XMR wallet scan height / calculator guide

Monero Restore Height Calculator

Use a restore height when a Monero wallet needs to rescan the blockchain from the point where your wallet history begins. If you only remember a date, estimate earlier — not later.

Short answer: estimate a block height before the first incoming XMR transaction, then add a safety buffer by moving earlier. A late height is the risky choice because it can skip real wallet history.

Open the estimatorCake Wallet restore guide

What a Monero restore height does

A restore height tells the wallet where to begin scanning the Monero blockchain. The wallet still needs your real seed phrase or keys inside the wallet application, but the height itself is only a public chain position.

For searchers who ask “what restore height should I use,” the practical answer is usually: choose a height before your wallet first received XMR. If the exact block is unknown, use a date before first use and convert it into a rough height.

The estimator on this site uses a rough 720-blocks-per-day model from Monero launch. It is intentionally conservative and should be treated as a planning shortcut, not an official historical block explorer.

How to choose a safe date buffer

If you created the wallet in June but first received XMR in July, choosing a date in May or early June is usually safer than choosing a date around the exact transaction. Older scans take longer, but they reduce the chance of hiding valid wallet history.

You know the exact first receive datePick several days earlier to account for memory, timezone, and wallet setup uncertainty.
You only know the monthPick the first day of the previous month. The scan may be slower, but it is less likely to miss history.
You inherited an old seed backupUse a much earlier date if the wallet age is unclear. Do not guess late just to save scanning time.

Too early vs too late

Too early usually costs time. The wallet scans extra blocks before it reaches your first transaction. Too late is worse: the wallet may not scan older transactions, so the restored balance can look empty or incomplete.

If your restored wallet shows a missing balance, a restore height that starts too late is one of the first things to review. Rescanning from an earlier date can fix visibility problems, but it does not replace seed phrase safety or official wallet support.

Seed phrase and privacy cautions

Never paste a seed phrase into a website, calculator, support form, screenshot, chat, or cloud note. A legitimate restore-height calculator does not need your seed, private keys, address, wallet file, or screenshots.

No wallet or restore-height setting can guarantee anonymity. Network behavior, exchange accounts, address handling, malware, and operational mistakes can still expose information.

FAQ

Is a Monero restore height calculator exact?

No. Public date-to-height calculators are planning aids. A conservative earlier height is safer than a late height because late scans can miss older transactions.

How far before my first receive date should I start?

A small buffer of several days is often reasonable for planning, and a wider buffer can be safer if you are unsure when the wallet first received XMR.

Does a restore height reveal my seed phrase?

No. Restore height is public blockchain position information. It does not reveal spend authority and should never require a seed phrase.

Run the local estimatorReturn to the XMR Restore Height Lab homepage and estimate from a first-use date. Cake Wallet restore heightRead the branded troubleshooting guide for Cake Wallet and missing XMR balance searches.