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How To Remove Saved Crypto Networks From Your MetaMask Wallet Browser Extension

MetaMask is one of the most popular crypto wallets available today. As a browser extension wallet, it equips users with a key vault, secure login, token wallet, and token exchange to easily manage digital assets.

While MetaMask allows you to add custom networks to interact with different blockchains and dApps, you may sometimes need to remove saved networks you no longer require. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to delete networks from the MetaMask wallet extension.

An Overview of the MetaMask Wallet

Before jumping into the steps to remove networks, let’s first briefly go over what MetaMask is and why you may need to remove saved networks.

What is MetaMask?

MetaMask is a crypto wallet browser extension available on Chrome, Firefox, Brave, and Edge. It serves as a bridge between your browser and the Ethereum blockchain, allowing you to:

  • Store and manage ETH and ERC-20 tokens
  • Interact with decentralized applications (dApps)
  • Access decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms
  • Trade tokens on decentralized exchanges (DEXs)

As a browser extension wallet, MetaMask injects the Ethereum API web3 directly into the browser. This enables websites to read data from the blockchain and lets users securely manage identities and digital assets.

Why Remove Saved Networks?

By default, MetaMask saves the details of any custom network you add. Over time, as you explore different dApps and blockchains, this list grows.

Reasons you may want to remove saved networks include:

  • The network is no longer relevant or supported
  • You no longer need access to those dApps or platforms
  • To clean up and organize your network list
  • The network details saved are incorrect

Removing outdated or incorrect networks ensures your wallet remains tidy and organized. Now let’s see how to actually delete networks.

How to Remove Saved Crypto Networks from MetaMask

Removing unwanted networks from your MetaMask wallet only takes a few seconds. Here are the steps:

On Desktop Browser Extension

  1. Click the MetaMask browser extension icon to open the wallet
  2. Click the network selection drop-down menu at the top
  3. Hover the mouse over the network name you want to delete
  4. Click the “Remove” icon that appears
  5. Confirm the removal in the popup dialog

Alternatively, you can remove networks via the wallet settings:

  1. Click the account icon
  2. Select “Settings”
  3. Click “Networks”
  4. Hover over the network name and click “Remove”
  5. Confirm network removal

On Mobile App

  1. Open the MetaMask mobile app
  2. Tap the hamburger menu icon
  3. Go to “Settings” > “Networks”
  4. Long press the network name
  5. Tap “Remove” in the prompt
  6. Confirm deletion

And that’s it! The selected network is now removed from your MetaMask wallet across all your connected devices.

Other Useful Tips

Here are some other handy things to know when managing networks in your MetaMask wallet:

  • You can hide default test networks by toggling “Show Test Networks” off in Advanced Settings. This removes them from the network list dropdown.
  • To edit network details, go to Settings > Networks, select the network, edit the details, and click “Save”
  • Always verify authenticity when downloading the official MetaMask extension to avoid phishing attacks
  • Create a separate browser profile just for the MetaMask extension to isolate it from other browsing activities

Why Browser Extension Wallets Carry Risks

While MetaMask brings web3 access directly into the browser, browser extension wallets are inherently less secure than hardware wallets.

Potential risks include:

  • Malicious browser extensions that can access wallet data
  • Phishing attacks tricking you into revealing wallet credentials
  • Remote access exploits if your computer is compromised
  • Losing access if you forget your password or seed phrase

As such, it’s best practice to only keep a limited amount of funds in MetaMask. For larger holdings and long term storage, use a hardware wallet instead.

Conclusion

Removing outdated or unused crypto networks in MetaMask helps organize your wallet. With just a few clicks, you can delete saved networks either via the browser extension or mobile app.

Be sure to also take measures to use MetaMask securely by verifying downloads, isolating it in a separate browser, enabling transaction confirmation prompts, and using strong passwords.

While undeniably convenient for accessing dApps and DeFi, browser extension wallets like MetaMask do carry risks. For large funds, utilize a hardware wallet’s cold storage instead.

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