<p>The network contains those transactions (either in nodes' mempool or block) and you will receive your Bitcoins when you are back online.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T10:17:16.117Z
So my wallet download all blocks automatically in the background?
Suriyaa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T10:24:13.443Z
.......... Yes.
tuxcanfly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T10:12:17.893Z
2017-08-17T10:12:17.893Z
tuxcanfly
<p>Money (BTC transaction) is being send from one wallet to another,</p>

<p>that is being recorded in a book (public ledger),</p>

<p>which is written by many people (miners) and</p>

<p>kept securely by other people (BTC nodes)</p>

<p>Once written in the Book, it is never changed</p>

<p>When you open your wallet next time, what it does is, it simply checks this book, and reports to you how much balance you have, with an update if you received a new transaction between the last time you opened the book and now.</p>

<p>I hope this answers your query.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-18T17:52:00.323Z
2017-08-18T17:52:00.323Z
remedcu
<p>Yes. You can even send bitcoins to '<a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Cold_storage" rel="nofollow noreferrer">cold storage</a>' or a '<a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Brainwallet" rel="nofollow noreferrer">brainwallet</a>', which is pretty amazing IMHO!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T14:34:27.023Z
2017-08-17T14:34:27.023Z
Dan Bolser
<h3>Solution</h3>

<p><strong>This works fine.</strong></p>

<p>The bitcoins will appear next time I start my wallet application. (<a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/58208/27642">Read tuxcanfly answer</a>)</p>

<p>Bitcoins are not actually received by the software (wallet) on my computer, they are appended to a public ledger that is shared between all the devices on the Bitcoin network. (<a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/58206/what-if-i-receive-bitcoins-when-my-device-is-powered-off#comment66445_58206">Read SPRBRN comment</a>)</p>

<p>If someone sent bitcoins when my wallet client program is not running and I launch it later, it will download all blocks and catch up with any transactions it did not already know about, and the bitcoins will eventually appear as if they were just received in real time.</p>

<p><em>My wallet is only needed when I wish to spend bitcoins!</em></p>

<h3>Helpful resources</h3>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://bitcoin.org/en/faq#what-if-i-receive-a-bitcoin-when-my-computer-is-powered-off" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://bitcoin.org/en/faq#what-if-i-receive-a-bitcoin-when-my-computer-is-powered-off</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weusecoins.com/en/questions/#what-if-i-receive-a-bitcoin-when-my-computer-is-powered-off" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.weusecoins.com/en/questions/#what-if-i-receive-a-bitcoin-when-my-computer-is-powered-off</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T10:36:22.520Z
2017-08-17T10:36:22.520Z
Suriyaa
<p>What happens if I receive bitcoins when my computer or smartphone is not online or powered off?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T10:12:21.543Z
My guess is that the transaction is processed in the ledger. When you go online and login, this transaction is read by your bitcoin client.
SPRBRN
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-17T10:15:09.133Z
So if I launch my wallet, it will download all blocks and catch up with any transactions it didn't already know about, right?
Suriyaa
<bitcoin-core><offline><receiving>
What if I receive bitcoins when my device is powered off?
Suriyaa
# What if I receive bitcoins when my device is powered off?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-17)

What happens if I receive bitcoins when my computer or smartphone is not online or powered off?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, offline, receiving

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: My guess is that the transaction is processed in the ledger. When you go online and login, this transaction is read by your bitcoin client.  
> **username_0**: So if I launch my wallet, it will download all blocks and catch up with any transactions it didn't already know about, right?  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2017-08-17. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

### Solution

**This works fine.**

The bitcoins will appear next time I start my wallet application. ([Read username_2 answer](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/58208/27642))

Bitcoins are not actually received by the software (wallet) on my computer, they are appended to a public ledger that is shared between all the devices on the Bitcoin network. ([Read username_1 comment](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/58206/what-if-i-receive-bitcoins-when-my-device-is-powered-off#comment66445_58206))

If someone sent bitcoins when my wallet client program is not running and I launch it later, it will download all blocks and catch up with any transactions it did not already know about, and the bitcoins will eventually appear as if they were just received in real time.

*My wallet is only needed when I wish to spend bitcoins!*

### Helpful resources

* <https://bitcoin.org/en/faq#what-if-i-receive-a-bitcoin-when-my-computer-is-powered-off>
* <https://www.weusecoins.com/en/questions/#what-if-i-receive-a-bitcoin-when-my-computer-is-powered-off>


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### Answer by username_2 on 2017-08-17. Score: 2

The network contains those transactions (either in nodes' mempool or block) and you will receive your Bitcoins when you are back online.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So my wallet download all blocks automatically in the background?  
> **username_2**: .......... Yes.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-08-18. Score: 1

Money (BTC transaction) is being send from one wallet to another,

that is being recorded in a book (public ledger),

which is written by many people (miners) and

kept securely by other people (BTC nodes)

Once written in the Book, it is never changed

When you open your wallet next time, what it does is, it simply checks this book, and reports to you how much balance you have, with an update if you received a new transaction between the last time you opened the book and now.

I hope this answers your query.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-08-17. Score: 1

Yes. You can even send bitcoins to '[cold storage](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Cold_storage)' or a '[brainwallet](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Brainwallet)', which is pretty amazing IMHO!


---

