<p><strong>You probably don't want to download the blockchain</strong></p>

<p>The blockchain currently weighs in at about <strong>144 GB</strong> (<a href="http://blockchain.info/charts/blocks-size" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>check current size</em></a>) <br />
Assuming you have solid 2 megabytes per second download speed, it would take around <strong>20 hours</strong> just to download them. <br />
In practice, this takes much longer, as your computer will verify every block individually, which takes some time.</p>

<p>Also, if you're not doing any mining, it may be wise to <strong>look into a lightweight client</strong> such as <a href="https://multibit.org" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MultiBit</a> or <a href="http://electrum.org" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Electrum</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-15T21:47:47.647Z
2017-12-03T21:18:11.607Z
2017-12-03T21:18:11.607Z
7anner
<p>It all depends on the speed of your connection, CPU, and HDD.</p>

<p>I downloaded the entire bitcoin blockchain from the network in an hour or so on my amazon ec2 machine.</p>

<p>My old laptop took a few days to fully download it though.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-15T21:39:08.977Z
2013-04-15T21:39:08.977Z
user3145
<p>Another option is to get the electrum wallet instead from electrum.org; it's much faster and doesn't need to download the blockchain. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-16T04:56:13.653Z
2013-05-10T00:50:32.087Z
2013-05-10T00:50:32.087Z
Thom
<p>I'm a newbie to bitcoins, and need some help!</p>

<p>I downloaded the Bitcoin client and installed it on my laptop.</p>

<p>It is 'Synchronizing with the network' and has been doing this for over a day. Is this normal? I have broadband internet and sometimes download large files in a resonable amout of time so I'm pretty sure its not my internet connection speed.</p>

<p>I understand it is downloading the blockchain thing bit by bit but does it really take this long? Will I have to do the same if I were to change laptops or get a new computer?</p>

<p>Also, whilst it is 'Synchronizing with the network' it totally slows down my laptop, so much so that it takes ages to even launch my internet browser. Is this normal? Will it always do this when I run the Bitcoin client, i.e. slow the whole system down, or is this only the case when it is 'Synchronizing with the network'?</p>

<p>Many thanks!!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-15T20:58:09.743Z
A pretty long time.
Nick ODell
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-15T20:58:29.903Z
possible duplicate of [Stuck Synchronizing?](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/2124/stuck-synchronizing)
Nick ODell
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-16T03:33:31.863Z
My read of it is that that question is essentially asking "what is synchronizing" whereas this one is asking "how long does it take to synchronize".  Perhaps they could both benefit from some editing to more clearly individuate them?
eMansipater
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-20T13:11:22.767Z
possible duplicate of [How long should synchronizing your wallet for the first time take?](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/11029/how-long-should-synchronizing-your-wallet-for-the-first-time-take)
Murch
<blockchain><client><synchronization><time>
How long does it take to download the blockchain? It's been over a day and still going
Anthony
# How long does it take to download the blockchain? It's been over a day and still going

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-04-15)

I'm a newbie to bitcoins, and need some help!

I downloaded the Bitcoin client and installed it on my laptop.

It is 'Synchronizing with the network' and has been doing this for over a day. Is this normal? I have broadband internet and sometimes download large files in a resonable amout of time so I'm pretty sure its not my internet connection speed.

I understand it is downloading the blockchain thing bit by bit but does it really take this long? Will I have to do the same if I were to change laptops or get a new computer?

Also, whilst it is 'Synchronizing with the network' it totally slows down my laptop, so much so that it takes ages to even launch my internet browser. Is this normal? Will it always do this when I run the Bitcoin client, i.e. slow the whole system down, or is this only the case when it is 'Synchronizing with the network'?

Many thanks!!

**Tags:** blockchain, client, synchronization, time

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: A pretty long time.  
> **username_1**: possible duplicate of [Stuck Synchronizing?](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/2124/stuck-synchronizing)  
> **username_2**: My read of it is that that question is essentially asking "what is synchronizing" whereas this one is asking "how long does it take to synchronize".  Perhaps they could both benefit from some editing to more clearly individuate them?  
> **username_3**: possible duplicate of [How long should synchronizing your wallet for the first time take?](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/11029/how-long-should-synchronizing-your-wallet-for-the-first-time-take)  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-04-15. Score: 9

**You probably don't want to download the blockchain**

The blockchain currently weighs in at about **144 GB** ([*check current size*](http://blockchain.info/charts/blocks-size))   
Assuming you have solid 2 megabytes per second download speed, it would take around **20 hours** just to download them.   
In practice, this takes much longer, as your computer will verify every block individually, which takes some time.

Also, if you're not doing any mining, it may be wise to **look into a lightweight client** such as [MultiBit](https://multibit.org) or [Electrum](http://electrum.org).


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### Answer by username_5 on 2013-04-15. Score: 2

It all depends on the speed of your connection, CPU, and HDD.

I downloaded the entire bitcoin blockchain from the network in an hour or so on my amazon ec2 machine.

My old laptop took a few days to fully download it though.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2013-04-16. Score: 0

Another option is to get the electrum wallet instead from electrum.org; it's much faster and doesn't need to download the blockchain.


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