Bitcoin Core Wallet.dat |work| -

The wallet.dat file is stored within the Bitcoin data directory on your computer. As of 2026, depending on your operating system, you can find it here:

🔐 Always encrypt backups if storing offsite.

Records of your transactions, including dates, amounts, and custom labels. Bitcoin Core Wallet.dat

A local record of all transactions associated with your keys.

If you run a Bitcoin Core node (the reference implementation of the Bitcoin protocol), your entire wallet—your private keys, public addresses, and transaction metadata—exists inside a single file named wallet.dat . Lose this file, and you lose your Bitcoin. Protect it poorly, and you invite disaster. The wallet

There is no company to call, no password reset, no chargeback.

Historically, Bitcoin Core used the Berkeley DB (BDB) system. These wallets generate a pool of random keys. Because the keys are random, a seed phrase cannot easily recreate the entire wallet history. If you generate more addresses than your key pool limit, older backups will not contain the new keys. Descriptor Wallets (SQLite) A local record of all transactions associated with your keys

Regularly back up your wallet.dat file. This ensures that you can recover your funds if something goes wrong with your current wallet file.

Records of your transactions, including timestamps, labels, and descriptions.