Quick answer: install the MetaMask browser extension or mobile app from metamask.io, create a new wallet, write down your 12-word seed phrase on paper, set a strong password, and you’re ready to connect to any NFT marketplace. The whole process takes about five minutes. The seed phrase step is the only part where a mistake actually matters.
Before you install anything
Only download MetaMask from metamask.io or the official app stores. Fake MetaMask extensions and cloned apps show up regularly in search results and app store listings, designed to steal funds the moment you enter a seed phrase. Bookmark the real site once and use that bookmark going forward.
Step 1: Install the extension or app
On desktop, MetaMask runs as a Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Edge extension. On mobile, it’s a standalone app for iOS and Android. Both versions work independently. Many collectors run the extension on their main computer and the app on their phone, each with its own wallet unless you deliberately import the same one on both.
Step 2: Create a new wallet
Open MetaMask and choose “Create a new wallet” rather than “Import.” You’ll set a password that unlocks the app on that specific device. This password is not the same thing as your seed phrase; losing the password just means reinstalling and recovering with the seed phrase, while losing the seed phrase means losing the wallet permanently.
Step 3: Write down your seed phrase
MetaMask generates a 12-word seed phrase and shows it once. This phrase can regenerate your entire wallet, including every asset in it, on any device. Write it on paper, in the exact order shown, and store it somewhere offline. Don’t screenshot it, don’t save it in a notes app, don’t type it into any website ever again after this setup.
Step 4: Confirm and finish setup
MetaMask asks you to re-enter the seed phrase in order to confirm you wrote it down correctly. Once confirmed, the wallet is active and shows a public address, a long string starting with “0x.” This address is safe to share; it’s how people send you assets. The seed phrase is not.
Funding your wallet
A fresh MetaMask wallet holds nothing. To buy an NFT, you need to send cryptocurrency into it, usually ETH if you’re planning to use Ethereum-based marketplaces. The most common route is buying crypto on an exchange, then withdrawing it to your MetaMask address.
OKX and MEXC both let you buy ETH with a card or bank transfer, then withdraw directly to a MetaMask address in a few minutes.
Compare exchangesConnecting to a marketplace
Once funded, visit any NFT marketplace and look for a “Connect Wallet” button, usually top right. Selecting MetaMask opens a popup asking you to approve the connection. Approving it links your wallet to that site without giving the site your seed phrase or password; MetaMask never transmits either of those anywhere.
Common first-time mistakes
- Storing the seed phrase in a phone notes app or cloud drive, which defeats the purpose of writing it down offline.
- Approving a wallet connection request from an unfamiliar site without checking the URL carefully for lookalike domains.
- Assuming a forgotten password can be reset like a normal web account. It can’t; only the seed phrase recovers the wallet.
- Buying crypto directly to a wallet address without double-checking the address, since crypto transfers can’t be reversed once sent.
Once your wallet is set up and funded, our guide to buying your first NFT walks through the actual purchase.
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