How to update the Phantom Wallet extension? (Software Update)

Accessing the Phantom Wallet Extension Settings

1. Open your Chrome or Edge browser and navigate to the top-right corner where extensions are displayed.

2. Click the puzzle icon to reveal the list of installed extensions.

3. Locate Phantom Wallet in the list and click the three vertical dots next to it.

4. Select Details from the dropdown menu to enter the extension’s configuration panel.

5. Scroll down to the Update section to verify whether automatic updates are enabled.

Enabling Automatic Updates

1. In the extension details page, locate the toggle labeled Allow access to file URLs — this must remain active for core functionality.

2. Confirm that Auto-update is turned on under the Chrome Web Store settings.

3. Chrome extensions update automatically by default unless manually disabled via enterprise policies or developer mode overrides.

4. If auto-updates appear stalled, restart the browser completely to trigger background update checks.

5. Visit chrome://extensions and ensure Developer mode is toggled off unless actively debugging.

Manual Update Trigger

1. Go to chrome://extensions directly in the address bar.

2. Enable Developer mode using the toggle in the top-right corner.

3. Click the Update button located at the top-left of the extensions page.

4. Observe the status bar — a message will appear confirming “Updates checked” and listing any updated extensions.

5. Reload Phantom Wallet by right-clicking its icon and selecting Reload, or by reopening the popup interface.

Verifying the Installed Version

1. Within the Phantom Wallet extension popup, click the gear icon in the upper-right corner to open Settings.

2. Navigate to About or Version Info — exact label varies by version.

3. Compare the displayed version number with the latest release listed on the official Phantom GitHub repository or blog.

4. Check the changelog for recent security patches, Solana RPC endpoint adjustments, or UI refinements tied to blockchain protocol upgrades.

5. If version mismatch persists after multiple update attempts, uninstall and reinstall Phantom Wallet directly from the Chrome Web Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does updating Phantom Wallet reset my private keys or wallet addresses?A: No. Private keys remain stored locally in your browser’s encrypted storage. Updates do not alter key material or seed phrases.

Q: Why does Phantom Wallet show “Update pending” but never complete?A: This often occurs when Chrome’s update service is blocked by antivirus software, network proxies, or restrictive group policies in managed environments.

Q: Can I update Phantom Wallet on Brave or Firefox browsers?A: Yes. Brave supports Chrome extensions natively; Firefox requires installing Phantom via its official add-ons site, which follows Mozilla’s separate update cadence.

Q: Is it safe to use Phantom Wallet immediately after an update?A: Yes. All official releases undergo internal verification before deployment. Users should only install updates from phantom.app or verified app stores — never third-party download mirrors.