A wallet.dat file
You used the original Auroracoin Core wallet on a computer and still have the old hard drive, a USB copy or a folder called Auroracoin. The file that matters is named wallet.dat. It may be protected by a password you set years ago.
Auroracoin Wallet Recovery
If you have found an old Auroracoin backup, a printed paper wallet or a list of recovery words, there is good news: Auroracoin balances do not expire. Your coins are recorded on the Auroracoin blockchain, not inside an app, a computer or a website. Whoever holds the right key can still move them today, whether that key was created in 2014 or last month.
This section helps you work out what kind of backup you have and points you to the safe guide for it. Take your time. Nothing here needs to be done in a hurry, and rushing is how most recovery mistakes happen.
What kind of backup do you have?
A paper wallet or private key
You have a printed sheet, a note or a text file with an address starting with the letter A and a long code starting with 5, K, L or similar. Older wallets sometimes rejected these codes with the message "error -5". That error has an explanation, and your coins are not lost.
A list of 12 or 24 words
You wrote down a recovery phrase when you created a wallet. These words can rebuild the whole wallet on a new computer, as long as they are entered in the exact order.
An old wallet that still opens
If your old Auroracoin Core program or a browser wallet still opens but you want to move to something modern, you do not need to recover anything. Visit the migration guides instead.
Three rules before you start
Work offline with copies. Before you open any old file, make two copies on separate USB drives and put the original away. If anything goes wrong, you can start again.
Never type keys or words into a website. No genuine service needs your private key, wallet file or recovery phrase. Any site, chat helper or "recovery service" that asks for them is trying to steal your coins.
Move old coins into a fresh wallet. The safest finish to any recovery is to send the old balance into a brand-new wallet that you control with a new recovery phrase. That way, a key that was printed, emailed or stored for years is no longer guarding your money.
Recover into Aurora Wallet
Aurora Wallet is the new desktop wallet for Auroracoin, developed for the Auroracoin Foundation. It is designed to guide you through importing or sweeping old keys and to create a fresh 12 or 24-word recovery phrase for your new wallet. Download it only from the official download page, check the file and then follow the guide that matches your backup.
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