# How to look up a Bitcoin transaction

Find any Bitcoin transaction by its txid, read its status, fee and confirmations, and learn what to do when a transaction can't be found or is stuck.

Canonical page: https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/how-to-look-up-a-transaction
Topic: Using a block explorer
Published: 2026-10-29
Updated: 2026-10-30


## Find the txid
Your wallet shows a transaction ID (64 hex characters) for every payment. It may be labelled "transaction hash" or "txid". Copy it into an explorer's search.

## What to check
1. **Status:** unconfirmed, or how many [confirmations](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/bitcoin-confirmations).
1. **Outputs:** is the right amount going to the right address?
1. **Fee rate:** if it's unconfirmed, compare with current estimates. Too low? See [Replace-by-fee (RBF)](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/replace-by-fee-rbf) or [Child pays for parent (CPFP)](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/child-pays-for-parent-cpfp).

> Diagram: Once it's in a block, confirmations grow with every new block — 

## "Transaction not found"
- It hasn't reached that explorer's node yet: wait a moment.
- It was replaced by another version (RBF), so it has a new txid.
- It was dropped from mempools for a low fee. Your coins are still yours.
- For **old** confirmed transactions, a node needs an index to find one by txid alone. MyBitcoinExplorer runs a full address and transaction index, so any confirmed txid opens directly.

### Worked example: Try one
Open the [pizza transaction](/tx/a1075db55d416d3ca199f55b6084e2115b9345e16c5cf302fc80e9d5fbf5d48d?block=00000000152340ca42227603908689183edc47355204e7aca59383b0aaac1fd8) from 2010: 131 inputs, one 10,000 BTC output, and a 0.99 BTC fee.



## Stuck transaction checklist
1. Search the txid: is it still unconfirmed?
1. Compare its fee rate with our [current estimates](/fees).
1. If it's yours and your wallet allows it, bump the fee with [RBF](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/replace-by-fee-rbf).
1. If you're receiving, spend the incoming output with [CPFP](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/child-pays-for-parent-cpfp).
1. If you can do neither, wait: it will confirm when demand drops, or drop out of mempools after two weeks.

## Try a famous one
The 2010 pizza transaction opens directly from its txid: search `a1075db55d416d3ca199f55b6084e2115b9345e16c5cf302fc80e9d5fbf5d48d`.


## Key takeaways

- Search by txid to see status, outputs and fee.
- A missing transaction may be pending, replaced or dropped, not lost.
- Old transactions need a txid index or the block hash.

## Common questions

### How long until my transaction shows up?

Usually seconds after broadcast. Confirmation takes until the next block that includes it.

### Can I find a transaction by amount?

Not directly in most explorers. Search by txid, address or block.

### How do I check if a Bitcoin payment arrived?

Search the txid or your receiving address on MyBitcoinExplorer and check the status and confirmations.

### Can I cancel a Bitcoin transaction?

Only before it confirms, by replacing it with RBF, if your wallet supports it.

## Related lessons

- [How to read a block explorer](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/how-to-read-a-block-explorer)
- [Transaction IDs (txid)](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/transaction-id-txid)
- [What is a Bitcoin confirmation?](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/bitcoin-confirmations)
- [What is the Bitcoin mempool?](https://mybitcoinexplorer.com/learn/what-is-the-mempool)