How to import my old wallet into Phantom using a private key?

Importing a Wallet via Private Key

1. Open the Phantom browser extension or mobile application and navigate to the wallet selection screen.

2. Select the option labeled “Import Wallet” instead of “Create New Wallet”.

3. Choose the import method labeled “Private Key” — this option appears alongside “Secret Recovery Phrase” and “Keystore File”.

4. Paste the full private key string into the designated input field. On Solana, this is typically an 88-character Base58-encoded string; on Ethereum-compatible chains, it is a 64-character hexadecimal string.

5. Confirm the network associated with the private key. Phantom will auto-detect the chain if the key format matches known standards, but manual selection may be required for non-standard or cross-chain keys.

6. Enter a strong local password to encrypt the imported key within the Phantom interface. This password does not recover the wallet — only the private key itself can do that.

7. Click “Import” and wait for the wallet to synchronize its balance and transaction history from the selected blockchain’s public nodes.

Security Considerations During Import

1. Never paste your private key into any website outside of the official Phantom application or verified browser extension.

2. Ensure no clipboard manager, browser extension, or third-party software is actively monitoring system clipboard contents before pasting.

3. Disable remote desktop tools, screen-sharing apps, or untrusted antivirus utilities during the import process.

4. Verify the URL in your browser address bar reads exactly https://phantom.app — typos or homograph domains may host phishing interfaces.

5. After successful import, test with a minimal transaction — such as sending 0.001 SOL to a known address — before moving significant assets.

Supported Private Key Formats

1. Solana: 88-character Base58 string, often generated by solders or CLI tools like solana-keygen.

2. Ethereum and EVM-compatible chains: 64-character hex string, prefixed optionally with “0x”, corresponding to the raw uncompressed private key.

3. Bitcoin (via Taproot or legacy P2PKH): WIF-encoded (Wallet Import Format) strings beginning with “5”, “K”, or “L” — supported only in Phantom’s Bitcoin network mode enabled via settings.

4. Base and Polygon: Same format as Ethereum private keys; Phantom treats them as interchangeable under the same cryptographic derivation path.

Troubleshooting Failed Imports

1. If Phantom displays “Invalid private key”, recheck character count and encoding — Base58 strings contain no uppercase “O”, zero “0”, lowercase “l”, or uppercase “I”.

2. If balance fails to load after import, manually add the correct RPC endpoint in Phantom’s network settings for the target chain.

3. If tokens are missing despite correct balance display, use the “Add Token” function and enter the exact contract address — Phantom does not auto-detect custom SPL or ERC-20 tokens.

4. If the interface freezes during import, close all other Phantom tabs, restart the browser, and retry with a fresh session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I import a Ledger-derived private key directly into Phantom?Phantom does not support extracting or importing private keys from hardware wallets. Ledger devices maintain keys in secure enclaves and only sign transactions — they do not expose raw keys.

Q: Does Phantom store my private key after import?No. Phantom operates as a non-custodial wallet. The private key remains encrypted locally using your device’s storage and is never transmitted to any server.

Q: Why does Phantom reject my MetaMask private key?MetaMask exports keys in JSON format containing encryption layers. Phantom requires the raw 64-character hex value. You must decrypt the JSON file first using MetaMask’s internal export tool or a trusted offline utility.

Q: Can I import the same private key into multiple Phantom instances?Yes. Each instance functions independently. However, simultaneous signing across devices may cause nonce conflicts on Ethereum-based chains, leading to dropped or reverted transactions.