# Backup Pandacoin Wallet

## Backup Pandacoin wallet

Your wallet is a file on your computer called **`wallet.dat`**. That file **is** your coins. Lose it and forget your password, and the PND is gone forever — no recovery, no support ticket can fix it.

Backing up takes under a minute. Do it now.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Back up before you deposit any PND.** Seriously. Then back up again after you generate new receiving addresses or change your wallet password.
{% endhint %}

### Option 1 — use the wallet's built-in backup

The easiest way. From inside the Pandacoin client:

1. Open the **File** menu.
2. Click **Backup Wallet…**
3. Choose a safe location and save the file.

<figure><img src="https://3195711364-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-Ma1DXKIiUS1a49GvEno%2F-Mb1VV4vL-kujzdNI_DK%2F-Mb1VjXnOOkJM3iLrhQa%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=89119030-3f73-4c86-8aca-11cdd01ce256" alt=""><figcaption><p><code>wallet.dat</code> is the file that matters.</p></figcaption></figure>

### Option 2 — copy `wallet.dat` manually

If the wallet is closed (or you just want a raw copy), locate your Pandacoin data directory and grab the file yourself.

<table><thead><tr><th width="140">Platform</th><th>Default location</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Windows</strong></td><td><code>%appdata%\Pandacoin\</code></td></tr><tr><td><strong>macOS</strong></td><td><code>~/Library/Application Support/Pandacoin/</code></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Linux</strong></td><td><code>~/.pandacoin/</code></td></tr></tbody></table>

Inside, find the file named **`wallet.dat`** and copy it to a safe location.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Close the wallet first** before copying `wallet.dat` manually. Copying it while the wallet is running can produce a corrupted backup.
{% endhint %}

### Where to store the backup

One copy isn't enough. Aim for **at least two**, on different devices, and ideally one of them offline.

* ✅ **External USB stick / hard drive** — keep it in a drawer, not plugged in.
* ✅ **Encrypted cloud storage** — fine as long as the wallet is password-protected.
* ✅ **Second physical location** — a copy at a friend's / family member's / safety deposit box is how you survive a house fire.
* ❌ **Only on the same machine the wallet runs on.** A failed drive = lost coins.
* ❌ **Only in your email inbox** in plain text — especially if the wallet isn't password-protected.

### Encrypt your wallet

If you haven't already, encrypt the wallet with a password: **Settings → Encrypt Wallet…** This protects `wallet.dat` even if someone steals the file. Use a strong password you won't forget — there's no "forgot password" link.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**If you encrypt the wallet and forget the password, your PND is gone.** Write the password down somewhere safe. Nobody — including us — can recover it.
{% endhint %}

### When to back up again

* After **creating a new wallet**.
* After **generating new receiving addresses** (the default Pandacoin wallet creates these periodically; your backup may not contain them).
* After **changing your wallet password**.
* Any time you've done something you don't want to redo.

### Related guides


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