<p>I got it to work by simply copying the file over.</p>

<p>An important point to notice if you intend to follow this suggestion:</p>

<p>My mac wallet had 0 coins</p>

<p>If your mac wallet has coins, then don't follow this solution.</p>

<p>First I shut down the bitcoin-qt client. Not sure if this step is necessary but I think it's safer.</p>

<p>Then I copied the wallet.dat file over to </p>

<pre><code>~/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/wallet.dat
</code></pre>

<p>Then start the bitcoint-qt client again. It might take a bit longer to startup than usual. Don't panic and let it take its time.</p>

<p>Then you will see your coins in the client!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-11T08:35:27.330Z
I'm on Linux, I exported the encrypted wallet.dat from Windows but I can't just overwrite it with the one Windows generated. it simply crashes with "Runaway exception, can't open wallet.dat, error 22"
usr-local-ΕΨΗΕΛΩΝ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-02T09:26:58.890Z
so if anyone somehow got hold of my "wallet.dat", he/she can just copy the file over to his system and, now he/she has all my coins ?
Ali
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-27T00:08:54.560Z
That is correct.  You overwrite your wallet on the Mac, but like you mentioned, it had 0 coins.  Never hurts to make a backup copy first before overwriting if you've ever used the walet.
Stephen Gornick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-27T00:09:49.003Z
As far as shutting down the client before copying the wallet, that is correct.  You never want to copy data while an application that accesses it is open.
Stephen Gornick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-24T20:42:38.470Z
2012-08-24T20:42:38.470Z
hasen
<p>I used to run bitcoin on Ubuntu and I have a wallet with 1 coin in it.</p>

<p>I took a backup of my <code>~/.bitcoin</code> directory which includes a <code>wallet.dat</code> file.</p>

<p>Now I'm running on a mac, using the bitcoint-qt client.</p>

<p>How do I get back the money from that wallet?</p>

<p>Can I just copy it over the existing wallet that the mac client generated?</p>

<p>Is there a way to run a command line client and point to my wallet then transfer coins from it to the new wallet?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-09T09:32:12.657Z
I'm wondering why you can't just send the coins from your original wallet to your new one?
T9b
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-15T06:32:11.130Z
@T9b yea that's a good point. I have no idea why I didn't do that back then! I can't remember if there was some specific reason or if I simply did not think of it
hasen
<client><wallet-import>
How to import my wallet?
hasen
# How to import my wallet?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-08-24)

I used to run bitcoin on Ubuntu and I have a wallet with 1 coin in it.

I took a backup of my `~/.bitcoin` directory which includes a `wallet.dat` file.

Now I'm running on a mac, using the bitcoint-qt client.

How do I get back the money from that wallet?

Can I just copy it over the existing wallet that the mac client generated?

Is there a way to run a command line client and point to my wallet then transfer coins from it to the new wallet?

**Tags:** client, wallet-import

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm wondering why you can't just send the coins from your original wallet to your new one?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 yea that's a good point. I have no idea why I didn't do that back then! I can't remember if there was some specific reason or if I simply did not think of it  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2012-08-24. Score: 11

I got it to work by simply copying the file over.

An important point to notice if you intend to follow this suggestion:

My mac wallet had 0 coins

If your mac wallet has coins, then don't follow this solution.

First I shut down the bitcoin-qt client. Not sure if this step is necessary but I think it's safer.

Then I copied the wallet.dat file over to

```
~/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/wallet.dat

```

Then start the bitcoint-qt client again. It might take a bit longer to startup than usual. Don't panic and let it take its time.

Then you will see your coins in the client!

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: That is correct.  You overwrite your wallet on the Mac, but like you mentioned, it had 0 coins.  Never hurts to make a backup copy first before overwriting if you've ever used the walet.  
> **username_4**: As far as shutting down the client before copying the wallet, that is correct.  You never want to copy data while an application that accesses it is open.  
> **username_2**: I'm on Linux, I exported the encrypted wallet.dat from Windows but I can't just overwrite it with the one Windows generated. it simply crashes with "Runaway exception, can't open wallet.dat, error 22"  
> **username_3**: so if anyone somehow got hold of my "wallet.dat", he/she can just copy the file over to his system and, now he/she has all my coins ?  

---

