Data directory
The Litecoin data directory contains the files necessary for the Litecoin client to run. Each operating system has its own standards for where such directories should be stored, as seen in the table below. For the user, the most important files in the data directory are the wallet.dat and litecoin.conf files. The blockchain is also stored in the data directory.
Location of data directory
Operating system | Default data directory location | Typical path to configuration file |
---|---|---|
Linux | $HOME/.litecoin/ | /home/<username>/.litecoin/litecoin.conf |
Mac | $HOME/Library/Application Support/Litecoin/ | /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Litecoin/litecoin.conf |
Windows | %APPDATA%\Litecoin\ | XP -- C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Litecoin\litecoin.conf
Vista, 7 -- C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Litecoin\litecoin.conf |
Portable Litecoin - choosing a data directory
Changing the data directory from the default location is extremely simple. Launching your litecoin client (litecoind or litecoin-qt) with the flag -datadir=<newfolder> is the simplest method of running Litecoin from any directory you choose. This method is extremely useful for running the client on a USB key, for example.
In Windows, you can make a shortcut to the Litecoin executable file and enter the properties page (right click, Properties). You can easily append the -datadir
flag to the run path: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Litecoin\litecoin-qt.exe" -datadir=F:\Litecoin
- Note: You can not run Litecoin from the root directory (eg:
F:\
), it must be run from its own subdirectory (F:\Litecoin
).
If you've already run the Litecoin client, you just need to move the files from the default data directory to your new directory.