Requirements and Warnings - Bitcoin Core (2024)

Download Bitcoin Core

Bitcoin Core 25.0

Bitcoin Core gives you increased security andprivacy at a cost. You need to takeresponsibility for the security ofyour bitcoins, meet higher minimum systemrequirements, and beware of some possibleproblems.

No matter what Bitcoin software you use, you should neverbuy more bitcoins than you can afford to lose. Bitcoin is still anexperimental system and bitcoins remain a risky investment.

Wallet Responsibility Checklist

Bitcoin Core puts you in charge of your wallet, which means yourbitcoins are at risk unless you complete certain tasks:

Make sure your
Setup an (cold storage) for significant amounts of bitcoins
Watch for security notifications
Allow your heirs to if you die or become incapacitated

If you need help with any step, please ask for assistance in any ofBitcoin’s friendly forums or live chatrooms.

System Requirements

Bare Minimum (With Default Settings)

Disk space
350 GB
Download
250 MB/day (8 GB/month)*
Upload
5 GB/day (150 GB/month)
Memory (RAM)
512 MB
System
Desktop
Laptop
Some ARM chipsets >1 GHz
Operating system
Windows 7/8.x/10
Mac OS X
Linux
Some BSDs

* Plus a one-time 340 GB download the first time you start Bitcoin Core.

Bare Minimum (With Custom Settings)

Disk space
7 GB
Download
150 MB/day (5 GB/month)*
Upload
10 MB/day (300 MB/month)
Memory (RAM)
256 MB
System
Desktop
Laptop
Most ARM chipsets
Operating system
Windows 7/8.x/10
Mac OS X
Linux
Some BSDs
See Also
Bitcoin Core | Ledger

* Plus a one-time 340 GB download the first time you start Bitcoin Core.

Learn more: Bitcoin Core configuration options

Minimum Recommended

Disk space
350 GB
Download
500 MB/day (15 GB/month)*
Upload
5 GB/day (150 GB/month)
Memory (RAM)
1 GB
System
Desktop
Laptop
Some ARM chipsets >1 GHz
Operating system
Windows 7/8.x/10
Mac OS X
Linux

* Plus a one-time 340 GB download the first time you start Bitcoin Core.

Possible Problems

Legal: Bitcoin use is prohibited or restricted in someareas.
Bandwidth limits: Some Internet plans will charge an additionalamount for any excess upload bandwidth used that isn’t included inthe plan. Worse, some providers may terminate your connection withoutwarning because of overuse. We advise that you check whether yourInternet connection is subjected to such limitations and monitor yourbandwidth use so that you can stop Bitcoin Core before you reach yourupload limit.
Anti-virus: Several people have placed parts of known computerviruses in the Bitcoin block chain. This block chain data can’t infectyour computer, but some anti-virus programs quarantine the dataanyway, making it more difficult to run Bitcoin Core. This problem mostlyaffects computers running Windows.
Attack target: Bitcoin Core powers the Bitcoin peer-to-peernetwork, so people who want to disrupt the network mayattack Bitcoin Core users in ways that will affect other thingsyou do with your computer, such as an attack that limits youravailable download bandwidth.

By default, you need to backup Bitcoin Core after every 100 transactions. This includes both transactions you send as well as payments you request (whether or not you actually received the payment).

For example, you need to backup after sending 33 payments and requesting 67 payments (even though you only received 60 payments).

Bitcoin Core can be configured to allow you to go more transactions between backups. See the -keypool setting.

Anyone who gets access to your wallet can steal your bitcoins. The first line of defense against this is encrypting your wallet, an option from the File menu in the graphical interface.

However, encrypting may not be enough if your computer becomes infected by malware. Learn about for security against this type of attack.

In addition to securing your wallet, you also need to keep your backups secure. Anyone who gets access to them can also steal your bitcoins.

Learn more: secure your wallet

Computers that connect to the Internet are frequently hacked or infected with bitcoin-stealing malware. Computers that never connect to the Internet are a much more secure location for your bitcoins.

Bitcoin Core can be run on an always-offline computer, creating an offline wallet (also called a cold wallet). The offline wallet will securely store the private keys, while a separate online Bitcoin Core wallet will send and receive transactions.

Learn more: Creating and signing offline transactions

Your Bitcoin wallet isn’t like a bank account—it won’t automatically go to your heirs if you die or become disabled.

You have to plan ahead and make sure there is a way for your heirs to access your wallet backups when you’re no longer available.

Learn more: Estate planning: how can I ensure my bitcoins are inheritable?

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