What does the `--start-mining` option do in monerod?
The --start-mining option tells monerod, Monero’s node software, to start its built-in solo CPU miner and send any block reward you earn to the wallet address you provide. It does not connect you to a mining pool or start P2Pool, and it does not guarantee regular payments.
What the option starts
Normally, monerod downloads and checks Monero’s blockchain—the shared record of transactions—and communicates with other nodes. Running it alone does not automatically mean you are mining.
Adding --start-mining also tells your computer’s CPU, its main processor, to search for a valid new block. The built-in miner uses RandomX, Monero’s mining algorithm, or set of rules for doing that work.
Your node needs to be synchronized with the network for useful mining on the current chain. This flag is not a shortcut around downloading and checking the blockchain.
Because this is solo mining, you receive no small payments for unsuccessful attempts. You earn a reward only if you find a block that the network accepts.
How you use it
A basic command looks like this:
monerod --start-mining YOUR_MONERO_ADDRESS --mining-threads 2
Replace YOUR_MONERO_ADDRESS with your own Monero main wallet address. Do not type the placeholder literally.
The two options do different jobs:
--start-miningenables mining and specifies the address that receives your block reward.--mining-threads 2tells the miner to use two CPU threads—two streams of processing work.
If you leave out --mining-threads, the default is one mining thread. More threads do not always mean better results. CPU cache, memory speed, temperature, and competing tasks can limit performance.
You do not need to keep your wallet application open. The node needs your public receiving address, not your wallet password, private keys, or recovery phrase. Never put those secrets into this command.
What to expect while it runs
Mining adds CPU work on top of the node’s normal activity. You may notice higher electricity use, more heat, louder fans, or a less responsive computer.
In the interactive monerod console, you can use:
mining_status
to check mining activity, and:
stop_mining
to stop mining without shutting down your node. Stopping it this way does not remove --start-mining from your launch command; starting the program again with that option will request mining again.
A successful block currently provides a base reward of about 0.6 XMR, plus transaction fees. Newly mined coins remain locked for 60 blocks, roughly two hours. Your chance of finding a block depends on your mining speed compared with the whole network; use current network data and a live calculator rather than expecting a fixed income.
The bottom line
Use --start-mining when you specifically want monerod to mine solo with your CPU. If you are running a node to support P2Pool, this flag is not what connects your mining work to P2Pool—you configure that separately.
