The wallet has not finished syncing
A full-node wallet that is still catching up only knows about transactions up to the block it has reached. If your coins arrived after that point, they will not appear until syncing completes. See our sync guide.
Auroracoin Wallet Showing 0 Balance: How to Restore It
You open your Auroracoin wallet and the balance reads 0 AUR. Your stomach drops. Before you do anything else, read this: in almost every case, a zero balance is a display problem, not a loss of funds. Your coins are recorded on the Auroracoin blockchain, and they stay there no matter what your wallet shows.
This guide explains why wallets show zero, how to check your real balance safely and how to get your wallet showing the right number again.
Why a wallet can show zero when your coins are safe
A wallet does not store coins. It stores the keys to your coins and asks the network what those keys own. If the wallet cannot get a proper answer from the network, it may show zero, or an old number, instead of your real balance.
The outside server your wallet relies on is down
Some lightweight Auroracoin wallets do not download the blockchain. Instead they ask an outside server what your balance is. When that server goes offline, the wallet can show zero even though nothing has happened to your coins. Auroracoin users have reported exactly this during past server outages.
The wallet is on the wrong chain
After a network upgrade, an outdated wallet can follow a version of the chain the rest of the network has abandoned. Balances and history may look wrong. See our chain split guide.
You opened a different or empty wallet file
If you reinstalled the app or moved computers, the wallet may have created a brand-new, empty wallet instead of opening your old one. Your coins are still tied to your old wallet file or recovery words.
Your addresses were never imported
If you used a paper wallet or a private key from another app, the new wallet will not know about those coins until you import or sweep that key.
How to check your real balance safely
- 1
Do not panic, and do not delete anything
Do not uninstall, reset or delete your wallet. Make a copy of your wallet file or confirm your recovery words are written down before you change anything.
- 2
Find your receiving address
Open your wallet's receive section and copy one of your Auroracoin addresses. Auroracoin addresses usually start with the letter "A". If your wallet will not open, look for an old payment confirmation, exchange withdrawal record or note where you saved an address.
- 3
Look the address up on a block explorer
A block explorer is a website that shows public blockchain data. Paste your address into an Auroracoin block explorer to see its balance and transactions. This only reads public information: it never needs your recovery words, password or private key. If any site asks for those, close it immediately.
- 4
Compare
If the explorer shows your coins, they are safe. The problem is your wallet's view, and the steps below will help. If the explorer shows the coins moved to an address you do not recognise, see the FAQ below.
How to get your balance showing again
- Let it sync. If your wallet is still catching up, leave it running until it is up to date.
- Restart and reconnect. Close the wallet fully, check your internet connection and clock, then open it again.
- Check you opened the right wallet. Make sure the app is using your original wallet file, not a new empty one.
- Rescan. Some wallets offer a rescan option that looks through the blockchain again for your transactions. Back up first.
- Restore in a newer wallet. If your old app depends on a server that no longer works, restore your recovery words or import your wallet file into a current wallet.
How Aurora Wallet is designed to prevent false zero balances
Aurora Wallet, the new official Auroracoin desktop wallet, is designed so that a lost connection does not look like lost money:
These are design goals of the new wallet, not promises that every past issue is solved. See Updates for release details.
- Never a false zero. It is designed to show your last confirmed balance with a clear "not up to date" notice when it cannot reach the network, instead of showing 0 AUR.
- No single server. It is designed to use several network nodes, so one outage does not blank your balance.
- Clear status. It is designed to show when your balance was last confirmed.
- Easy import. It is designed to help you bring in an old wallet file, recovery words or private key.
Frequently asked questions
My wallet shows zero. Have I been hacked? Usually not. Check your address on a block explorer. If your coins are still there, it is a display or connection issue. If they moved somewhere you do not recognise, someone may have had access to your keys: stop using that wallet, move any remaining funds to a new wallet with new recovery words and never reuse the old ones.
Can I lose coins by reinstalling the wallet? Not if you keep your wallet file or recovery words. Reinstalling without a backup is the real risk, so back up first.
A support account messaged me offering to restore my balance. Should I trust it? No. This is a common scam. No real support agent will ever ask for your recovery words, private keys or wallet file.
My balance came back after a few hours. What happened? Your wallet most likely finished syncing or reconnected to a working server. Your coins never moved.
Will Aurora Wallet open my old wallet file? Importing older wallet files and private keys is a planned part of Aurora Wallet. Check the migration guides for current steps.
Related guides: Wallet not syncing · Chain split resync · All troubleshooting guides
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