The short answer
Where to get the legacy software
The current multibit.org domain should not be treated as the original official project archive. Only use preserved original release records — archived snapshots of the original release files and the archived MultiBit repositories — and verify every file before running it:
- MultiBit Classic — the 2011–2017 wallet with
.wallet/.keyfiles. - MultiBit HD — the 2014–2017 wallet with 12-, 18- or 24-word seed phrases and
mbhd.wallet.aesfiles.
Downloading and running abandoned wallet software is a last resort, not the normal recovery method. If you have your seed phrase (HD) or exported private keys, restore directly in a modern wallet and skip the old software entirely.
MultiBit Classic 0.5.18 — the preserved installers
These are the original MultiBit Classic 0.5.18 release files, preserved on the Internet Archive — the original multibit.org download servers were taken offline after the project ended. They exist so you can open an old wallet and export your keys. Verify the SHA-256 checksum on each card against the original release notes before opening anything, and run the wallet offline if possible.
Looking for a different version — 0.5.19, MultiBit HD or an older release? Look only at the preserved original release records — never random sites, ads or app stores.
MultiBit Classic versions: 0.5.18 and 0.5.19
MultiBit Classic 0.5.19 was the later Classic release. Some preserved archives may contain 0.5.18, but it should not be described as the final version. The preserved 0.5.18 installers above are the complete, checksum-verified set; we do not link other builds directly. For 0.5.19, MultiBit HD or older releases, look only at the preserved original release records and verify each file yourself — version, source, hash, signature and archive provenance must all agree before you run anything.
How to verify your download
- Confirm the file comes from a preserved original release record — the current
multibit.orgdomain is not the original archive. - Compare the file hash with the one listed on the archive page.
- Run a malware scan on the downloaded installer before opening it.
- Install it on a machine you can disconnect from the internet afterwards.
Running MultiBit on a modern computer
MultiBit is Java-based software built for older operating systems. Common issues and workarounds:
- macOS: you may need to right-click → Open to bypass Gatekeeper, or install an older Java runtime.
- Windows: Windows may flag the unsigned installer; allow it only if the file came from a preserved original release record and its hash matches.
- Linux: the classic versions run best on OpenJDK 8; modern JDKs sometimes break the GUI.
- Can't run it at all? You don't need the old software. Restore your HD seed phrase or import your exported keys directly in Electrum.
Do you even need to download MultiBit?
For most people, no. If you have your seed phrase (HD) or exported private keys, you can skip the old software entirely and restore straight into a modern wallet. Downloading MultiBit is only necessary when you still need to open a wallet to export keys from it.