How to use Uniswap for swapping? (Automated market makers)

Connecting Your Wallet to Uniswap

1. Open the official Uniswap interface at app.uniswap.org in a supported browser like Chrome or Brave.2. Click the “Connect Wallet” button located in the top-right corner of the interface.3. Select your preferred wallet provider—MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, Trust Wallet, or WalletConnect are commonly used.4. Approve the connection request within your wallet extension or mobile app.5. Confirm that your wallet address and network (Ethereum mainnet or a supported Layer 2 such as Arbitrum or Base) appear correctly in the interface.

Selecting Tokens and Setting Swap Parameters

1. Identify the input token field and click the “Select a token” button to open the token list.2. Search for or scroll to locate the token you wish to swap from—e.g., ETH, USDC, or DAI.3. Repeat the process in the output token field to choose the destination token.4. Enter the exact amount you intend to swap in the input field.5. Review the displayed exchange rate, price impact, and estimated output amount before proceeding.6. Adjust slippage tolerance using the gear icon if necessary—default is usually 0.5%, but volatile tokens may require higher values.

Understanding Liquidity Pools and Route Selection

1. Uniswap routes swaps across multiple liquidity pools when direct pairs are unavailable—e.g., swapping SHIB for LINK may involve SHIB → WETH → LINK.2. The interface displays the full path beneath the output field, including intermediate tokens and pool fees (0.01%, 0.05%, 0.3%, or 1%).3. Each pool contains reserves of two tokens governed by the constant product formula x × y = k.4. Larger pools generally offer tighter spreads and lower price impact; smaller pools carry higher risk of impermanent loss and greater slippage.5. You can manually override auto-routing by selecting “Edit route” and removing or locking specific hops, though this requires advanced knowledge of pool depths and fee tiers.

Approving and Executing the Transaction

1. If swapping a token you haven’t used on Uniswap before, an “Approve” transaction must be signed first to allow the Uniswap router to spend your tokens.2. This approval is a one-time action per token contract and consumes gas on Ethereum or its L2s.3. After approval completes, click “Swap” to initiate the trade transaction.4. Your wallet will display the estimated gas fee, transaction details, and a final confirmation screen.5. Once confirmed, the transaction propagates through the network—the status changes from “Pending” to “Success” upon block inclusion.

Troubleshooting Common Swap Failures

1. “Insufficient balance” appears when your wallet lacks enough tokens or native gas (ETH on Ethereum, MATIC on Polygon, etc.) to cover fees.2. “Transaction reverted” often signals excessive slippage or pool imbalance—adjust slippage tolerance or try a different route.3. “Execution expired” means the quoted price has shifted beyond your slippage limit; refresh the quote and retry.4. “Invalid pair” occurs when attempting to swap tokens not supported by the selected network or those with unverified contracts.5. “Out of gas” errors may stem from complex multi-hop routes on congested networks—switching to a Layer 2 like Optimism often resolves this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need ETH to swap tokens on Arbitrum or Base?A: No. You need the native gas token of the network you’re using—ARB on Arbitrum, ETH on Base—not Ethereum mainnet ETH.

Q: Can I swap tokens directly from a centralized exchange wallet?A: Not unless the exchange supports Web3 wallet connections. Most CEX wallets do not expose private keys or support dApp interactions.

Q: Why does Uniswap show “No quotes found” for some token pairs?A: That indicates no active liquidity pool exists for that pair on the selected network—or the token contract is blacklisted due to security concerns.

Q: Is my transaction visible to others before it’s confirmed?A: Yes. All pending transactions are broadcast to the mempool and viewable via explorers like Arbiscan or Etherscan, including amounts and addresses involved.