Migrate from Auroracoin Core to Aurora Wallet Safely
For years, Auroracoin Core was the main way to hold Auroracoin on a computer. It is a full-node wallet: it downloads and checks every block in the Auroracoin blockchain and stores the whole history on your drive. That design is thorough, but it is demanding. Many holders remember waiting hours for it to sync, watching it sit at zero network connections or having to delete blockchain folders after a network upgrade.
Aurora Wallet is the new desktop wallet for Auroracoin, developed for the Auroracoin Foundation. This guide explains how the two compare and how to move your coins across safely, even if your old wallet is struggling.
Why the legacy wallet feels hard to use
- Size. The full blockchain takes a large and growing amount of disk space.
- Sync time. After weeks or months offline, Core must process every missed block before your balance is correct.
- Connections. Core relies on a short list of known network contacts. When those go quiet, it cannot find peers and stops at "0 active connections".
- Network upgrades. After past chain splits, users were told to delete the blocks and chainstate folders and resync from scratch.
- Backups. Everything depends on the wallet.dat file. If it is lost or corrupted without a copy, the coins are gone.
- Interface. The design dates from an earlier era of desktop software.
How Aurora Wallet compares
| Auroracoin Core | Aurora Wallet | |
|---|---|---|
| Disk space | Full blockchain | Designed to need far less |
| Sync | Every block, can take hours | Designed for fast, visible progress |
| Network | Small fixed peer list | Designed to connect through several nodes with failover |
| Backup | wallet.dat file | 12 or 24-word recovery phrase |
| Interface | Legacy Qt layout | Modern, clearer screens |
These Aurora Wallet capabilities are planned features and will be confirmed in the release notes.
Before you start
Make two copies of your wallet.dat file on separate USB drives. The usual locations are %APPDATA%\Auroracoin on Windows, ~/Library/Application Support/Auroracoin on macOS and ~/.auroracoin on Linux. Close Auroracoin Core before copying, so the file is not being written to.
If your wallet is encrypted, make sure you remember the password. You will need it to send your coins.
Step by step: move your coins
- Back up wallet.dat, as described above.
- Download Aurora Wallet from the official download page and check the file before opening it.
- Create a new wallet. Write your recovery phrase on paper, in order, and confirm it when asked. Store it safely and never photograph it.
- Copy a receiving address from Aurora Wallet. It starts with the letter A.
- Open Auroracoin Core and let it finish syncing. Your balance must be up to date before you can send it.
- Send your balance. In Core, open the Send tab, paste your Aurora Wallet address and enter the amount. Check the first and last characters of the address. Leave enough to cover the network fee, or use the option to subtract the fee from the amount.
- Wait for confirmations. The transaction appears in Aurora Wallet. Wait until it is confirmed.
- Retire Core. Once your coins are safely in Aurora Wallet, you can uninstall Core and free up the disk space. Keep the wallet.dat backups.
- 1
A quick test first
If you hold a large balance, send a small amount first. When it arrives in Aurora Wallet, send the rest. It costs one extra small fee and gives you peace of mind.
If Core will not sync or connect
Many people want to move precisely because Core is stuck. You have options.
Give it more contacts. Core can be pointed at additional network nodes through a line such as addnode= in the auroracoin.conf file in the data folder. Use only node addresses published through official Auroracoin channels.
Let it catch up. Leave the program running overnight on a stable connection. Sync often resumes once a few peers are found.
After a chain split, follow the resync guide, which explains how to clear the blockchain folders while keeping wallet.dat safe.
Use the planned import tool. Aurora Wallet is designed to include a guided way to move legacy wallet balances without depending on the old program syncing. Until it is confirmed, the steps above remain the reliable route.
Avoid exporting private keys to text files or copying them through the clipboard unless you have no other choice. Exported keys are easy to leave lying around on a computer, and clipboard contents can be read by malware.
Keep your records
Keep your old wallet.dat copies even after moving. They contain your transaction history, which can be useful for accounting or tax records. They cost nothing to store, as long as they stay offline and private.
Frequently asked questions
Start your move
Aurora Wallet is designed to give Auroracoin holders a lighter, clearer desktop wallet. Download it from the official page and move your coins at your own pace.
Ready for a calmer Auroracoin wallet?
Get Aurora Wallet for Windows, macOS or Linux from the one official download page, and check the file before you install.
Download Aurora Wallet