© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.
Okay, first off - the second you install MetaMask, pin that fox icon to your Chrome toolbar. Why? Because you'll be clicking it a million times a day, and hunting for it in the extensions menu is a pain. Trust me, I forgot once and wasted like 5 minutes fumbling around. Just hit the puzzle icon up top, find MetaMask, click the pin. Boom. Always there.
Head straight to metamask.io. Don't Google it or click shady links - phishing scams love pretending to be this. I usually double check the URL every time, even now.
Click "Get MetaMask" up top. It'll spot you're on Chrome and whisk you to the Web Store. Hit "Add to Chrome," then "Add extension" on the popup. Takes like 10 seconds. Done.
But wait, what if you're on Brave or Edge? Same deal - it auto detects and gives you the right button. Firefox too, though theirs shows up under "danfinlay" which freaks people out at first. He's a founder, it's legit. Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought it was sketchy too.
This skips the store if you're worried about middlemen. I do it on new machines. Super quick, zero trust needed.
MetaMask pops open after install. Agree to terms - skim 'em if you want, but yeah, read once. Then: "Create a new wallet" or import old one. Newbies, pick create.
Set a strong password. Not "password123." Something you'll remember but hackers won't guess. Like "BlueFox2026!" or whatever. Confirm it twice.
Now the big one: Secret Recovery Phrase. 12 random words. Write 'em down on paper. Offline. Photo? Nah, don't - phones get hacked. I keep mine in a fireproof box. Seriously.
MetaMask makes you verify by picking the words in order. Mess up? Start over. That's your lifeline if you lose access.
Click "Done." Wallet live. You'll see "Account 1" with an ETH address like 0xabc.. Copy that anywhere safe - it's your public, share it for deposits.
In my experience, weekends are cheaper for gas. Why does this matter? Empty wallet = can't do jack. First deposit hits in 5-30 mins usually.
Default's Ethereum Mainnet. Pricey gas though - like $5 for a simple swap sometimes. Switch to cheaper ones for alts.
Top right, dropdown. Pick Polygon for ~$0.01 fees, or BSC. Don't see it? "Add network."
| Network | RPC URL | Chain ID | Symbol | Fees (typical) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethereum | https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/ | 1 | ETH | $1-10 |
| Polygon | https://polygon rpc.com | 137 | MATIC | ~$0.01 |
| Binance Smart Chain | https://bsc dataseed.binance.org | 56 | BNB | ~$0.10 |
Copy paste those deets. Boom, added. I usually add 5-6 at setup. Saves headaches later.
Pro tip: Always send a tiny test amount first. Like 0.001 ETH. Wait for confirm, then real send. Saved my ass once from a fat finger typo.
Receiving? Just share address or QR. Anyone can send you.
Click the swap icon. Pick token in/out. It pulls rates from DEXes like Uniswap. Fees? Gas + 0.3% swap fee usually.
But honestly, for big swaps, use a DEX site and connect MetaMask. Better prices sometimes. Connect button on Uniswap? Click, approve, done.
What's next? Approvals. First time using a token with a dApp? It'll ask to "approve" spending. Sets max once, saves future gas. Revoke old ones in Settings > Security & Privacy > Approval history if paranoid.
Go to OpenSea, Uniswap, whatever. "Connect wallet." Pick MetaMask. Popup asks to connect - say yes.
It won't auto send funds, just links your address. Disconnect anytime via the account icon.
Issue? "Wallet not detected"? Refresh, check if pinned, VPN off. Usually that fixes it.
Account dropdown > "Add account." Same seed, new address. Great for separating shitcoins from bluechips. I run 3-4 always.
Hardware wallet? Ledger/Trezor > Connect under accounts. Safer for big stacks.
Never share your 12 words. Ever. Not to "support," not to friends. Scams fake popups stealing it.
Password manager for login? Nah, MetaMask encrypts locally. But enable 2FA on exchanges you buy from.
Updates? Check chrome://extensions, enable auto update. Old versions = hacks.
In my experience, the biggest threat's phishing. Hover links before clicking. "metamask.io/support" fake? Ignore.
Notifications? Settings > Notifications > Customize. Turn off spam, keep transaction alerts on. You'll thank me during pumps.
Still stuck? Their help center's solid. Search your error.
Portfolio view? Click the graph icon. Tracks your bags across chains. Pretty sweet.
Bridge? Built in now. ETH to Polygon cheap. Settings > Bridges.
Staking? Discover section has options. Or connect to Lido direct.
Custom tokens? "Import tokens," paste contract address from Etherscan. Boom, shows up.
Discover tab's gold - dApps, NFTs, games. Testnet option for practice, zero risk.
Install app from Play Store/App Store - official one's 10M+ downloads. Scan QR from desktop to link same wallet. across devices.
But for Chrome extension power, desktop rules. Mobile's clunkier for complex stuff.
Fees example: Swap 1 ETH on Polygon? Gas ~$0.01, total under $1. Ethereum? $5-20. Pick smart.
Buy direct? MetaMask has ramps now. Buy ETH with card, ~2-4% fee. Convenient but not cheapest.
Reset? Settings > Advanced > Reset account. Keeps seed, clears data. Handy for glitches.
I open Chrome, MetaMask pinned glows. Check balance, pending tx. Swap if needed. Connect dApp. Send if friend asks. 2 mins max.
Custom RPC for speed? Infura free tier works. Or Alchemy.
Labels? Settings > Contacts. Tag addresses like "Uniswap Router." No more copy paste guesswork.
Gas tip: Use "Market" for speed, "Aggressive" only if urgent. Saves ETH long term.
Honestly, after a week, it's muscle memory. You'll forget life before it.
© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.