# How to set up MetaMask By [finickySnipe7](https://paragraph.com/@finickysnipe7) · 2022-04-07 --- So you’ve entered the wonderful world of blockchain and are looking to grow your wings. Maybe you bought bitcoin or ETH on a major exchange like Coinbase or Gemini and got a hot tip about a new token that’s not listed on Coinbase or Gemini. Here’s a guide to setting up MetaMask, your first step in getting off the centralized exchanges and entering the ecosystem of dapps running on Ethereum. MetaMask is a cryptocurrency wallet that can be used as a browser extension or mobile app. When used as a browser extension it can interact with decentralized applications (aka dapps), which are web-based applications that let you interact with a supported blockchain. Most people use MetaMask with the Ethereum blockchain, but there are other supported blockchains as well. For this article we’ll focus on the Ethereum blockchain. MetaMask allows you to seamlessly interact with web-based applications on the Ethereum blockchain. Some examples are using DEXs (de-centralized exchanges) to trade tokens, lending and borrowing, participating in liquidity pools to earn rewards, and buying and selling NFTs. Once you get started you’ll be amazed at how much is out there. Step 1: To get started you’ll need to add the MetaMask extension to your browser. Go to [https://metamask.io/download.html](https://metamask.io/download.html) and click to install MetaMask for your browser. As of the writing of this guide MetaMask supports Chrome, Firefox, Brave and Edge. You may need to confirm the extension in your browser’s web store. Here’s what it looks like for Chrome: Step 2: This will take you to a welcome page for MetaMask. Click the Get Started button. The next page asks the question New to MetaMask? Click the Create a Wallet button under Yes, let’s get set up! The next screen asks if you’d like to allow MetaMask to collect usage data. You can decide, neither option impacts your use of the wallet. Click No Thanks or I Agree to move to the next screen. Step 3: Create a password. Make sure this password is secure! Use a random stream of characters, letters (lower and uppercase) and numbers. MetaMask requires at least 8 characters, I recommend at least 12. I recommend writing your password down on paper rather than using a password manager. You can keep a notebook for this purpose. Confirm your password, click the box for the Terms of Use and click Create. Step 4: IMPORTANT! This is where you will view and write down the secret backup phrase for your wallet. The secret backup phrase is a list of words that can be used to verify and access your account. They basically represent the keys to your wallet. Anybody with your list of secret words can access your wallet. So make sure to write down your words and keep them in a secure place. I recommend writing them in a notebook. Remember that anything recorded on a device that connects to the internet (a file on your computer, a note or picture on your phone) can be hacked. Click the grey box to view your secret words. Write down your words in the exact order you see them. Once you have written them down click next. The next screen will ask you to verify your words. Click the list the words in the exact order you wrote them down. Click the button to Confirm. If you entered your works correctly you’ll get a Congratulations page. Click the All Done button. You may see a message about swapping, click the x or anywhere outside the box to close the window. Step 5: You will now see your wallet displayed in a page on your browser. We’ll add it as a pinned extension so it’s always easy to access. On the right hand side of your address bar you should see a puzzle piece icon. Click that icon to access the extensions menu. Click the pin icon to pin MetaMask to your browser window. You should now see the MetaMask fox icon next to the puzzle piece icon. Click the MetaMask icon to view your wallet as a browser extension. Your wallet is now set up and you’re ready to go! --- *Originally published on [finickySnipe7](https://paragraph.com/@finickysnipe7/how-to-set-up-metamask)*