© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.
Okay, picture this: it's late night, I'm messing around with some Cardano dApps, and my old wallet glitches out. Funds frozen. Panic mode. Switched to Flint right then, set it up in like 5 minutes, and boom - everything back online. That's when I knew this thing was a keeper. Super simple browser extension for Cardano, handles ADA, staking, NFTs, all that jazz. If you're dipping into Cardano and want something straightforward, stick with me. We'll get you from zero to sending your first transaction without the headaches.
The thing is, Flint's not some bloated app. It's lightweight, pins right to your Chrome or Brave toolbar, and plays nice with hardware wallets too. In my experience, it's perfect if you're new or just hate complicated setups. Why bother? Fees are tiny - like 0.17 ADA minimum for most sends - and it supports Mainnet for real deals. Testnet if you're playing around.
Look, first rule: official site only. Head to flintwallet.io or whatever the pinned link is from their Twitter. Don't trust random Google results. I usually right click and verify the URL starts with https and has the right domain.
Hit "Download Flint Now." Takes you to Chrome Web Store. Click Add to Chrome. Boom, permission pop up - approve it. Now pin that puzzle icon up top, find Flint, pin it to your toolbar. Super short process. Takes 30 seconds.
One gotcha: if you're on Firefox, might not work yet. Stick to Chromium browsers. Sound familiar? Happens to everyone first time.
Now the critical part. It'll spit out your recovery phrase - 12, 15, or 24 words. Write it down on paper. Not your phone notes. Not a screenshot. Offline, safe spot. Lose this? Your ADA's gone forever. I keep mine in a fireproof box. Kinda paranoid, but hey.
Confirm by picking the right words in order - like 3rd, 10th, 13th, whatever it asks. Mess up? Starts over. Set a password next. Make it strong: 8+ chars, caps, numbers, symbols. Don't reuse from other sites.
First time I did this, forgot to write the phrase properly. Had to start over. Lesson learned. Now, fund it? Grab some ADA from Binance or wherever, copy your receive address. We'll cover that next.
Sometimes browser extensions glitch. Close tab, reopen icon. Still nada? Restart browser. Worst case, remove and reinstall. Never loses your wallet if phrase is safe.
Okay, wallet live. Click Receive tab. Big QR code and address. Copy that bad boy. Send 10-20 ADA from an exchange to test. Fees on Cardano? Dirt cheap, like 0.17 ADA flat for basic sends.
Wait 5-10 mins. Refresh Flint. Boom, balance shows. Why does this matter? Can't do jack without ADA - staking, dApps, nada. Pro tip: always send a tiny test amount first. Saved my butt once from a copy paste error.
In my experience, Cardano explorers like Cardanoscan.io verify incoming tx fast. Paste your address there to double check.
Got funds? Send button. Pick ADA (or other tokens if you got 'em). Paste recipient address - triple check first three and last three chars. Enter amount. Network fee shows ~0.17 ADA. Hit Send, enter password. Confirm.
Short sentences here 'cause it's simple. But. Wrong address? Gone forever. No take backs on blockchain.
One issue: if balance low, can't send. Top up first. Happened to a buddy - laughed at him for days.
Flint makes this dead easy. No lockups on Cardano. Click Delegation or ADA Pools tab. Search pools by ROA (return on ADA), fees, saturation. I usually pick ones with 4-5% annual, under 5% fees, low saturation.
Hit Delegate on your fave. Join pool. Enter password. Rewards? Auto every 5 days (one epoch). Historical rewards track right there. Undelegate anytime, 2-3 epochs delay.
| Pool Factor | What to Look For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ROA | 4-6% yearly | 5.2% like StakeWithPride |
| Fees | <5% | 2-3% margin |
| Saturation | <70% | 45% ideal |
| Pledge | High = committed | 1M+ ADA |
Table helps scan quick. Don't chase 10% ROA - often scammy or oversaturated. In my experience, steady 4-5% compounds nice over months.
Want to swap on Minswap? Mint NFTs? Flint shines here. Go to dApp site, like minswap.org. Click Connect Wallet. Pick Flint. Pop up asks approve - say yes, enter password.
Now you're in. Trade ADA for tokens. Fees? dApp + network, total ~0.5-1 ADA per swap. Disconnect after? Settings > Connected Apps > Trash icon. Good habit. Hackers love open connections.
What's next? Try SundaeSwap or JPG store for NFTs. Flint shows your collection in NFT tab automatically.
dApps need this. Min 5 ADA. Settings > Collateral. Send 5 ADA to yourself (your address). Sets it. Covers failed smart contracts. Reclaim anytime. Don't have 5 ADA? Can't interact. Simple fix: buy more.
I usually run Flint solo, but for big stacks? Ledger or Trezor. Setup: Connect device, open Cardano app on it. In Flint, pick Connect Hardware Wallet. Select type. Follow prompts - approve on device screen.
Now sends need device confirm. Super secure. Issue? Firmware update or app reinstall on hardware. Trezor works too, Ledger's my pick though.
Want separate accounts? Top right, Add Account. Same seed phrase, independent balances. Great for work/play separation. Or Add Wallet > Restore via phrase. Pick
Restoring old wallet? Exact same. Never share phrase online. Ever.
NFT tab: all your Cardano jpegs. Click to view details, send 'em. Transactions tab: full history. Filter by day/week/all. Export if needed for taxes. Pretty much everything searchable.
One cool bit: Flint auto detects ADA pools, NFTs, tokens. No manual adds.
Balance not updating? Resync in Settings. Wrong network? Restart, pick Mainnet. dApp won't connect? Approve pop up, check connected apps.
Password forgot? Use recovery phrase on new install. Device lost? Same. But phrase gone? RIP funds. Honestly, that's why I drill backups.
Milkomeda sidechain? Settings tweak for C1, but stick to main Cardano first. Advanced stuff.
Short para here. Update Flint regular - bugs get squashed. Use strong unique password. Test small sends. Stake everything extra. Disconnect dApps after use.
And check Twitter @Flint_Wallet for updates. Community's solid on Discord too.
Last thing: Flint's evolving. Multi chain coming, but Cardano's its heart. Once you're set, you'll wonder why you waited. Hit me up if stuck - but follow these, you won't be.
© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.