This tutorial describes how to connect your Ledger Ethereum (ETH) account(s) to MetaMask.
MetaMask USB connectivity issues
- We're aware of ongoing problems connecting Ledger devices to MetaMask. Both teams are working on a fix.
- Firefox users: Firefox 114 broke U2F compatibility - disrupting the ability to connect Ledger or any other hardware wallets to MetaMask. Please use other browsers which support U2F or WebHID connection method type (eg. Chrome, Brave).
- Track the incident status and any identified workarounds here:
April 2023 MetaMask USB connectivity issues
- You can follow us on Twitter at @Ledger_Support for updates.
Before you start
- Update Ledger Live to the latest version by using this link.
- Connect your Ledger device to Ledger Live and check that it has the latest firmware version.
- Make sure the latest version of the Ethereum (ETH) app is installed on your Ledger device.
After completing these steps, close Ledger Live as it may cause conflicts with MetaMask.
Video instructions
Connect your Ledger Ethereum (ETH) account to MetaMask
Can you secure an existing Metamask account with a Ledger device?
You cannot secure an existing MetaMask account with your Ledger device. If you wish to secure funds currently in a MetaMask account, you must create a new Ledger account through Ledger Live or connect an existing Ledger account to MetaMask. Then, you can transfer funds from the MetaMask account to the Ledger account via a regular transaction on the blockchain.
- Go to https://metamask.io/download/ and click Install MetaMask for your browser.
- Next, add the MetaMask extension to your browser
- Pin the extension to your browser and select Create a new wallet.
Important note
We wanted to bring to your attention an important reminder regarding the use of MetaMask with your Ledger device.
- Please do not import your Ledger 24-word recovery phrase into MetaMask through the "Import an existing wallet" option. This would turn your Ledger device into a hot wallet and compromise the security of your assets.
- Additionally, do not import a secret recovery phrase provided by MetaMask into your Ledger device. MetaMask phrases are generated online and are not secure for cold storage purposes.
- Agree to the terms then choose a password and select Create a new wallet.
- Since we're using a Ledger wallet, we won't need to secure our MetaMask wallet, select Remind me later then Skip.
- Select Got it!
- Let's now connect your Ledger. Plug your device into your computer and open the Ethereum (ETH) app on your Ledger device by navigating to the Ethereum icon and pressing both buttons simultaneously.
Your Ledger device should display: Application is ready. - Open the account settings and select Hardware wallet.
- Select Ledger, and click Continue.
After a brief moment, a list of accounts appears. These are your Ledger accounts. - Select an account by ticking the box then click Unlock.
Which account should I unlock?
- The first Ethereum (ETH) account you created in Ledger Live (Ethereum 1) will show at the top of the list (index 1).
- You can create multiple Ethereum accounts at the same time by ticking multiple boxes and selecting Unlock. This is useful if you wish to segregate your Ethereum assets. Learn more.
- All done! Your Ledger Ethereum account and ETH balance appear in MetaMask. All Ledger accounts connected to MetaMask will be displayed with a "LEDGER" tag.
I am confused, is my Ledger account now "in MetaMask"?
No, even though your Ledger Ethereum account is visible in MetaMask, the private keys (recovery phrase) responsible for managing that account are still safeguarded by your Ledger device. MetaMask does not have any access to your private keys. Your Ledger device utilizes MetaMask purely as a visual interface, similar to Ledger Live.Next steps
Connect MetaMask to other networks
You can easily access other networks like Polygon, Binance Smart Chain, Arbitrum or Optimism by following these instructions.
Where are my tokens?
MetaMask does not detect all tokens in your account automatically. To add a new token to MetaMask:
- Verify that MetaMask is connected to the correct network. Learn more.
- If needed, connect to the correct network by using Chainlist.
- Finally, add your token to MetaMask by following these instructions.