTLY lose access to ALL bitcoins that you had.  Nobody will be able to help you recover those bitcoins.  They will be gone forever.  If you choose to follow these instructions, please be VERY CAREFUL.

I disclaim all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or implied, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or otherwise, or incidental or consequential loss or damage) arising out of or in connection with any use or reliance on the information or advice in this post. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material in this post, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this post, I disclaim all liability for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the information contained in this post or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information

this is a good way, I will follow it to dele my unwanted trans!thank you!


Title: Re: How do I hide or delete old transactions in my wallet?
Post by: Shiroslullaby on August 14, 2016, 01:51:22 PM
I'm not really sure why you would need to delete transactions, but this is a good guide.
Definitely store the backup of the wallet on a location that you know is safe like an external USB drive.
Still a lot of work and a small possibility of something going wrong to hide transactions on an address that you are probably the only one who has access to.