How to change the gas limit in MetaMask?

Adjusting the gas limit in MetaMask can optimize transaction costs and prevent failures, especially for complex dApp interactions.

Jul 05, 2025 at 07:18 pm

Understanding Gas Limit in MetaMask

When interacting with the Ethereum blockchain through MetaMask, users often encounter gas fees. The gas limit refers to the maximum amount of computational effort a user is willing to spend on a transaction. By default, MetaMask sets an automatic gas limit based on the complexity of the transaction. However, there are situations where manually adjusting this value becomes necessary. Understanding how to change the gas limit can help prevent failed transactions or unnecessary overpayment.

Gas limit directly affects whether a transaction will be successfully processed. If it's too low, the transaction may fail. If it's too high, the excess gas will be refunded, but the upfront cost increases.

When Should You Adjust the Gas Limit?

There are several scenarios where modifying the gas limit is beneficial:

• When deploying smart contracts or interacting with complex decentralized applications (dApps)
• When a previous transaction has failed due to insufficient gas
• When you want to optimize transaction costs

Manual adjustment of gas limit is especially important when interacting with dApps that require multiple operations in one transaction. These interactions often consume more gas than standard transfers.

How to Access Advanced Gas Controls in MetaMask

To adjust the gas limit, you need to enable advanced settings in your MetaMask wallet:

• Open MetaMask and click on your profile icon in the top-right corner
• Navigate to Settings
• Select the Advanced tab
• Toggle on Advanced gas controls

Enabling advanced gas controls unlocks manual editing options for gas price and gas limit during transaction confirmation. This allows greater control over transaction execution and cost.

Changing the Gas Limit During a Transaction

Once advanced gas controls are enabled, you can modify the gas limit during any transaction:

• Initiate a transaction from MetaMask or a connected dApp
• Before confirming, locate the Gas Fee section
• Click Edit next to the gas settings
• A pop-up window will appear showing current gas price and gas limit
• Manually adjust the Gas Limit field to your desired value

It’s crucial to input an accurate gas limit to avoid spending extra ETH unnecessarily or having your transaction fail. Some dApps provide recommended values, which can serve as a useful reference.

Recommended Gas Limits for Common Transactions

Different types of transactions consume different amounts of gas. Here are general guidelines:

• Standard ETH transfer: 21,000 units
• ERC-20 token transfer: between 50,000 and 75,000 units
• Smart contract interaction: varies widely depending on complexity

Always verify the recommended gas limit from the dApp or service you're using before proceeding. Incorrect values can lead to transaction failure or wasted funds.

Troubleshooting Gas Limit Issues

If you encounter problems after changing the gas limit, consider the following checks:

• Did the transaction fail? Check if the gas limit was too low
• Was the gas fee unusually high? Consider lowering the gas limit next time
• Are you interacting with a new contract? Look up similar transactions on Etherscan to estimate required gas

Analyzing past transactions on block explorers like Etherscan helps determine appropriate gas limits for future interactions. This can significantly improve cost efficiency.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I edit the gas limit after submitting a transaction?

No, once a transaction is submitted to the Ethereum network, the gas limit cannot be changed. It becomes part of the transaction data stored on the blockchain.

Q: What happens if my gas limit is too high?

If the gas limit is higher than needed, the unused gas will be refunded to your wallet. However, you still pay for the actual gas used, so setting excessively high limits is inefficient.

Q: Why doesn’t MetaMask automatically set the correct gas limit every time?

MetaMask uses estimates based on transaction type and network conditions. However, some complex transactions, especially those involving smart contracts, may not be accurately predicted by automated systems.

Q: Is it safe to always use a high gas limit to ensure transaction success?

While it reduces the chance of failure, consistently using a high gas limit leads to unnecessary spending. It’s better to find a balance based on historical data and recommendations from dApps.