MetaMask: The Basics

So you want to get into crypto. Well first, you’re going to need a cryptocurrency wallet.

What is a crypto wallet, you may ask? Well, simply put, it’s an online wallet that securely stores all your crypto. There are also hardware wallets available but this post will be focusing on one of the simpler online wallets — MetaMask.

Basically, there are two parts to a wallet. The public key, which is how people can send you crypto, and the private key, which is paired to your public key and is how you access your crypto, so be sure to keep this key private to only you! There is no need to write your private key down or ever share it with anybody (unless you are storing your private keys in a safety deposit box).

MetaMask is the wallet I use, and let’s be real, i’m not the most computer savvy person out there. Yet somehow even I managed to figure it out, so I’m confident that you will too.

Let’s get started!

First, MetaMask is a Chrome extension, so you will first need to download the Chrome browser. You can do that here. (There are other extensions such as for Opera Browser but Chrome is the most popular and will be used in this example)

After downloading Chrome, you will need to open a new page. Sometimes you will need to restart your computer to complete the download.

Next, you will need to add MetaMask to your Chrome bar, which can be done here.

Once you are at the Chrome store, in the Chrome browser, click “add to Chrome”.

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A small window will pop up on your screen. Click “add extension”.

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Once you’ve completed this step you will be redirected to a MetaMask intro video. After watching the video, click the MetaMask icon in your toolbar (circled in red in the picture below). Read the Privacy Notice and the Terms of Use clicking “Accept” after each.

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Now create your password to encrypt your new DEN. Passwords consisting of letters, numbers, and symbols are most secure.

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The next screen will show your 12 seed words. With these, you will be able to restore your MetaMask account. Be sure to write these down and keep them somewhere safe.

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Once you’ve saved your seed words you are all set. Click “I’ve copied it somewhere safe” to see your new wallet. From here you can buy and send tokens as well as add other wallets to your MetaMask account for easy access to all your cryptocurrencies!

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*Note, MetaMask is in Beta for an updated platform, so your MetaMask may look slightly different from the pictures above. Don’t worry though, all the actions are still the same!

And there you have it. Your new MetaMask account is all set up!

But what good is a wallet without crypto to fill it?

Sending and Receiving Ether (or any other ERC-20 Token)

As you can see from the above picture, I dont have any ETH. This makes me sad, so I’m going to ask a friend to send me some.

In order for anyone to send you crypto, they will need youR PUBLIC KEY.

To access this, first click the ‘Details’ button under your account,

then highlight and copy your PUBLIC KEY to your clipboard. Sent this PUBLIC KEY to whoever will be sending you crypto:

After sharing my public key with a friend, she was able to send me .005 ETH.

Now I have a balance, I can send ETH to any PUBLIC KEY.

To do so, click ‘Send in the top right corner. You will then be prompted to enter the PUBLIC KEY of where you are sending the crypto:

Remember, every transaction on the blockchain requires gas (ETH) so the amount you send will be less than your current balance, even if you opt to send your entire balance. Once you have entered the details, click ‘Next.’

You can check the details on the next screen, the click the blue ‘Confirm’ button.

You will then be taken back to your main page where you will see that the transaction has been submitted. Once the transaction goes through, the page will look like this:

Clicking on the transaction will take you to the transaction page on Etherscan.

And it’s as simple as that!

For the latest updates and more information, follow MetaMask on Twitter.

And remember….