Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to commonly asked questions
Getting started
Go to MetaMask.io/download.
Select your platform:MetaMask is available for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Edge and Opera as a browser extension.MetaMask mobile app is available for iOS and Android.You can also use MetaMask on the web.
You can use the same MetaMask wallet on both MetaMask Extension and MetaMask App. Just download the MetaMask App on your mobile device, and import your existing wallet using your Secret Recovery Phrase.
Note: importing an existing wallet into a new installation of the MetaMask Extension and/or MetaMask 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.No, you do not need cryptocurrency to use MetaMask wallet. You can accept signature requests from sites without any value in your account. Having cryptocurrencies in your MetaMask wallet – 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 will be available depending on your region.
You can also request crypto 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. Just 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. It starts with 0x and consists of 40 alphanumeric characters, for example: 0x12r45...6HJ9.On MetaMask Extension, click the Send button on your MetaMask wallet homepage.
On MetaMask App, tap the center menu button, which has two arrows in opposite directions and is located on the bottom of your homepage screen. Then, tap Send.
MetaMask’s Sell feature allows you to easily cash out your crypto assets to fiat currency – e.g. USD, EUR, GBP. You can sell crypto for cash directly to your destination of choice where available, like your bank account or PayPal. Learn more about how to sell crypto for cash with MetaMask.
Combined with the Buy feature, MetaMask’s Sell feature enables you to have an easy, secure, and self-sufficient crypto experience – with fewer intermediaries and faster cash to fiat to cash conversions.You can find your MetaMask wallet address under Account Name, in the format 0x12r45...6HJ9. Find out more about how to locate and copy your wallet address.
Manage my digital assets
MetaMask wallet supports ETH, any ETH-based tokens – such as ERC-20, ERC-721, ERC-1155 and more and SOL and SOL based tokens. You may need to manually import some tokens to see them within MetaMask. Some of the tokens MetaMask supports include: Ether (ETH), USD Coin (USDC), Tether (USDT), Solana (SOL), Polygon MATIC (MATIC), Chainlink (LINK), Maker (MKR), Uniswap (UNI), Dogelon Mars (ELON), Yearn.Finance (YFI), Enjin Coin (ENJ), Ankr Network (ANKR), JasmyCoin (JASMY), Pendle Coin (PENDLE), Worldcoin (WLD), XYO Network (XYO), Cartesi (CTSI), SushiSwap (SUSHI), AAVE (AAVE), Curve DAO Token (CRV), Eigenlayer (EIGEN)... Please see here for the tokens MetaMask Web supports.
Yes, MetaMask is compatible with ETH and any ETH-based token including ERC-20, ERC-721, ERC-1155 and more.
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 our article on Ethereum address for more information.
On MetaMask App, 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
A Swap may fail for various reasons, although MetaMask Swaps failure rate is low. The most common reason 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.
MetaMask Swaps automatically aggregate available liquidity from leading Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs) and Professional Market Makers. If you can't find a token, it likely lacks a 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. Check out the Xtreamly Slippage Predictor, a MetaMask Snap, for slippage insights and predictions, as well as volatility info.
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 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.Learn more about keeping your wallet safe in our support article.
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 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. Learn more about Secret Recovery Phrases in our support section.
