wallet.dat File Recovery
The wallet.dat file is the core database of a Bitcoin Core wallet — it contains your private keys, and without it there's no access to your funds. A damaged, deleted, or encrypted file doesn't necessarily mean permanent loss.
No upfront payment · NDA from minute one · Response within 15 minutes
What wallet.dat contains and why it matters
wallet.dat is a Berkeley DB database file used by Bitcoin Core — the original, reference Bitcoin client. It stores a pool of pre-generated private keys, the corresponding public keys, address labels, and a full local transaction history. It is the only place your private keys exist if you use Bitcoin Core without a separate seed phrase backup.
This is a fundamental difference from modern wallets. MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger, and most other wallets generate a 12 or 24-word seed phrase that can be used to derive all your keys. Bitcoin Core does not work this way — the wallet.dat file itself is the backup. If this file is lost, corrupted, encrypted with a forgotten password, or deleted, there is no seed phrase to fall back on.
Losing access to this file means losing access to your bitcoin unless professional recovery techniques are applied. The good news is that most damage scenarios are recoverable, provided the file still exists on the storage medium in some form and action is taken before further data is written over it.
The four scenarios we handle
Corrupted wallet.dat
Partial Berkeley DB structure damage — common after improper shutdowns, disk errors, or filesystem corruption. Recovered using db_recover and specialised key-extraction tools that bypass the damaged index and read raw key data directly.
Encrypted with forgotten password
Passphrase unknown or only partially remembered. We run a dictionary-based brute-force attack using your hints — approximate length, character types, words or patterns you remember. The more hints you provide, the faster and more effective the search.
Deleted wallet file
Forensic recovery from the storage medium using tools including PhotoRec, R-Studio, and Recuva. The file's data blocks often remain intact after deletion. The critical factor is acting before other data is written to the same drive sectors.
Legacy wallet.dat
A file created years ago in an older Bitcoin Core version, potentially using a format or key derivation scheme that current versions no longer support directly. We handle format conversion and historical key extraction across all major Bitcoin Core versions.
What we need to start
To begin the diagnostic, we need as much of the following as you can provide. Nothing here is required upfront — the diagnostic itself is free, and we'll tell you what additional information would improve our chances before any work begins.
The wallet.dat file itself, or a byte-for-byte copy of it. The approximate date the wallet was originally created, since older files sometimes use different internal formats. For encrypted files, any hints about the passphrase — approximate length, whether it contained numbers or symbols, any words or phrases you might have used. The version of Bitcoin Core you were running at the time, if you remember it. And ideally, a copy of the storage medium image rather than just the file, in case forensic sector recovery is needed.
One important warning before you do anything else: do not re-open Bitcoin Core with a damaged or suspect wallet.dat file. Doing so may write additional data to the file and make recovery significantly harder. Make a copy first, then contact us.
Recovery process
File Diagnostic
We assess the file's condition, identify the damage type, and determine the best recovery approach
Strategy Selection
We select the method — structural repair, brute-force decryption, forensic sector scan, or format conversion
Recovery or Decryption
We execute the chosen approach and report progress at each stage
Key Extraction
Private keys are extracted from the recovered file in a secure environment
Fund Withdrawal
We assist with importing keys into a new wallet and safely moving funds to a secure address you control
What recovery costs
Pricing depends on the type and extent of damage. All quotes are discussed after the free diagnostic — we never charge before we have a clear picture of the case.
Corrupted file repair
$300 – $800 depending on the extent of structural damage and number of keys affected
Brute-force decryption
$500 – $1,500 depending on password complexity and the quality of hints provided
Initial diagnostic is always free. We will give you a probability estimate and cost range before any billable work begins.
Act quickly — and carefully
Every scenario is time-sensitive. For deleted files, additional writes to the same storage medium can permanently overwrite the sectors that hold your wallet data. For corrupted files, further attempts to open or repair the file without the right tools can extend the damage. For brute-force recovery, starting earlier means we have more options when defining the search space.
The right first step is to make a copy of whatever you have — the file, the drive image, or both — and then reach out before taking any other action. We'll tell you exactly what to do next. The diagnostic is free and takes less than 24 hours.
Free wallet.dat diagnostic — send us the file
and receive a recovery probability assessment.
Submit via the form below or reach us on Telegram. We respond the same day.
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We will be in touch within 15 minutes. Thank you for your trust.
wallet.dat Recovery —
Questions & Answers
The most common questions about Bitcoin Core wallet file recovery, brute-force decryption, and deleted file restoration.
Other wallet types
wallet.dat is specific to Bitcoin Core. If you use a different wallet, we have a dedicated recovery service covering MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger, Trezor, and seed phrase reconstruction.
Full Wallet Recovery Service