How to import an account

You can import Ethereum accounts in two ways:

• Secret Recovery Phrase: use this to import multiple accounts
• Private key: use this to import one account.

Solana accounts

You can import Solana accounts using a Secret Recovery Phrase, but not private keys at this time. For more information, read here.

For this process, you'll need an individual account’s private key string or wallet’s Secret Recovery Phrase (SRP) that you're looking to import. Note that importing an SRP will also import all of its associated accounts with ETH balances.

This is a good option if you’re looking to consolidate multiple wallets into one instance for easier management. For more information on managing multiple wallets, refer to this guide.

If this is your first time using MetaMask, refer to our getting started guide here.

Importing using a Secret Recovery Phrase

This is the easiest way to import multiple Ethereum and Solana accounts to MetaMask and manage them in one place. Make sure you have your 12 or 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase (SRP) handy and you’re in a secure place to get started.

Note that importing an SRP will also import all of its associated accounts with ETH balances (Example SRP B with “Account 1”, “NFT account”, and “DeFi Account”)

• Extension
• Mobile

1. Click the account selector at the top of your wallet.
2. Select 'Add account or hardware wallet' at the bottom of the list.

3. On the next page, select 'Secret Recovery Phrase’ under the ‘Import’ options.

4. Enter your 12 or 24-word SRP and click ‘Import wallet’ to complete the process.

1. From the wallet view, tap the currently selected account to bring up the account selector.
2. Tap 'Add account or hardware wallet' at the bottom of the menu.

3. Hit 'Import Secret Recovery Phrase'.

4. Enter your 12 or 24-word SRP, select accounts to import and tap ‘Import’ to complete the process.

Importing using a private key

For MetaMask accounts, you can refer to this article on exporting an account’s private key. For any other wallet provider, please refer to their documentation on how to locate the private key. Note that importing using a private key will import a single account, not an entire SRP’s set of accounts. If you would like to import an SRP with multiple accounts, refer to the steps above.

warning

It’s risky to export your private key as you could be vulnerable to clipboard hacks. Type in your SRP if that is an option, or proceed with caution.

• Extension
• Mobile

1. Click the account selector at the top of your wallet.
2. Select 'Add account or hardware wallet' at the bottom of the list.

3. On the next page, select 'Private key’ under the ‘Import’ options.

4. You will be directed to the Import page. Paste your private key and click 'Import'.

1. From the wallet view, tap the currently selected account to bring up the account selector.
2. Tap 'Add account or hardware wallet' at the bottom of the menu.

3. Hit 'Import account'.

4. On this screen, paste in the private key of the account you want to import, or scan a QR code if supported by the other wallet. Tap 'Import' to complete the process.

You should now be able to see the newly imported account in the account selector dropdown.

FAQ

I’ve lost my Secret Recovery Phrase but have the password. How do I import?

If you can still unlock your MetaMask account on a device, great news. Refer to this guide to reveal your SRP and make sure you back it up afterwards! For other scenarios, try the steps listed here to recover your account.

How can I import my private key using a JSON file?

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a file format commonly used to store and share data. For our purposes, it's used to encrypt the private key.

You can use a JSON to import a wallet into MetaMask, but only on Extension. To do so, get the JSON file from your external wallet and follow the steps for Extension above until you get to the import page in step 3. From there:

1. On the Import page, expand the dropdown from 'select Type'.
2. Select 'JSON File'.

3. Click 'Choose File' and locate the file from your computer.
4. Enter the password that protects your JSON file (not your MetaMask password).
5. Click 'Import'.

What type of accounts can I import?

Currently, you can import any Ethereum (EVM) account.