Running AFull Node
Support the Bitcoin network by running your own full node
What Is A Full Node?
A full node is a program that fully validates transactions and blocks. Almost all full nodes also help the network by accepting transactions and blocks from other full nodes, validating those transactions and blocks, and then relaying them to further full nodes.
Most full nodes also serve lightweight clients by allowing them to transmit their transactions to the network and by notifying them when a transaction affects their wallet. If not enough nodes perform this function, clients won't be able to connect through the peer-to-peer network—they'll have to use centralized services instead.
Many people and organizations volunteer to run full nodes using spare computing and bandwidth resources—but more volunteers are needed to allow Bitcoin to continue to grow. This document describes how you can help and what helping will cost you.
Costs And Warnings
Running a Bitcoin full node comes with certain costs and can expose you to certain risks. This section will explain those costs and risks so you can decide whether you're able to help the network.
Special Cases
Miners, businesses, and privacy-conscious users rely on particular behavior from the full nodes they use, so they will often run their own full nodes and take special safety precautions. This document does not cover those precautions—it only describes running a full node to help support the Bitcoin network in general.
Please seek out assistance in the community if you need help setting up your full node correctly to handle high-value and privacy-sensitive tasks. Do your own diligence to ensure who you get help from is ethical, reputable and qualified to assist you.
Secure Your Wallet
It's possible and safe to run a full node to support the network and use its wallet to store your bitcoins, but you must take the same precautions you would when using any Bitcoin wallet. Please see the securing your wallet page for more information.
Minimum Requirements
Bitcoin Core full nodes have certain requirements. If you try running a node on weak hardware, it may work—but you'll likely spend more time dealing with issues.
Desktop/Laptop
Recent Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux
7GB+ Storage
100 MB/s read/write speed minimum
2GB RAM
Memory required for operation
Broadband Internet
400+ Kbps upload speed
6+ Hours Daily
Continuous operation preferred
Additional Requirements:
- • An unmetered connection or high upload limits (200GB+ monthly upload typical)
- • Download usage: ~20GB/month + 340GB initial sync
- • 6+ hours daily operation (continuous preferred)
- • Disable sleep/suspend modes for network support
Important Notes
Many operating systems today (Windows, Mac, and Linux) enter a low-power mode after the screensaver activates, slowing or halting network traffic. Check your screensaver settings and disable automatic "sleep" or "suspend" options to ensure you support the network whenever your computer is running.
Possible Problems
Legal
Bitcoin use is prohibited or restricted in some areas.
Bandwidth limits
Some Internet plans charge for excess upload bandwidth or may terminate connections without warning.
Anti-virus
Some anti-virus programs may quarantine blockchain data, affecting Bitcoin Core operation.
Attack target
Bitcoin Core users may be targeted by attacks that affect other computer activities.
Initial Block Download (IBD)
Initial block download refers to the process where nodes synchronize themselves to the network by downloading blocks that are new to them. This will happen when a node is far behind the tip of the best block chain.
If you are trying to set up a new node following the instructions below, you will go through the IBD process at the first run, and it may take a considerable amount of time since a new node has to download the entire block chain (which is roughly 340 gigabytes now).
During the download, there could be high usage for the network and CPU (since the node has to verify the blocks downloaded), and the client will take up an increasing amount of storage space.
Installation Instructions
Linux Instructions
Download and Extract
# Download (example for 64-bit)
wget https://bitcoin.org/bin/bitcoin-core-28.1/bitcoin-28.1-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz
# Extract
tar xzf bitcoin-28.1-x86_64-linux-gnu.tar.gz
Install
# Using sudo
sudo install -m 0755 -o root -g root -t /usr/local/bin bitcoin-28.1/bin/*
# Or using su
su -c 'install -m 0755 -o root -g root -t /usr/local/bin bitcoin-28.1/bin/*'
Run
# GUI version
/usr/local/bin/bitcoin-qt
# Daemon version
bitcoind -daemon
Windows Instructions
Download and Install
- 1Go to the Bitcoin Core download page and verify secure connection
- 2Click the Download Bitcoin Core button
- 3Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
- 4Launch Bitcoin Core from Start Menu
Command Line (Daemon)
# Start daemon
C:\Program Files\Bitcoin\daemon\bitcoind
# Interact with daemon
C:\Program Files\Bitcoin\daemon\bitcoin-cli getblockchaininfo
macOS Instructions
GUI Installation
- 1Download the .dmg file from Bitcoin Core download page
- 2Drag Bitcoin Core to Applications folder
- 3Launch from Applications
Daemon Installation
# Download daemon
curl -O https://bitcoin.org/bin/bitcoin-core-28.1/bitcoin-28.1-osx64.tar.gz
# Extract
tar -zxf bitcoin-28.1-osx64.tar.gz
# Install
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bin
sudo cp bitcoin-28.1/bin/bitcoin* /usr/local/bin/.
Network Configuration
If you want to support the Bitcoin network, you must allow inbound connections.
Port Forwarding
Configure your router to forward port 8333 to your computer running Bitcoin Core.
- • Configure DHCP reservation for static IP
- • Forward port 8333 to your node's IP
- • Configure firewall to allow connections
- • Test with BitNodes tool
Configuration Tuning
Optimize your node for performance and resource usage.
- • Reduce storage with pruning mode
- • Limit bandwidth with upload targets
- • Adjust connection limits
- • Enable blocks-only mode if needed
Ready to Contribute?
Join thousands of node operators helping to secure and decentralize the Bitcoin network.