Bitcoin Core version 0.16.0 is now available from:
https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-0.16.0This is a new major version release, including new features, various bugfixes
and performance improvements, as well as updated translations.
Please report bugs using the issue tracker at GitHub:
https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issuesTo receive security and update notifications, please subscribe to:
https://bitcoincore.org/en/list/announcements/joinHow to Upgrade
==============
If you are running an older version, shut it down. Wait until it has completely
shut down (which might take a few minutes for older versions), then run the
installer (on Windows) or just copy over `/Applications/Bitcoin-Qt` (on Mac)
or `bitcoind`/`bitcoin-qt` (on Linux).
The first time you run version 0.15.0 or newer, your chainstate database will be converted to a
new format, which will take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour,
depending on the speed of your machine.
Note that the block database format also changed in version 0.8.0 and there is no
automatic upgrade code from before version 0.8 to version 0.15.0 or higher. Upgrading
directly from 0.7.x and earlier without re-downloading the blockchain is not supported.
However, as usual, old wallet versions are still supported.
Downgrading warning
-------------------
Wallets created in 0.16 and later are not compatible with versions prior to 0.16
and will not work if you try to use newly created wallets in older versions. Existing
wallets that were created with older versions are not affected by this.
Compatibility
==============
Bitcoin Core is extensively tested on multiple operating systems using
the Linux kernel, macOS 10.8+, and Windows Vista and later. Windows XP is not supported.
Bitcoin Core should also work on most other Unix-like systems but is not
frequently tested on them.
Notable changes
===============
Wallet changes
---------------
### Segwit Wallet
Bitcoin Core 0.16.0 introduces full support for segwit in the wallet and user interfaces. A new `-addresstype` argument has been added, which supports `legacy`, `p2sh-segwit` (default), and `bech32` addresses. It controls what kind of addresses are produced by `getnewaddress`, `getaccountaddress`, and `createmultisigaddress`. A `-changetype` argument has also been added, with the same options, and by default equal to `-addresstype`, to control which kind of change is used.
A new `address_type` parameter has been added to the `getnewaddress` and `addmultisigaddress` RPCs to specify which type of address to generate.
A `change_type` argument has been added to the `fundrawtransaction` RPC to override the `-changetype` argument for specific transactions.
- All segwit addresses created through `getnewaddress` or `*multisig` RPCs explicitly get their redeemscripts added to the wallet file. This means that downgrading after creating a segwit address will work, as long as the wallet file is up to date.
- All segwit keys in the wallet get an implicit redeemscript added, without it being written to the file. This means recovery of an old backup will work, as long as you use new software.
- All keypool keys that are seen used in transactions explicitly get their redeemscripts added to the wallet files. This means that downgrading after recovering from a backup that includes a segwit address will work
Note that some RPCs do not yet support segwit addresses. Notably, `signmessage`/`verifymessage` doesn't support segwit addresses, nor does `importmulti` at this time. Support for segwit in those RPCs will continue to be added in future versions.
P2WPKH change outputs are now used by default if any destination in the transaction is a P2WPKH or P2WSH output. This is done to ensure the change output is as indistinguishable from the other outputs as possible in either case.
### BIP173 (Bech32) Address support ("bc1..." addresses)
Full support for native segwit addresses (BIP173 / Bech32) has now been added.
This includes the ability to send to BIP173 addresses (including non-v0 ones), and generating these
addresses (including as default new addresses, see above).
A checkbox has been added to the GUI to select whether a Bech32 address or P2SH-wrapped address should be generated when using segwit addresses. When launched with `-addresstype=bech32` it is checked by default. When launched with `-addresstype=legacy` it is unchecked and disabled.
### HD-wallets by default
Due to a backward-incompatible change in the wallet database, wallets created
with version 0.16.0 will be rejected by previous versions. Also, version 0.16.0
will only create hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallets. Note that this only applies
to new wallets; wallets made with previous versions will not be upgraded to be HD.
### Replace-By-Fee by default in GUI
The send screen now uses BIP125 RBF by default, regardless of `-walletrbf`.
There is a checkbox to mark the transaction as final.
The RPC default remains unchanged: to use RBF, launch with `-walletrbf=1` or
use the `replaceable` argument for individual transactions.
### Wallets directory configuration (`-walletdir`)
Bitcoin Core now has more flexibility in where the wallets directory can be
located. Previously wallet database files were stored at the top level of the
bitcoin data directory. The behavior is now:
- For new installations (where the data directory doesn't already exist),
wallets will now be stored in a new `wallets/` subdirectory inside the data
directory by default.
- For existing nodes (where the data directory already exists), wallets will be
stored in the data directory root by default. If a `wallets/` subdirectory
already exists in the data directory root, then wallets will be stored in the
`wallets/` subdirectory by default.
- The location of the wallets directory can be overridden by specifying a
`-walletdir=