Using multiple MetaMask wallets and SRPs

MetaMask allows you to use multiple devices with multiple Secret Recovery Phrases (SRPs).

Whether you want to access all your SRPs on one device (laptop, mobile) or separate them per device, it's useful to understand how wallets, accounts, and SRPs work together:

• MetaMask: Your decentralized identity manager. MetaMask manages your wallets and accounts, and the private keys that generate and secure them. In our articles, we may refer to it as a "MetaMask client" or "wallet client". 'client', in this sense, means a specific installation of a software program.
• Wallet: A 'wallet' is an account or group of accounts governed by a source of keys: an SRP, an imported private key, or a snap. For example, if you have multiple SRPs in your MetaMask, you have multiple wallets.
• SRP = Secret Recovery Phrase: The key (often 12 words in a specific order) that generates and controls multiple accounts.
• Account: Unique identities derived from an SRP, each with its own public address and private key. Even if the account has the same number in your MetaMask (e.g. 'Account 1'), it may have different private keys and corresponding public addresses across networks. For example, the Solana address for your Account 1 will not be the same as your Ethereum-compatible address for Account 1.

If it helps to visualize it you can think of the SRP as a seed, and the accounts as the individual branches that stem from it (but still isolated from each other).

The SRP holds access to the cluster of accounts (the whole tree if you will); the private key holds access to the individual account (the specific branch).

For more information on this topic, see our article What's the difference between a wallet and an account?

Why would I need multiple SRPs?

informatie

MetaMask can house multiple Secret Recovery Phrases, and any number of private keys. Learn more about importing accounts here.

• Security: If only one SRP is compromised, your other SRPs remain safe.
  • If your entire computer is compromised from malicious malware or another attack vector, all of your SRPs may be at risk.
  • If you want to be extra secure, you could even rotate your SRPs every few years in case any portion of it stored in old password managers is compromised. Rotating your SRP means generating a new one and migrating your assets to it, effectively retiring the old one.
  • We do NOT recommend storing your SRP in a password manager, but in the event you've used this method in the past, rotating your SRP or using multiple would be beneficial.
• Organization: Separate activities for peace of mind. You could have one SRP for DeFi, another for NFTs, and another for long-term HODLing only. You get to divide accordingly.

This setup ensures better security, privacy, and flexibility for the curious web3 dabbler. Enjoy!