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    Wallets & Security

    Check the Chrome ID Before You Install MetaMask

    Published September 21, 2026

    Install MetaMask only from the official download page and match the Chrome extension ID letter for letter. Cloned apps can record your Secret Recovery Phrase.

    Check the Chrome ID Before You Install MetaMask

    A lookalike MetaMask download can record your Secret Recovery Phrase during setup. MetaMask's official pages say to install only from metamask.io/download and to match the Chrome extension ID.

    MetaMask is a self-custody wallet from Consensys. A browser extension is a small program added to Chrome or another browser. The Secret Recovery Phrase is the 12-word backup MetaMask uses to restore the wallet. Anyone who has those words can move the funds.

    Who, What, When, and Where

    Consensys publishes MetaMask's official download page at metamask.io/download. That page links to official store listings. MetaMask's stay-safe article, "How do I recognize the real MetaMask," tells users not to download from unofficial sources and warns that cloned apps can record the Secret Recovery Phrase.

    The official Chrome Web Store listing uses extension ID nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn. The publisher name is Consensys Software Inc. Check those two fields on the store page before you install.

    What MetaMask's Pages Say

    Install only through https://metamask.io/download or the official store links that page provides. Do not install from ads, search results, DMs, or a site that asks you to "verify" a wallet by typing the Secret Recovery Phrase.

    MetaMask support says official help never DMs first. Support will not ask you to enter the Secret Recovery Phrase on a website.

    Why a Cloned App Is Dangerous

    A cloned extension can look like MetaMask and still collect the backup words when you create or restore a wallet. MetaMask's download page is the source for that warning. This article does not confirm any specific 2026 Chrome Web Store listing as fake.

    What This Guide Does Not Confirm

    CryptoWorkPro did not independently verify a named 2026 fake listing, takedown, or victim count. Review counts and "last updated" dates on a store page are not a substitute for the official ID and publisher name.

    How to Check Before You Install

    These steps come from MetaMask's official download and stay-safe pages. They are not a recovery guarantee.

    • Type https://metamask.io/download yourself. Do not follow an ad, a DM, or a search result that skips that page.
    • Use the official store link from that page.
    • On Chrome, confirm the extension ID is nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn, letter for letter.
    • Confirm the publisher is Consensys Software Inc.
    • Never type your Secret Recovery Phrase into a website to complete a download.

    If you already installed from an unofficial source, do not enter the Secret Recovery Phrase into that copy. Use only official MetaMask help pages, not a chat window that contacted you first.

    Sources

    Disclosure: This article is a verification guide based on MetaMask's official download and stay-safe pages. The featured image is a generated illustration, not a documentary photograph. This article is not financial, legal, or investment advice. AI-assisted research and writing. Cited sources, not AI alone, support the claims.