To test if my wallet.dat encryption password is correct, MUST I spend coins?
As you are using the Bitcoin Core wallet you can look at the right bottom if your wallet is locked or unlocked in the padlock icon.
Go to Window &gt; Console and type: walletpassphrase &quot;your passphrase&quot; 60
After you type this command and you get an Error &quot;The wallet passphrase entered was incorrect&quot; that means your passphrase is wrong so you can try it again by typing the command again.
If you can enter the correct passphrase you will get &quot;null&quot; as a response and you will see the padlock icon as unlocked.