π¦ How to Use MetaMask A Beginner's Guide
In about five minutes you can have a wallet that only you control, ready to hold crypto and connect to apps.
MetaMask is a self-custody wallet: you hold the keys, not a company. It works as a browser extension or a phone app, and it's the usual front door to Ethereum and similar networks. The order below is the order MetaMask itself walks you through.
-
1Install from the official source only
Go to metamask.io and pick "Get MetaMask," or install from the official App Store / Google Play listing. On mobile, check the app has 10M+ downloads so you don't grab a fake.
Counterfeit wallets are a common phishing trap. Never install from a link in a DM or an ad.
-
2Add the extension and pin it
On a browser, add the extension and confirm it. Then pin it to your toolbar so the fox icon is one click away.
-
3Create a new wallet
Open MetaMask and choose "Create a new wallet." If you already have a recovery phrase from before, you'd pick "Import" instead β but for a first wallet, create a new one.
-
4Set a strong password
Pick a strong, unique password you don't use anywhere else. This only unlocks the wallet on this device. It is not your recovery phrase and it cannot, on its own, recover any funds.
-
5Write down your Secret Recovery Phrase β offline
MetaMask shows your Secret Recovery Phrase, usually 12 words. Write it on paper and store it offline in two safe places. Those words are the real keys to your money.
Never put the phrase in notes apps, email, cloud drives, or screenshots. People have been drained because the words sat in a cloud backup.
-
6Confirm the phrase to finish
MetaMask asks you to re-enter the words to prove you saved them. The flow is simple: password β back up phrase β confirm phrase, and you're done.
-
7Fund the wallet
Three common ways to add crypto:
- π³ Buy in-app with a card via "Buy" (what's offered depends on your region)
- π₯ Receive crypto by sharing your public address with another wallet
- π¦ Transfer from a centralized exchange you already use
Stablecoins like USDC are a common first thing to receive.
-
8Keep some native token for gas
-
9Swap tokens or connect to a dApp
β οΈ Stay safe: common mistakes
- π Never share or type your recovery phrase into any site or popup β that alone hands over your wallet
- π£ Ignore "verify your wallet" or "2FA setup" prompts that want your 12 words; they are fakes
- πͺ€ If a site gives you a phrase to "import," walk away β it's the rotten-seed scam, and the scammer owns that wallet
- βοΈ Read what you sign; a bad approval can grant unlimited spending. You can review and cancel old approvals at revoke.cash
- β½ Don't forget gas β without the native token, transactions fail or get stuck
β FAQ
- Is the password the same as my recovery phrase?
- No. The password only unlocks MetaMask on this one device. Your Secret Recovery Phrase is what actually controls the wallet and can restore it anywhere, so the phrase is what you must protect.
- What if I lose my Secret Recovery Phrase?
- The funds are gone for good. MetaMask is self-custody, so no company holds a backup and no support team can recover it. That is why you write it on paper and keep it offline in two places.
- Will MetaMask support ever ask for my recovery phrase?
- Never. Anyone asking you to type your 12 words into a website, popup, or chat is a scammer. Real support and real apps never need your phrase.
- Why did my transaction fail or get stuck?
- Usually you ran out of the network's native token for gas. On Ethereum you need ETH, on Polygon you need MATIC. Keep a little of the native token so transactions can go through.