Etherscan is the leading and most popular blockchain explorer for the Ethereum blockchain. The platform which was launched back in 2015 is one of the pioneers and longest-running projects built around Ethereum and the community behind the success of the blockchain.
Metamask on the other hand is the leading Ethereum wallet out there. On Metamask, you can hold Ether (ETH) which is the native currency of the Ethereum mainnet, as well as other ERC-20 tokens and digital assets available on Ethereum.
Since Etherscan and Metamask are the most popular projects built around Ethereum – Etherscan, a blockchain explorer, and Metamask, a non-custodial wallet – many are wondering, if is it possible to connect these two platforms for the best Ethereum experience.
If you’re one of those asking that very question, then you’re on the right page.
In this article, you will learn if it is possible to connect Metamask to Etherscan as well as the best method for connecting Metamask with the Etherscan website.
Can You Connect Metamask To Etherscan?
Etherscan is simply an analytics platform for tracking ETH transactions and transactions from other ERC-20 tokens on the Ethereum blockchain.
Since Etherscan is not directly involved in transactions on the Ethereum mainnet, you cannot directly connect Metamask to the Etherscan website.
Metamask uses the Etherscan API to track all your transactions on Ethereum, so selecting any transaction in the transaction history section on Metamask will open a page on Etherscan but this doesn’t mean that your wallet is connected to Etherscan.
Best Way To Use Metamask With Etherscan
Since you cannot directly connect your Metamask wallet to Etherscan, there is an alternative way to use Etherscan with your wallet on the Metamask browser extension.
To use this method simply input your Metamask wallet address in the address field on the Etherscan homepage and it will fetch your wallet balance (in ETH), estimated Ether value based on the current ETH price, all the ERC-20 tokens on your wallet as well as your transaction history and more.
Below is how you can use Metamask with Etherscan.
Step 1: Launch Metamask and unlock your wallet.
First, launch the Metamask extension by clicking on the Metamask logo in the extensions area of your browser then enter your Metamask account password and click [Unlock] to unlock your wallet.
If you have forgotten your password, you can simply change your Metamask password if you still have access to your wallet’s recovery phrase.
Step 2: Copy your Metamask wallet address.
Now, you will need to get your Metamask wallet address.
To copy your Metamask wallet address, simply click on the Copy icon next to your wallet address under the account name of your wallet as illustrated in the screenshot below.
Step 3: Open the Etherscan website on your browser.
Next, open a new tab on your preferred web browser, enter the URL of the Etherscan homepage [https://etherscan.io/], and hit ENTER.
Step 4: Enter your wallet address and click the Search icon.
On the Etherscan website, enter the wallet address you copied earlier from Metamask in the address field and click on the Search icon.
Now you should be able to see some information about your Metamask wallet including your current available balance (in ETH), the estimated worth of your ETH balance (in USD), available tokens on your wallet, as well as all the recent transactions on your wallet made on the Ethereum network.
If you want to view the token holdings on your wallet in more detail, simply click on the Wallet icon in the “Token” section to view the wallet overview page. You will also find all the NFT and Liquidity Pool assets on your wallet on this page.
Since all transaction and assets on the Ethereum blockchain is public, you can also use this method to connect to any valid Ethereum wallet address with Etherscan and get all the asset balances, and transaction history of the address.
How To Connect The Metamask Mobile App With Etherscan?
If you manage your Ethereum wallet via the Metamask app, you can use Etherscan with the Metamask app via the in-app browser.
Below is how you can connect Etherscan with the Metamask mobile app.
Step 1: Open the Metamask app and unlock your wallet.
First, open the Metamask app on your device and unlock your wallet using either your account passcode or any of the available biometric authentication methods on your device.
If you haven’t downloaded the Metamask app, you can get it on the application store on your device – Google Play Store for Android devices and the App Store for iPhones.
Step 2: Copy your wallet address.
Next, tap your wallet address on the Metamask app home screen to copy the address to your clipboard. This will be used later.
Once you have copied your wallet address, tap the Menu icon on the top left corner of the screen and select [Browser] from the available menu options.
Step 4: Enter the URL of the Etherscan website.
On the Metamask in-app browser, enter the URL of the Etherscan website [https://etherscan.io/] and hit go.
Step 5: Paste your wallet address and hit the Search icon.
When the Etherscan website is fully loaded, paste the wallet address you copied earlier and hit the Search icon.
Now, you should see an overview of your wallet on the next page including your wallet balance in ETH and USD, transaction history as well as all the ERC-20 tokens available on your Metamask wallet.
Do You Need Metamask To Use Etherscan?
No, you don’t need Metamask to use the Etherscan platform, and this is because Etherscan works with all Ethereum wallets and not just the ones created on Metamask.
Etherscan is an analytics platform for the Ethereum blockchain and it works independently. It supports all Ethereum wallets since you only need a valid 0x wallet address to view and overview any wallet regardless of the software used to create the wallet.
Conclusion
Etherscan is the most popular blockchain explorer for the Ethereum blockchain. It is also one of the oldest platforms built around Ethereum and the community behind the network.
Since Etherscan is simply an analytics platform for the Ethereum mainnet and various Ethereum-based testnets without any involvement in transactions on the blockchain, you cannot connect your Metamask wallet directly with Etherscan.
An alternative method to using your wallet with Etherscan is to copy your wallet address from Metamask and then paste the address on the Etherscan website to get an overview of your wallet with other details including recent transactions, token holdings, wallet balances in USD, and ETH, liquidity pool assets and more.
And that will be it for this guide. If you were searching for a way to connect Etherscan with your Metamask wallet, we hope you found this article helpful.
