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Published on February 22, 2023 5 min read

How do I find my wallet address?

Right! So you’re about to send crypto to someone. Or you’re expecting to receive some crypto instead.

In both cases, you’ll need the crypto address. Sometimes, this might be called a public key – the term public here refers to the fact that this address can be safely shared publicly.

As a sender, you’ll need the wallet address of the recipient. As a recipient, you’ll need to give your wallet address to the sender.

What’s a crypto wallet address?

In this article, we’ll discuss an Ethereum address, and how you might find it using the MetaMask wallet. We’ll take a brief look at how to find wallet addresses on other crypto wallets towards the end.

Since we’ll be using MetaMask and, on default settings, connecting to the Ethereum network, we can also refer to the wallet address as an Ethereum address.

It might be helpful to think of this address as a unique identifier. A virtual location to keep your Ether (ETH) and or other Ethereum-based tokens (we’ll cover than in the next module which has a lesson on Ethereum-based wallets).

It’s not at all unlike a bank account number. Which is a unique identifier for you to store fiat money.

What does my address look like?

On the Ethereum network, public addresses share the same format, which is a string of 42 alphanumeric characters. That is, numbers and letters. They are not case-sensitive, so you will not get an error if you use upper or lower case letters.

Also, they always begin with the “0x” (a zero and an x) prefix.

So if you’re looking at a string of characters that doesn’t start with “0x”, it’s not likely your address.

Good to Know

In computing and programming, the 0x prefix denotes the start of a “hex” number, which is differentiates them from regular numbers using decimal values.

Note: All networks that are compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) also share the same format. We’ll cover what EVM is in Course 3, but it’s enough to know for now that networks supported by Ethereum-based wallets like MetaMask will likely share the same address format.

Where to find the address on your MetaMask wallet

Once you launch your MetaMask wallet, unlock it by entering your passphrase.

The very first screen to greet you after MetaMask is unlocked is where you’ll find your Ethereum address. It should be located at the top and in the centre, probably taking up the largest portion of MetaMask’s top view. As it should, since it’s a really important part of your crypto wallet!

Remember how Ethereum addresses start with the prefix “0x”? That should immediately help you identity the string of characters in your MetaMask extension. That’s your Ethereum address.

Because it’s a long string of characters, the display will show part of the beginning and part of the end. That’s really just for your privacy too.

Don’t worry, you can copy the entire address to your computer’s clipboard. Simply select any area on that string of characters and the entire address will is copied. Paste it anywhere else and the entire address will show up.

This is how you’ll give your address to someone who wants to send you crypto.

Note that this guide is written in February 2023. Ethereum wallets, like any app, may have experience changes to its look and layout, as developers add new features and upgrades. But it is almost certain that your address will continue to be displayed in a prominent place and on the main screen like now.

Using the QR code on MetaMask

Just like many modern apps, MetaMask also encodes your wallet address into a handy QR code. You can give your account’s code to others to send you funds the same way as you would give your address. It’s the same thing.

They just have to be able to scan the code – most modern smartphones should be able to do this easily.

To locate your code, just launch and unlock your wallet.

If using MetaMask on a phone, next to your account name, select the QR symbol or “Show QR code”. That’s the code you should give to the person who wants to send you crypto.

If using the MetaMask extension on your browser, select the hamburger menu instead, next to your account name. Then select “Account details”. Your QR code, with your wallet address below it, will be shown.

Now you should be able to do crypto transactions easily!