<h2>Learn from other people's past mistakes</h2>
<p>Some good advice is at <a href="https://bitcoin.org/en/secure-your-wallet#encrypt" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://bitcoin.org/en/secure-your-wallet#encrypt</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Encrypt your wallet</strong><br />
Encrypting your wallet or your smartphone allows you to set a password for anyone trying to withdraw any funds. This helps protect against thieves, though it cannot protect against keylogging hardware or software.</p>
<p><strong>Never forget your password</strong><br />
You should make sure you never forget the password or your funds will be permanently lost. Unlike your bank, there are very limited password recovery options with Bitcoin. In fact, you should be able to remember your password even after many years without using it. In doubt, you might want to keep a paper copy of your password in a safe place like a vault.</p>
<p><strong>Use a strong password</strong><br />
Any password that contains only letters or recognizable words can be considered very weak and easy to break. A strong password must contain letters, numbers, punctuation marks and must be at least 16 characters long. The most secure passwords are those generated by programs designed specifically for that purpose. Strong passwords are usually harder to remember, so you should take care in memorizing it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Notice that second item.</p>
<p>Once you set a password, which you definitely should, it is important to never forget your password. This is why people use password managers and make backup copies in secure places.</p>
<hr />
<h2>What next?</h2>
<p>If you have some idea of what your password might have been, you might try recovery tools such as <a href="https://github.com/gurnec/btcrecover" rel="nofollow noreferrer">btcrecover</a>. (not an endorsement, other tools exist, take <em>extreme</em> care choosing tools)</p>
<p>If you care about your money ...</p>
<ul>
<li>Only download tools from sites you are 100% certain of, Check carefully.</li>
<li>Compile any tools from source code if you can.</li>
<li>Never give any potentially sensitive information to helpers. Treat all helpers as if they were thieves (almost all people offering to help will in fact be confidence tricksters). A genuine helper never needs to know your password or any part of it or anything about it. A genuine helper never needs any kind of access to your PC. A genuine helper never needs to create a wallet for you.</li>
<li>It is better to spend time learning how to do things yourself with no active participation from any helper. A genuine helper needs no more information than is already in your question above.</li>
<li>Don't attempt recovery on any computer that has ever been used or accessed by anyone else in the past.</li>
<li>Don't attempt recovery on any computer or device that is connected to the Internet.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-26T09:40:14.730Z
2020-10-26T09:50:05.253Z
2020-10-26T09:50:05.253Z
RedGrittyBrick
<p>I was about to spend some bitcoins but Bitcoin Core required my password, which I don't remember, to complete transaction... The wallet is open but cant use bitcoins.</p>
<p>I would like to know if before ANY transaction, you must ALWAYS enter password. This is the first time I try to send bitcoins so I don't know how this goes...</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-25T03:46:09.577Z
Yes, you cannot transact without entering the password.
Pieter Wuille
<bitcoin-core><passphrase>
Forgotten password for wallet. Must a password be entered before spending?
David
# Forgotten password for wallet. Must a password be entered before spending?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-10-25)

I was about to spend some bitcoins but Bitcoin Core required my password, which I don't remember, to complete transaction... The wallet is open but cant use bitcoins.

I would like to know if before ANY transaction, you must ALWAYS enter password. This is the first time I try to send bitcoins so I don't know how this goes...

Thanks.

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, passphrase

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Yes, you cannot transact without entering the password.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-10-26. Score: 1

## Learn from other people's past mistakes

Some good advice is at <https://bitcoin.org/en/secure-your-wallet#encrypt>

> **Encrypt your wallet**  
> Encrypting your wallet or your smartphone allows you to set a password for anyone trying to withdraw any funds. This helps protect against thieves, though it cannot protect against keylogging hardware or software.
>
> **Never forget your password**  
> You should make sure you never forget the password or your funds will be permanently lost. Unlike your bank, there are very limited password recovery options with Bitcoin. In fact, you should be able to remember your password even after many years without using it. In doubt, you might want to keep a paper copy of your password in a safe place like a vault.
>
> **Use a strong password**  
> Any password that contains only letters or recognizable words can be considered very weak and easy to break. A strong password must contain letters, numbers, punctuation marks and must be at least 16 characters long. The most secure passwords are those generated by programs designed specifically for that purpose. Strong passwords are usually harder to remember, so you should take care in memorizing it.

Notice that second item.

Once you set a password, which you definitely should, it is important to never forget your password. This is why people use password managers and make backup copies in secure places.

---

## What next?

If you have some idea of what your password might have been, you might try recovery tools such as [btcrecover](https://github.com/gurnec/btcrecover). (not an endorsement, other tools exist, take *extreme* care choosing tools)

If you care about your money ...

* Only download tools from sites you are 100% certain of, Check carefully.
* Compile any tools from source code if you can.
* Never give any potentially sensitive information to helpers. Treat all helpers as if they were thieves (almost all people offering to help will in fact be confidence tricksters). A genuine helper never needs to know your password or any part of it or anything about it. A genuine helper never needs any kind of access to your PC. A genuine helper never needs to create a wallet for you.
* It is better to spend time learning how to do things yourself with no active participation from any helper. A genuine helper needs no more information than is already in your question above.
* Don't attempt recovery on any computer that has ever been used or accessed by anyone else in the past.
* Don't attempt recovery on any computer or device that is connected to the Internet.


---

