Litecoin (LTC) was cheered as digital silver for a long time and LTC ranked second in market capitalization right behind Bitcoin for many years. The tide has turned since and Ethereum has firmly taken this place. Especially early adopters relied on the Litecoin Core wallet while hardware wallets have become much more attractive for many users in the meantime.
Litecoin is originally a fork of Bitcoin, which is why the recovery for Litecoin Core wallets also bears a high resemblance to the Bitcoin Core wallet recovery process. If you have forgotten or lost your password you ultimately lack the possibility to decrypt the so-called “wallet.dat”. This is a file that is stored separately from the installation directory of the Litecoin Core wallet and in which all private keys are stored. It is these private keys that allow you to access your LTC.
How to Recover Litecoin Core Wallet if You’ve Forgotten Your Password
If you’ve lost access or perhaps found an old wallet to which access is missing, the first thing to do is to stay calm. Only with a clear mind can you avoid further mistakes in your Litecoin Core wallet recovery process.
Here’s a list of first aid measures if you don’t have your Litecoin Core wallet password anylonger:
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Don’t stress out and don’t put any more pressure on yourself. Sure, it might be hard, but with a little distance, you might remember more than if you try to think about the problem all the time.
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In any case, make a backup of the wallet.dat of your Litecoin core wallet now at the latest. Because the file must not be lost.
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Often you still have fragments of your password in your memory. Write them down and try different combinations if necessary. Keep a written record of every password that doesn’t work. That way, you have an exclusion list that can be useful later and which saves you time for mistakenly trying the same combinations again.
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Look for other ways to recover your wallet. One way to do this is to import private keys but you have to back them up first.
If you still can’t access the wallet or remember the password, then you should consult with experts. At ReWallet, we have the knowledge, experience and technical means to recover your Litecoins. We have had very good experience with Litecoin Core wallet recovery so far.
However, we can’t and don’t want to make any general statements about the chances of success because the recovery depends very much on the details of your case. Once you’ve provided the details of your case through our wallet recovery services contact form, our dedicated team will reach out to you and offer you an initial evaluation for the chances of success for recovering your wallet.
We are in the same boat. Our success-based fee only applies if we successfully recover your Litecoin Core wallet. Otherwise, regardless of the time and resources invested, our work is free of charge.
Where to find your Litecoin Core wallet.dat File
The base for recovering your Litecoin Core wallet is the previously mentioned “wallet.dat” file, containing your private keys. You can find your wallet.dat file - depending on the operating system - in the following directories:
Linux: /home/username/.litecoin/
MacOS: /Users/username/Library/Application Support/Litecoin
Windows: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Litecoin
Frequently Asked Questions on Litecoin Core Wallet Recovery
How can I import my wallet.dat into Litecoin Core?
The requirement for this is that a backup of your Litecoin Core wallet is available (wallet.dat). In order to import it, you have to go through the following steps:
1. Download Litecoin Core, start it and close it again.
2. Now search for the directory in which a new wallet.dat was created. The location differs depending on the operating system.
3. Replace the found wallet.dat with your backup. Make sure that the exact same file name is used.
4. After starting and synchronizing Litecoin Core with the blockchain, you have restored your wallet and you can see your balance.
How do I create a backup of my wallet.dat?
The location of your wallet file varies depending on your operating system. In any case, you should create a backup of your wallet.dat and keep it safe. Our guide on creating [safe passwords and backups](https://rewallet.de/en/blog/passwords-and-backups/), will provide you with actionable steps to safeguard your Litecoin Core, or other wallet.
Can Litecoins support help me to restore my wallet?
No, since Litecoin Core is a self-custodial wallet, you are on your own when it comes to restoring your wallet. Nonetheless, this does not mean that you will be locked out of your funds forever. [Wallet recovery services](https://rewallet.de/en/#start) , like ReWallet can help recover your Litecoin Core wallet, when certain conditions are met.
