Run Bitcoin Core on a dedicated, well‑maintained computer. Use hardware wallets for cold storage of significant amounts. Consider using air‑gapped signing for large transactions.
Transactions generate new change addresses. If you use your wallet, your keypool depletes. If you restore from a 6-month-old wallet.dat , you might lose the private keys for change addresses you subsequently used. Use an HD wallet (modern Core does this automatically) or re-backup every 50-100 transactions.
Locate the newly created, empty wallet.dat file in the default data directory. Replace it with your backup wallet.dat file. Ensure the file is named exactly wallet.dat . Bitcoin Core Wallet.dat
Historically, Bitcoin Core relied on the Berkeley DB (BDB) database system. These wallets generate a pool of random keys. If you back up a legacy wallet, that backup only covers the current keys and the next few keys in the queue (the keypool). If you generate too many new addresses without making a new backup, you risk losing access to newly created keys. Modern Wallets (SQLite and Descriptors)
Avoid leaving your node on a machine used for casual web browsing or downloading untrusted software. Run Bitcoin Core on a dedicated, well‑maintained computer
encryptwallet "your strong passphrase"
Bitcoin Core stores the wallet.dat file inside its default data directory. The location depends entirely on your operating system. Transactions generate new change addresses
Metadata regarding your interactions with the network.
: Follow the 3-2-1 rule: keep at least 3 copies of your data, on 2 different media types, with 1 copy stored off-site (physically separate from your computer).
If you cannot find it, check the tab within the Bitcoin Core software to see the exact "Data Directory" path. Security and Encryption
A record of all your incoming and outgoing transactions.