<p>Create a shortcut on your desktop (or somewhere) to:
"C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32\bitcoin-qt.exe" -testnet
and name it "Bitcoin-QT testnet"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-11T03:14:12.860Z
Do you know why Bitcoin-QT does not go into testnet mode when I have testnet=1 in bitcoin.conf?
JLP
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-10T01:58:31.307Z
2014-02-10T01:58:31.307Z
vlnbg
<p>With a standard Bitcoin Core installation under Window 7, the data directory is located under:</p>

<p>{User}\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin</p>

<p>The bitcoin.conf file containing the line "testnet=1" goes there.</p>

<p>The usual way to create this file is with Notepad. Unfortunately, this app insists on giving the file the extension ".txt". This is, of course invisible by default. The file appears to have the extension ".conf", when it is actually ".conf.txt".</p>

<p>Use this procedure to change the extension, and your bitcoin.conf file should be read:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_8134776_delete-file-extension-windows-7.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.ehow.com/how_8134776_delete-file-extension-windows-7.html</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-04T16:53:26.987Z
2014-09-04T16:53:26.987Z
Rich Apodaca
<p>I downloaded Bitcoin-QT for Windows 7 into:  </p>

<pre><code>MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32
</code></pre>

<p>I want to run Bitcoin in testnet mode, so I created bitcoin.conf with only the following content:</p>

<pre><code>testnet=1
</code></pre>

<p>I put copies of bitcoin.conf into the following folders:</p>

<pre><code>MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32
User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin
</code></pre>

<p>When I double clicked on the Bitcoin-QT icon to execute the following, Bitcoin-QT starts up but it does not appear to be in testnet mode.</p>

<pre><code>MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-qt.exe
</code></pre>

<p>Can anyone tell me why it does not seem to go into testnet mode?</p>

<p>I went to Start > cmd to get the DOS prompt.  I entered the following and it worked:</p>

<pre><code>C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32&gt;bitcoin-qt.exe -testnet
</code></pre>

<p>But going into DOS prompt to start up bitcoin-qt is a hassle.  It would be easier if I can just double click on the Bitcoin-QT icon.</p>

<bitcoin-core><testnet><bitcoin.conf>
Cannot get Bitcoin-QT to run in testnet mode
JLP
# Cannot get Bitcoin-QT to run in testnet mode

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-25)

I downloaded Bitcoin-QT for Windows 7 into:

```
MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32

```

I want to run Bitcoin in testnet mode, so I created bitcoin.conf with only the following content:

```
testnet=1

```

I put copies of bitcoin.conf into the following folders:

```
MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32
User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin

```

When I double clicked on the Bitcoin-QT icon to execute the following, Bitcoin-QT starts up but it does not appear to be in testnet mode.

```
MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-qt.exe

```

Can anyone tell me why it does not seem to go into testnet mode?

I went to Start > cmd to get the DOS prompt. I entered the following and it worked:

```
C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32>bitcoin-qt.exe -testnet

```

But going into DOS prompt to start up bitcoin-qt is a hassle. It would be easier if I can just double click on the Bitcoin-QT icon.

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, testnet, bitcoin.conf


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-02-10. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Create a shortcut on your desktop (or somewhere) to:
"C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32\bitcoin-qt.exe" -testnet
and name it "Bitcoin-QT testnet"

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Do you know why Bitcoin-QT does not go into testnet mode when I have testnet=1 in bitcoin.conf?  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-09-04. Score: 2

With a standard Bitcoin Core installation under Window 7, the data directory is located under:

{User}\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin

The bitcoin.conf file containing the line "testnet=1" goes there.

The usual way to create this file is with Notepad. Unfortunately, this app insists on giving the file the extension ".txt". This is, of course invisible by default. The file appears to have the extension ".conf", when it is actually ".conf.txt".

Use this procedure to change the extension, and your bitcoin.conf file should be read:

<http://www.ehow.com/how_8134776_delete-file-extension-windows-7.html>


---

