Update Bitcoin Core

[SamuelDL]

How do i install bitcoin core update without losing my bitcoins ?

[1714938883]

1714938883

[1714938883]

1714938883

[1714938883]

1714938883

[jackg]

Just back up your wallet.dat - preferably encrypted and on a different drive - and the install the new update and you'll be fine (although you should try to backup your wallet file before you send funds to it).

[SamuelDL]

Just back up your wallet.dat - preferably encrypted and on a different drive - and the install the new update and you'll be fine (although you should try to backup your wallet file before you send funds to it).

I have a descriptor wallet, so this is the same way or does something different ?

[RickDeckard]

Just back up your wallet.dat - preferably encrypted and on a different drive - and the install the new update and you'll be fine (although you should try to backup your wallet file before you send funds to it).

I have a descriptor wallet, so this is the same way or does something different ?

No, descriptor wallet isn't the file that jackg mentioned. The file mentioned - wallet.dat - contains, amongst other information, the necessary information that allows you to control your coins. Assuming you haven't changed the directory, you can find that file in different paths, depending on the OS you're using. Please see this[1] website that shows you how you can reach the wallet.dat. Make sure that you don't keep that file in services such as Dropbox - these are online services of which we never know what kind of information they gather from their users. An untampered USB flash drive is an option that should be on your radar if you intend to hold it until your update is done (there are other alternatives of course).
[1]https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Data_directory

[nc50lc]

I have a descriptor wallet, so this is the same way or does something different ?

No, descriptor wallet isn't the file that jackg mentioned. The file mentioned - wallet.dat - -snip-

"Descriptor Wallet" is just the new wallet type consisting of 'output descriptors' instead of private keys (aside from the master key),
it's still named 'wallet.dat'.

@SamuelDL  If you set a name for that descriptor wallet and it was created by the later version, the wallet.dat should be in the folder with the same name as that descriptor wallet.
Alternatively, in QT, just use "File->Backup Wallet" while that wallet is selected in the drop-down menu (if multiple wallets are open).

[HCP]

How do i install bitcoin core update without losing my bitcoins ?

Like 99,999 times out of 100,000... simply installing the new version of Bitcoin Core over the top of the previous version will work without causing any issues. But it can depend on your setup and which Operating System you are using... you haven't specified, so it's difficult to be 100% sure. I know with my Windows 10 setup, I just shutdown Bitcoin Core, then run the new installer.exe and then start Bitcoin Core and it all "just works" to update the node without affecting anything.


If you're at all worried, then I would definitely recommend using the "File -> Backup wallet" option... or manually backing up the wallet.dat as recommended by the users above.

[nc50lc]

-snip- or manually backing up the wallet.dat as recommended by the users above.

One important note when backing up using that method:
Make sure Bitcoin Core isn't running when copying the wallet.dat file because you might backup a corrupted copy (by a low chance).

[BitMaxz]

One important note when backing up using that method:
Make sure Bitcoin Core isn't running when copying the wallet.dat file because you might backup a corrupted copy (by a low chance).

Actually, not a low chance it's 50/50 I have experienced before that most of my wallet.dat file is corrupted original file is around 3kb but the copied file is 1kb or 0kb even the Core wallet is not running there is still a high chance that copied wallet.dat can be corrupted.

The best way I think is to move the original wallet.dat and only put the copy of wallet.dat into the bitcoin core wallet folder. So that if the copied file is corrupted you can replace it with a new copy from the original file.

[NotATether]

Actually, not a low chance it's 50/50 I have experienced before that most of my wallet.dat file is corrupted original file is around 3kb but the copied file is 1kb or 0kb even the Core wallet is not running there is still a high chance that copied wallet.dat can be corrupted.  

Bitcoin Core will only write to the wallet file when there is a transactional write into the Berkeley DB file.

For the most part, this means whenever a rescan (i.e. when you first start Core or open a wallet) is being run or when you are sending (or receiving) a transaction, it is risky to copy the wallet file because it might be in an inconsistent state.

But if Core is using write locks on the wallet file then it would prevent the file from being copied while in such a state in the first place. Maybe achow can clarify if Core write-locks the wallet files.

