CHECKPOINTS File

What are CHECKPOINTS files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CHECKPOINTS file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your CHECKPOINTS files.

What is a CHECKPOINTS file?

A .CHECKPOINTS file is a Multibit Blockchain Checkpoints Data file.

Multibit Blockchain Checkpoints Data files store predetermined points in the bitcoin blockchain used by the Multibit wallet software to speed up the initial synchronization of the blockchain without downloading every block from the network. These files hold a list of block heights paired with known block hashes so that the wallet can quickly verify that its local chain is consistent up to those points.

These checkpoint files are generated and provided by Multibit (also called "Multibit Classic" or in its code "MultiBit Service"). They are shipped with the wallet installation and may be copied into the user's application data folder on first use so that each user has a local copy. The wallet reads them during startup to establish trust anchors which reduce the workload during blockchain catch-up.

The format begins with the ASCII header "CHECKPOINTS" at the very start of the file (offset zero).

How to open CHECKPOINTS files

Important: Different programs may use files with the CHECKPOINTS file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your CHECKPOINTS file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

We have not yet verified any programs for Windows that work with this specific file format. If you know one, please use the 'Suggest a program' link below. Thanks!

Last updated: August 31, 2026

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