Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to commonly asked questions
Getting started
Go to MetaMask.io and click the “Download” button, which will take you to the relevant store to download the extension or app based on the device and browser you’re using.
You can use the same MetaMask wallet on both Mobile and Extension.
Simply install MetaMask and import your existing wallet using your Secret Recovery Phrase.
⚠️ Importing an existing wallet into a new installation of the MetaMask extension and/or app is one of the only times you’ll ever need to input your Secret Recovery Phrase. If any application or extension unexpectedly asks you for your Secret Recovery Phrase, make sure you’re in the right place.
Technically, no. You can accept signature requests from sites without any value in your account. Having cryptocurrencies in your MetaMask account (such as ETH, ERC-20, ERC-721, or ERC-1155 tokens) will allow you to invest, trade, play games, own unique digital items (NFT collectibles), and much more.
You can easily buy tokens directly within MetaMask by clicking “Buy”. Different networks and payment methods are available, though your options will depend on your region. You can also request funds from a friend by sending them a payment request, showing your QR code in person, or by sharing your public address.
You can send ETH and tokens from another wallet to a new MetaMask account. Simply copy your new MetaMask public address and go to your existing wallet or exchange to send funds to your new wallet address.
You can find your MetaMask address under account name (in the format 0x12r45…6HJ9).
Click/tap the “Send” button on your wallet homepage.
Manage my digital assets
ETH and any ETH-based token (ERC-20, ERC-721, and more). You may need to manually import some tokens to see them within MetaMask.
Yes, although currently only on MetaMask Mobile. There is an “NFTs” tab on the home screen of your mobile wallet.
Yes! Use our Swaps feature to swap tokens inside MetaMask.
MetaMask currently supports Trezor, Ledger, Lattice, Keystone, and AirGap Vault on Extension, and Mobile supports Keystone. We’re working on adding more hardware wallets to Mobile.
Payments
An Ethereum address is a unique identifier that serves as a virtual location for your Ether and other tokens; think of it like your bank account number. See here for more information.
On Mobile, tap the “Send” button on the homepage, or tap “Receive” to show your QR code, copy your address, or request payment.
On Extension, you can also send by clicking the “Send” button. To receive funds, copy your public address and paste it into the platform you’re sending from, or share it with the sender.
Swaps
It’s as easy as hitting the Swap button, either on Extension or Mobile. Here’s a quick demo to help you get started: https://youtu.be/zeu-a-W2qJQ
A Swap may fail for various reasons, although the failure rate is low. The most common is when a transaction runs ‘out of gas’. The ‘out of gas’ error occurs when all the gas that was allocated for the transaction is consumed before the Swap could complete. To prevent an ‘out of gas’ transaction failure, we recommend using the default Network Fee amount that is provided by MetaMask. When a Swap fails, some of the gas fees may be consumed by the network, but the asset you wished to swap from will remain in your MetaMask wallet.
If a Swap fails, your funds will always be safe in your wallet. If your Swap fails more than once, please contact Support so we can investigate the underlying cause.
Behind the scenes, MetaMask Swaps automatically aggregates available liquidity from leading DEXs and Professional Market Makers. If you can’t find a token, it likely lacks the sufficient amount of liquidity.
Slippage refers to the difference between the expected price of a trade and the price at which the trade is executed. Slippage is most prevalent with larger orders and during periods of higher volatility.
ERC-20 tokens are deployed with functionality that allows other smart contracts to move tokens. By approving the smart contracts, it now has permission to execute the peer to peer swapping behavior on your behalf. The Spend Limit permission is the total amount of tokens that are able to move when using MetaMask Swap. By default, we set the allowance to a high value, so you don’t have to approve your tokens every time you want to Swap, but you can always configure a lower amount using a Custom Spend Limit.
A service fee of 0.875% is automatically factored into each quote to support ongoing development to make MetaMask even better.
Security
Backup your Secret Recovery Phrase
MetaMask requires that you store your Secret Recovery Phrase in a safe place. It is the only way to recover your funds should your device crash or your browser reset. We recommend you to write it down. The most common method is to write your 12-word phrase on a piece of paper and store it safely in a place where only you have access. Note: if you lose your Secret Recovery Phrase, MetaMask can’t help you recover your wallet. Never give you Secret Recovery Phrase or your private key(s) to anyone or any site, unless you want them to have full control over your funds.
Use MetaMask on a personal device
MetaMask stores the Secret Recovery Phrase, passwords, and private keys in an encrypted format locally on the device where it’s installed.
With your wallet’s Secret Recovery Phrase. MetaMask can only load one Secret Recovery Phrase at a time. If you already have a wallet, select the “import Secret Recovery Phrase” option when you set up your wallet.
You can add an additional “loose” account (accounts added with a private key/JSON file) to MetaMask using a private key or JSON file. Please note: your Secret Recovery Phrase will not recover any “loose accounts”. Make sure to keep BOTH your Secret Recovery Phrase and private keys (for any accounts not derived from your Secret Recovery Phrase, such as imported accounts) securely stored to recover all your accounts.
If you cannot remember your password, you must restore your account using your Secret Recovery Phrase and create a new password. See our article for more information.
The Secret Recovery Phrase is the last resort when it comes to recovering an account. There are ways to try to find and restore the Secret Recovery Phrase on a computer his requires access to the computer with the installation of MetaMask or a backup of the computer.
When using MetaMask with sites
MetaMask keeps your wallet data private unless you authorize permission to share your account address. You will see a MetaMask confirmation when websites request access to view your account address.
When using MetaMask for transactions
Transactions made using MetaMask are registered on Ethereum blockchain and are publicly available. If someone knows your account address, they can see the transaction is made by you because accounts on the Ethereum network are pseudonymous.
MetaMask requires that you store your Secret Recovery Phrase in a safe place. It is the only way to recover your funds should your device crash or your browser reset. We recommend you to write it down. The most common method is to write your 12-word phrase on a piece of paper and store it safely in a place where only you have access. Note: if you lose your Secret Recovery Phrase, MetaMask can’t help you recover your wallet. Never give your Secret Recovery Phrase or your private key(s) to anyone or any site, unless you want them to have full control over your funds.
MetaMask stores the Secret Recovery Phrase, passwords, and private keys in an encrypted format locally on the device where it’s installed.
It may be possible to recover your Secret Recovery Phrase by using the vault decryptor, which is available on both Extenson and Mobile.
Troubleshooting: Support FAQs
Please ensure you are on the latest version of MetaMask. If the issue persists, please contact support with details so that we can investigate the cause.
This is typically caused by a bad network connection. We recommend trying a different network.
You may need to add your custom token to MetaMask in order to see it.
The best method is to get in touch via the “Start a Conversation” button on the Support page. See here for more information.
Either get in touch with Support via the “Start a Conversation” button on the Support page, or submit a bug report on the MetaMask Github.
We recommend reaching out to the site first. If they are unable to assist you, hit the “Start a Conversation” button on our Support page, and we may be able to help.
Extension updates automatically whenever you lock and unlock the app. Mobile may update automatically, but this depends on your device settings. To learn more about updates, see this article.
Additional Support & Content
Our knowledge base, located on the Support page, has a huge range of articles on different topics. You can learn more about the Ethereum network at Ethereum.org. If you still need assistance, feel free to contact Support.
MetaMask keeps your wallet data private unless you authorize permission to share your account address. You will see a MetaMask confirmation when websites request access to view your account address.
Transactions made using MetaMask are recorded on the blockchain and are publicly available. Others can only identify your transactions on block explorers (such as Etherscan) if they know your account’s public address.