How to Run a Monero Node (Full or Pruned), Step by Step

To run a Monero node, download the official software from getmonero.org, verify it, start monerod (add --prune-blockchain to save disk), wait for the blockchain to sync, then point your wallet at your own address. A pruned node needs roughly 95 GB of disk space and a full node roughly 280 GB, per the Monero project's own README in June 2026. This guide covers why it is worth doing, what you need, and every step.

The short version

1. Pick a machine with an SSD and a stable connection.
2. Download the official Monero software and verify it.
3. Run monerod --prune-blockchain and let it sync.
4. Enter your node's address and port in your wallet.

Why run your own node

A wallet needs a node to read the blockchain. Most people borrow one run by someone else, a remote node. That is convenient, but the operatorcan see your IP address and the requests your wallet makes. The project's own remote node guide recommends running your own node or using one you trust.

• Privacy. Your wallet talks to a machine you control. No third party sees which outputs it is asking about.
• Trust. Your node checks every block against Monero's rules itself. It does not take anyone else's word that a transaction is valid.
• Reliability. Public nodes go offline or get busy. Yours is there when you need it, which avoids many connection errors (see wallet not connecting).
• Helping the network. Every node that stays online and shares blocks makes the network sturdier and gives new nodes a place to sync from.

Be honest about the limits. A node protects the link between your wallet and the network. It does not hide the use of Monero itself from your internet provider, who can still see you connecting to Monero peers. If that matters, route the node through Tor or a VPN you trust.

Requirements

The Monero project does not publish a formal minimum for CPU or RAM, so these are common practical choices, not official rules. Disk is the part that matters most.

The disk numbers come from the README in the monero-project repository, which listed about 280 GB for the full chain and about 95 GB pruned in June 2026. They change as the chain grows, so check the current README before buying a drive.

Full or pruned

The official monerod reference says pruning saves about two thirds of disk space without reducing wallet functionality, and recommends turning it on for the first sync. For most people, running a node for their own wallet, pruned is the right choice. Choose full if you want to help other nodes by serving the whole history. If you plan to mine with P2Pool, you need your own node as well.

Download and verify

Get the software only from the official downloads page. It includes monerod in the command line bundle. The page tells you to always verify your downloads, because a corrupted or swapped archive can cost you funds, and it points to the signed hash list for checking.

1. Download the command line tools for your system, plus the signed hash list the page links.
2. Follow the project's binary verification guide: check the signature on the list, then compare your file's hash to it.
3. Only then unpack and run.

Fake download sites are a real hazard in this space. Our guide to Monero phishing sites shows how to spot them and links the verification steps in more detail. Your antivirus may flag Monero programs, which the official downloads page also notes; that is not a reason to download from somewhere else. Here is how to tell a false alarm from a real threat.

Start monerod

Open a terminal in the folder you unpacked and start the daemon. For your own use, this is enough:

monerod --prune-blockchain --data-dir /path/to/monero-data

--prune-blockchain keeps the database small. The reference notes it should be set on the first sync, since enabling it later delays the savings. --data-dir sets where the blockchain is stored, which is useful for putting it on a large SSD. To run in the background, add --detach, or set up a service with systemd on Linux; the project's README describes the service files.

The default RPC address is local only (127.0.0.1) because the full RPC grants administrative control. Leave it that way unless you know why you are changing it.

Sync time

The first sync downloads the entire chain and checks every block. How long it takes depends mostly on your disk and connection, and the project publishes no fixed figure. Community experience is that an SSD brings it to hours or a day or two, while a hard drive can take far longer. Treat that as a rough guide, not a promise.

• The daemon prints its progress as it goes. When the height matches the network, it is caught up.
• You can use the wallet only once the node is synced, so keep a remote node set in the meantime.
• Keep the computer awake and the connection steady. Interruptions are safe; the daemon resumes where it stopped.
• After the first sync, staying current takes little work: about one new block every 2 minutes.

Connect your wallet

Give your wallet the node's address and port. On the same computer that is 127.0.0.1 and port 18081. On another device on your home network it is the computer's local address, and you will need to let the daemon listen on the network, which is an advanced step best done with restricted RPC (see below).

In the Monero GUI, the official guide describes Advanced mode, then Settings, Node, to choose between a local and a remote node and to enter an address and port. Other wallets such as Feather and Cake keep node settings in their own settings menus. If it does not connect, see fixing a wallet that cannot reach its node.

Running a public node

If you want to share your node, add restricted RPC. The reference says --restricted-rpc limits the API to view-only commands, and that a node advertised to the network needs the options below, together with an explicit acknowledgement that it listens beyond your own machine:

monerod --prune-blockchain --public-node --restricted-rpc \
  --rpc-bind-ip 0.0.0.0 --rpc-bind-port 18089 --confirm-external-bind

The README calls restricted RPC a must for a public remote node, and advises running the node on a dedicated, secured machine. Before you open a port, understand what you are taking on: bandwidth use, the risk of exposing a home network, and being responsible for keeping it updated. If you only want your own wallet to connect, skip this section.

Raspberry Pi and small machines

People do run nodes on small boards such as a Raspberry Pi. The practical recipe is a pruned node on a fast SSD, not an SD card, a good power supply, and patience for the first sync. The README documents a build on a Raspberry Pi 5B, though it gives no official performance figures. Expect the board to be busy for a while, and expect slower results than a laptop. A mini PC is often a calmer choice for an always-on node.

Keeping it updated

Monero upgrades its rules through scheduled hard forks, and the project says users and services should run current software before each one. A node that is not updated can fall off the network and stop being useful. To stay safe:

• Check the official downloads page for new releases from time to time, and read the release notes.
• Verify each download the same way as the first.
• Stop the daemon cleanly, replace the files, and start it again. Your synced data stays.
• Update your wallet too, since a wallet and node that are far apart in version can disagree.

What to do next

Once your node is synced and your wallet is pointed at it, you have the most private everyday setup Monero offers. If you have not made a wallet yet, create one or open the web wallet to try things out first. For background, read what a Monero node is and compare it with a remote node. If anything stalls, the syncing guide is the place to go.