Wallet Setup

How to Add Your Token to MetaMask — Step by Step

⏱ 8 min read📅 Updated June 2026🦊 MetaMask

After deploying your ERC-20 token on Arbitrum, your wallet holds the entire supply — but MetaMask won't display it automatically. Unlike ETH, which MetaMask tracks natively, custom ERC-20 tokens need to be manually imported. This is a deliberate design decision that prevents MetaMask from automatically showing thousands of tokens users have never heard of. The process takes about 60 seconds once you have your contract address ready.

This guide covers adding a custom token in MetaMask browser extension, MetaMask mobile, and also explains how to share the import process with your community members so they can see their token balances. If you haven't deployed your token yet, use createarbitrumtoken.com to deploy on Arbitrum One first.

What You Need

MetaMask installed (browser extension or mobile app)
Arbitrum One network added to MetaMask (see our guide on adding Arbitrum if needed)
Your token's contract address (the 42-character address starting with 0x)

Important: Make sure MetaMask is connected to Arbitrum One before importing. If you're on Ethereum mainnet, you won't see your Arbitrum tokens even after importing — the token only exists on Arbitrum One.

Adding a Token in MetaMask Browser Extension

Open MetaMask and Switch to Arbitrum One Click the MetaMask extension icon. At the top of the popup, click the network selector (it might show "Ethereum Mainnet" or another network). Select "Arbitrum One" from the list. If Arbitrum isn't listed, see our guide on adding it.
Scroll Down to "Tokens" Section In the MetaMask popup, scroll down past your ETH balance. You'll see a "Tokens" section. At the bottom of this section, click "Import tokens" link.
Select "Custom Token" Tab The import tokens page has two tabs: "Search" (for popular tokens in MetaMask's list) and "Custom token." Click "Custom token" to import by contract address.
Paste Your Token Contract Address In the "Token contract address" field, paste your token's contract address. MetaMask will automatically fetch the Token Symbol and Token Decimal from the contract. Verify these match what you set when deploying.
Click "Add Custom Token" After the symbol and decimals populate, click "Add Custom Token." MetaMask will show a confirmation screen displaying the token name, symbol, and how many tokens you hold. Click "Import Tokens" to confirm.
Verify Your Balance Your token now appears in the Tokens section of MetaMask with your balance. If you're the deployer, this should show the full supply you minted. If you received tokens from someone else, it shows the amount transferred to you.

Create Your Token First

Deploy your ERC-20 token on Arbitrum One in minutes, then follow this guide to add it to MetaMask.

🚀 Create Token Now

Adding a Token in MetaMask Mobile

The mobile process is slightly different but equally straightforward:

Open MetaMask mobile app
Ensure you're on Arbitrum One (tap the network name at the top)
Tap the "Tokens" tab at the bottom
Tap "Import tokens" at the bottom of the token list
Tap "Custom token" tab
Paste your contract address in the address field
Symbol and decimals auto-fill — verify them
Tap "Import" to confirm

Arbiscan Shortcut: Add via Block Explorer

There's a faster way to add a token if you're viewing it on Arbiscan:

Go to your token's page on Arbiscan
Next to the token name, look for a small MetaMask fox icon
Click it — it will prompt you to add the token directly to MetaMask
Confirm in the MetaMask popup

This method pre-fills all the token data from Arbiscan automatically, reducing the chance of typos. Share this Arbiscan link with your community and tell them to click the MetaMask icon — it's the easiest way for non-technical users to add your token.

Most of your token holders will need to import the token manually. Write clear import instructions for your community documentation:

Provide your exact contract address as a clickable Arbiscan link
State the network (Arbitrum One) explicitly
Provide the Arbiscan MetaMask import link as the easiest option
Warn against importing tokens from unofficial sources claiming to be your token

Scam warning: Scammers create copycat tokens with similar names. Always verify you're importing the correct contract address from your project's official channels. The address should match what's listed on your official website, pinned posts, and Arbiscan token page.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Token balance shows 0 after import

Make sure you're on Arbitrum One, not Ethereum mainnet. Your Arbitrum tokens only exist on the Arbitrum One network. Switch networks and the balance should update automatically.

MetaMask can't find the token contract

Verify the contract address is correct — copy it directly from Arbiscan or your deployment confirmation. Make sure you're on Arbitrum One before importing. A contract deployed on Arbitrum won't be found if MetaMask is pointed at mainnet.

Wrong symbol or decimals showing

These are read directly from the contract. If they're wrong, it means the contract was deployed with incorrect parameters. There's no way to correct this without redeploying — another reason to double-check your parameters before deployment.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Importing a token into MetaMask is a client-side read operation — it reads data from the blockchain (token name, symbol, decimals, your balance) but doesn't submit any transaction. There's no cost at all. The only time gas is needed is when you actually send tokens (transfer transaction) or interact with a smart contract using your tokens.

Your token contract only exists on one network — the one you deployed it on (Arbitrum One). You'd need to add it to MetaMask while connected to Arbitrum One specifically. If you bridge your token to other networks through a bridge protocol, you'd need to import the bridged version's contract address on each respective network — those would be separate contracts.

By design. If MetaMask automatically showed every ERC-20 token in your wallet, your token list would be cluttered with airdrop tokens, spam tokens, and tokens from every contract interaction you've ever made. The manual import process gives users control over what they see. There is an auto-detection feature in newer MetaMask versions that can suggest tokens based on your transaction history, but it only works for some tokens in established token lists.

Yes. In MetaMask, go to your token list, click the three dots next to a token, and select "Hide token" (browser extension) or swipe to remove (mobile). This only removes the display from MetaMask — your tokens still exist on the blockchain at your address. If you re-import the token later, your balance will still be there.

In most current versions of MetaMask, Arbitrum One is available as a network option and can be enabled without manual configuration. If it doesn't appear in your network list, follow our guide on adding Arbitrum to MetaMask, which covers adding it manually using the RPC URL and chain ID. Once added, you can switch to it with one click.