How do I run a pruned node with monerod?

You run a pruned Monero node by starting monerod, the Monero node program, with the --prune-blockchain option. It still checks the blockchain’s rules, but saves disk space by keeping only part of the older transaction proof data instead of all of it.

Start your node with pruning enabled

Get the current Monero command-line tools from the official Monero project. Check the download’s authenticity using the project’s verification instructions before running it.

Extract the tools, open a terminal in that folder, and run:

./monerod --prune-blockchain

On Windows PowerShell, use:

.\monerod.exe --prune-blockchain

Your node will start downloading and checking the blockchain—the shared history of Monero transactions. If this is your first run, pruning happens as it builds the local database.

To choose where that database lives, add --data-dir:

./monerod --prune-blockchain --data-dir /path/to/monero-data

Replace the example path with a real folder. Keep using that same folder on later starts, or you may accidentally start a separate download.

Make pruning part of your settings

Instead of typing the option every time, put this line in a plain-text configuration file:

prune-blockchain=1

For example, save it as monerod.conf, then start your node with:

./monerod --config-file /path/to/monerod.conf

Configuration entries do not use the leading -- that command-line options use. If you choose a custom data folder, you can also add a data-dir entry to this file.

Once pruning has been applied, restarting without the flag does not restore the discarded data. Keeping the setting in your configuration makes your intended setup clear.

Understand what pruning saves

Monero pruning can reduce blockchain storage substantially—often by roughly two-thirds compared with an unpruned database. The exact saving changes with the blockchain and software version, so avoid treating a particular disk-size estimate as permanent.

A pruned node:

• Still independently verifies Monero’s blockchain rules.
• Keeps transaction history information needed for normal wallet use.
• Retains a portion of older proof data so it can help other nodes sync.
• Does not keep every historical proof available for other nodes to download.

Pruning is mainly a disk-space saving, not a shortcut around verification. Your first sync can still take considerable time and bandwidth. An SSD generally makes the process much smoother than a mechanical hard drive.

If you already have a full database

Starting an existing full node with --prune-blockchain prunes its database, but the database file generally does not shrink on disk. The freed space inside it can be reused as the blockchain grows.

To reclaim disk space immediately, you have two practical choices:

• Use the official monero-blockchain-prune utility, which creates a pruned copy. Stop monerod first, check the utility’s --help instructions, and allow extra space for the copy.
• Start a fresh pruned sync in a separate data folder.

Do not delete wallet files or replace a working database without checking your paths and backups. During an interactive node session, type status to check sync progress and exit for a clean shutdown.

The bottom line

For a new node, monerod --prune-blockchain is the straightforward choice. Wait until it is fully synced before relying on it for solo mining or P2Pool; pruning itself does not prevent either use. Keep the node’s control interface local unless you understand how to secure remote access.