Test remembered passwords against a wallet copy

Identify the wallet format

Confirm which application created the wallet and check that its format is supported. Use a copy of the original backup. Do not rename an unrelated file to wallet.dat and assume it becomes a Bitcoin Core wallet.

The commands below use wallet-copy.dat as an example filename for a supported wallet file. Replace it with the actual path to your working copy. Format-specific options may also be necessary; see the official examples.

Start with complete guesses

When you remember a small number of whole passwords, create a plain-text password list with one candidate per line. For this practice example, save:

River2021!
River2022!

python btcrecover.py --wallet "wallet-copy.dat" --passwordlist demo-passwords.txt

For a real wallet, use a private file containing your own plausible candidates. A passwordlist preserves full candidates; a tokenlist combines remembered fragments. Choose the input that matches what you know.

Use fragments when appropriate

If you remember components rather than complete passwords, prepare and preview a tokenlist first:

python btcrecover.py --listpass --tokenlist tokens.txt

Once its candidate set is correct, replace the preview option with your wallet argument:

python btcrecover.py --wallet "wallet-copy.dat" --tokenlist tokens.txt --autosave recovery.save

Choose a new save filename for a new search. Treat the candidate files, logs, and recovery outputs as sensitive.

Resume and interpret the result

python btcrecover.py --restore recovery.save

Keep the original search inputs unchanged when resuming. An exhausted run means the configured candidates did not match; it does not establish that recovery is impossible. Recheck the wallet format and the assumptions before increasing the search.

A found password still needs validation against the intended wallet. Verify the expected accounts or addresses in trusted wallet software before considering the recovery complete.