How to send Ethereum from MetaMask to another wallet?

Initiating a Transfer

1. Open the MetaMask browser extension or mobile application and ensure you are logged into the correct wallet account.

2. Confirm that the active network is Ethereum Mainnet or the intended chain where ETH resides—switching networks incorrectly may cause failed transactions.

3. Click the “Send” button located prominently on the wallet dashboard interface.

Entering Recipient Details

1. Paste the recipient’s Ethereum address into the “To” field—this must be a valid 42-character hexadecimal address beginning with “0x”.

2. Double-check the address for accuracy; MetaMask does not validate external ownership, and irreversible losses occur upon sending to an invalid or incorrect destination.

3. Avoid copying addresses from untrusted sources or truncated messages—always verify full address checksums manually or via ENS resolution if available.

Specifying Transaction Parameters

1. Enter the amount of ETH to send in either ether or wei units; the interface defaults to ether but displays equivalent wei value beneath.

2. Adjust gas fee settings using the slider or advanced options—MetaMask auto-selects “Fast”, “Average”, or “Slow” based on current network congestion and block inclusion probability.

3. Review the estimated transaction cost displayed in USD and ETH before proceeding; this includes base fee and priority fee components determined by EIP-1559 mechanics.

Signing and Broadcasting

1. Click “Next” to proceed to the confirmation screen, where all parameters—including recipient, amount, gas price, and nonce—are rendered immutable.

2. Enter your wallet password or approve via biometric authentication depending on device configuration.

3. After signature generation, MetaMask broadcasts the raw transaction to the Ethereum peer-to-peer network through its default Infura endpoint or configured custom RPC.

Tracking Transaction Status

1. Upon successful broadcast, MetaMask displays a “Transaction submitted” notification along with a unique transaction hash (txID).

2. Click the txID to open the transaction in Etherscan.io or another compatible block explorer for real-time status verification.

3. Monitor confirmations: zero confirmations indicate pending state; six or more confirmations generally signify finality under standard consensus assumptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Why does my ETH transfer show “Pending” for over 30 minutes?It likely indicates insufficient gas fee selection during periods of high network demand—check current gas prices via EthGasStation or use MetaMask’s “Speed Up” option if the transaction remains unconfirmed.

Q2: Can I cancel a MetaMask ETH transaction after clicking “Confirm”?No native cancellation exists once signed and broadcast; however, users may replace it with a higher-fee transaction sharing the same nonce—a technique known as transaction replacement via “Speed Up” or “Cancel” functions inside MetaMask.

Q3: What happens if I send ETH to a non-Ethereum chain address?Funds become irretrievable unless the destination supports cross-chain recovery mechanisms; ETH sent to Solana or Bitcoin addresses cannot be recovered due to incompatible cryptographic structures and ledger isolation.

Q4: Is it safe to send ETH directly to an exchange deposit address?Yes—if the exchange explicitly lists that address for ETH deposits and confirms support for the ERC-20 standard or native ETH; always verify deposit instructions on the exchange’s official website, not third-party sources.