Update the operating system
Install pending security updates first. A wallet cannot protect keys on a compromised system.
System Requirements
MultiBit is a lightweight wallet, so it does not need the disk space or bandwidth of a full node. Check your operating system, storage, and connection before installing.
Beyond hardware
Choose the computer and the folder
Any current desktop meets the hardware bar. The real requirement is trust: during setup you pick a folder on this computer for the wallet file, and your keys stay there.
- Best: a personal computer that only you use and keep updated.
- Be careful: a work computer, where someone else controls the installed software.
- Avoid: public, shared, or borrowed machines.
Requirements for v0.18.0
Windows
64-bit desktop edition.
macOS
Desktop edition for current macOS releases.
Linux
64-bit desktop distributions.
Memory and processor
Any computer that runs a current desktop operating system comfortably.
Storage
Space for the application and wallet data. No full blockchain download is needed.
Internet
Required for synchronization and sending. Viewing saved history works offline.
Before you install
Prepare offline storage for recovery words
Decide where the written words will live before setup asks you to record them.
Check your firewall
The wallet needs outgoing connections to Bitcoin peers to synchronize and send.
Allow time for the first sync
The first run downloads block headers. Keep the computer online until the status reads up to date.
Ready to set up?
The manual covers verifying the installer, recording recovery words, and the first synchronization.