There is certainly no risk of loss of funds when updating core (as long as you downloaded an authentic version), because the wallet folder, along with the rest of the user data, is separated from the program installation folder (even on Windows and Mac).

[achow101]

Instead of copying the wallet.dat file, use File > Backup Wallet. It will guarantee the wallet is in a consistent state.

If you are using the RPC, you can use the backupwallet RPC.

Actually, not a low chance it's 50/50 I have experienced before that most of my wallet.dat file is corrupted original file is around 3kb but the copied file is 1kb or 0kb even the Core wallet is not running there is still a high chance that copied wallet.dat can be corrupted.

This is likely because BDB doesn't actually write everything to the wallet.dat file when a write completes. It instead writes it to a log file, which is later compacted into the wallet.dat file periodically. If you copy a wallet.dat file while it is in use, it is likely that you are simply missing the log files and so missing data.

For the most part, this means whenever a rescan (i.e. when you first start Core or open a wallet) is being run or when you are sending (or receiving) a transaction, it is risky to copy the wallet file because it might be in an inconsistent state.

It is always risky to copy because it writes to a log rather than to the data file.

But if Core is using write locks on the wallet file then it would prevent the file from being copied while in such a state in the first place. Maybe achow can clarify if Core write-locks the wallet files.

The wallet.dat file is not directly locked. IIRC there were problems with doing that.


If OP is using a descriptor wallet, then the database is actually a SQLite database and not BDB. There are thus much better guarantees of consistency. SQLite uses a rollback journal instead of a log, so data is only not in the data file for a short period of time (whereas in BDB it can live in the log for a very long time). Even so, if you were to copy the wallet.dat file in the middle of a write, there would still be consistency problems. Again, the best way to backup your wallet is to use the built in backup functionality as it guarantees the database is consistent before making the backup.

[SamuelDL]

How do i install bitcoin core update without losing my bitcoins ?

Like 99,999 times out of 100,000... simply installing the new version of Bitcoin Core over the top of the previous version will work without causing any issues. But it can depend on your setup and which Operating System you are using... you haven't specified, so it's difficult to be 100% sure. I know with my Windows 10 setup, I just shutdown Bitcoin Core, then run the new installer.exe and then start Bitcoin Core and it all "just works" to update the node without affecting anything.


If you're at all worried, then I would definitely recommend using the "File -> Backup wallet" option... or manually backing up the wallet.dat as recommended by the users above.

I have Windows 11, that's okay ?

[DireWolfM14]

I have Windows 11, that's okay ?

Updating Bitcoin Core on Windows (any version, including Win11) is super easy.  Like others have suggested you should back up your wallet first, just as a safety precaution.

1. Open bitcoin core and backup your wallet.
2. Shutdown bitcoin core; File > Exit
3. Download the latest version and verify authenticity.
4. Locate the .exe file (probably in your "Downloads" directory, unless you saved it elsewhere.)
5. Double click on the executable installation (.exe) file.

That's it.  Super simple.  If you try to update with your current version of core running you'll get a warning that the installation cannot continue. 

If everything goes well, bitcoin core will start with the new version.  All your configurations will be will remain as they were with the older version, and the your wallet will be imported as well. 

[SamuelDL]

I have Windows 11, that's okay ?

Updating Bitcoin Core on Windows (any version, including Win11) is super easy.  Like others have suggested you should back up your wallet first, just as a safety precaution.

1. Open bitcoin core and backup your wallet.
2. Shutdown bitcoin core; File > Exit
3. Download the latest version and verify authenticity.
4. Locate the .exe file (probably in your "Downloads" directory, unless you saved it elsewhere.)
5. Double click on the executable installation (.exe) file.

That's it.  Super simple.  If you try to update with your current version of core running you'll get a warning that the installation cannot continue. 

If everything goes well, bitcoin core will start with the new version.  All your configurations will be will remain as they were with the older version, and the your wallet will be imported as well. 

Thank you all of us, i have make it and always be fine and also, i have now bitcoin core in french language which that was not happen when i have download the previous version, so everything is good.

[OAH.Family]

Simply making sure that the previous bitcoin core is gracefully shutdown, before installing the new version is all that's required to update.

However backing up wallet.dat is always recommended, regardless of what version of core you are running.