How to Cancel a Pending Transaction in MetaMask: A Guide to Nonce, Speed Up, and Cancel

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Who is this guide for?

This guide is for users whose transactions are pending on Ethereum and EVM-compatible networks via the MetaMask Extension or MetaMask Mobile. An ETH or token transfer, swap, contract interaction, token approval, or NFT transaction may be stuck in limbo. The method described here for changing the nonce applies to EVM account transactions; the same steps should not be assumed to apply to non-EVM networks supported by MetaMask.

Button labels in the interface may vary depending on the MetaMask version, the network being used, and the status of the Smart Transactions feature. Therefore, first verify the transaction status on the appropriate network’s block explorer; then select the appropriate method in the wallet.

Critical Risk Warning

1. Why does a MetaMask transaction remain pending?

When an EVM transaction is sent to the network, validators must include it in a block. If the maximum fee and priority fee selected for the transaction are insufficient given the current network demand, the transaction may remain in the mempool. Sometimes the estimate selected by the wallet falls behind market conditions shortly after the transaction is sent; other times, there aren’t enough local coins in the account to cover the network fee.

A pending transaction can affect not only that transaction but also subsequent transactions sent from the same account. This is because transactions in EVM accounts proceed using sequential numbers called nonces. If transaction with nonce 18 is pending, transactions sent with nonces 19 and 20—even if they have reached the network—cannot generally be processed until transaction 18 is settled.

What is a nonce?

A nonce is a transaction counter assigned to transactions sent from an account in sequential order starting from 0. For the same account and the same chain, a nonce can only be finalized once. The basic logic behind “Speed Up” and “Cancel” transactions is to publish a new transaction that uses the same nonce value as the pending transaction but has fee settings that the network will find more attractive.

The difference between gas limit, max fee, and priority fee

The gas limit is the maximum amount of computational resources a transaction is allowed to consume. The max priority fee is the upper limit of the priority share offered to the validator. The max fee, on the other hand, is the maximum unit fee you agree to pay for the sum of the base fee and the priority fee. When attempting to speed up or cancel a transaction, simply increasing the gas limit is often insufficient; if the main issue is a low fee offer, the max fee and priority fee values must also be increased according to current market conditions.

2. Initial Diagnosis: Is the transaction actually queued on the network?

The fact that it says “Pending” in the wallet is not sufficient on its own. First, completely close and reopen MetaMask. Then, make sure you’ve selected the correct account and the network to which the transaction was sent. Open the transaction ID from the transaction details in the MetaMask Activity section and check the status in the block explorer for the relevant network.

Verifying the correct network and account

The same wallet address can be used on different networks such as Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, or BNB Smart Chain; however, each network has its own nonce sequence and transaction history. You cannot cancel a pending transaction on Ethereum with a transaction sent on the Base network. The cancellation must be made from the same sender account and on the same chain.

3. Method 1: Speed Up the Transaction

If the transaction was sent to the correct recipient with the correct amount, and you simply want to resolve the delay, the safest starting method is the “Speed Up” option. MetaMask prepares a replacement transaction with a higher fee while preserving the same recipient, transaction data, and nonce value.

1. Open the Activity section in MetaMask and tap or click on the pending transaction.
2. Select the “Speed Up” option. In newer extension versions, transaction details can also be accessed from the “Transaction submitted” notification in the sidebar.
3. Review the increased network fee suggested by MetaMask. If necessary, open the advanced fee settings.
4. If the recipient, amount, network, and total maximum fee are correct, confirm the transaction.
5. Track the new transaction hash in the block explorer. The old transaction may appear as “Replaced” or similar.

Two transactions with the same nonce cannot both be finalized. If the replacement transaction is included in a block first, the old transaction becomes invalid. Therefore, the “Speed Up” transaction does not mean paying two separate gas fees—one for the original transaction and one for the accelerated transaction; the transaction included on the chain consumes gas. However, the maximum fee you set for the new transaction can be higher.

4. Method 2: Using the MetaMask “Cancel” button

If you no longer want the transaction to go through and MetaMask displays the “Cancel” option in the transaction details, you can use this method. “Cancel” creates a new transaction using the nonce value of the pending transaction. The new transaction is typically a worthless transfer sent to your own address; the goal is to finalize the same nonce first with a higher fee.

1. Open the pending transaction from the Activity section.
2. Click the “Cancel” button. On supported networks in Extension v13.30 and later, this option is available in the transaction details view.
3. Check the network fee displayed for the cancellation transaction. Canceling a transaction also requires gas, as it publishes a new transaction to the network.
4. After confirmation, track the hashes of both the original transaction and the cancellation transaction in a block explorer.

This is a race condition: whichever transaction with the same nonce is included in the block first determines the outcome. If the original transaction finalizes first, the “Cancel” transaction cannot reverse it. Therefore, in time-critical situations, instead of sending a low-fee cancellation transaction, you should select a higher fee appropriate for current network conditions.

5. Method 3: Creating a Manual Cancel Transaction with the Same Nonce

If the “Speed Up” or “Cancel” button is not visible, advanced users can send a manual replacement transaction with the same nonce. Since even the slightest error in this process can create a new pending transaction, be sure to record the transaction hash and nonce value first.

Step 1: Find the nonce value of the pending transaction

Go to the Activity tab on the MetaMask home screen, open the pending transaction, and note the nonce value in the details. Alternatively, enter the transaction hash into a block explorer for the correct network and check the nonce information under “More details” or “Other attributes.” If there are multiple pending transactions, the one with the lowest nonce value is the oldest transaction.

Step 2: Make the custom nonce field visible

When creating a new transaction in the extension, enable the “Show advanced details” option on the transaction review screen. If Smart Transactions is enabled, you may need to temporarily disable the Smart Transactions feature under Settings > Transactions to use the custom nonce field. MetaMask’s current documentation notes that this requirement may apply on supported networks such as Ethereum Mainnet, Base, Arbitrum, and BNB Smart Chain. You can re-enable the feature after the transaction is complete.

On mobile, enable the “Customize transaction nonce” option under Settings > Advanced. Then, edit the nonce field on the new transfer screen.

Step 3: Send a transaction with a value of 0 to your own address using the same nonce

1. Initiate a new transfer in MetaMask and enter your own public address as the recipient.
2. Select 0 ETH or 0 of the network’s native coin as the amount to send. If the wallet interface does not allow a value of 0, a very small amount may be required; however, the address must belong to you.
3. In the “Custom nonce” field, enter the exact nonce value of the pending transaction you wish to cancel.
4. Verify that you have sufficient balance in the network’s native coin to cover the gas fee.

Step 4: Raise the replacement fee sufficiently

MetaMask’s official guide recommends setting the gas limit for a manual cancellation to a level comparable to or slightly higher than the original transaction; it also suggests increasing the priority fee by at least approximately 10% and the max fee by approximately 30%. These are not guaranteed fixed percentages. If network fees are fluctuating rapidly, the required threshold may have risen even further by the time the transaction is broadcast. Compare the current network fee at the time of the transaction with the block explorer’s gas tracker and MetaMask’s estimate.

If you receive an error such as “Replacement transaction underpriced,” the fee bid for the replacement transaction is not high enough compared to the current pending transaction. Re-evaluate the max priority fee and max fee values while keeping the same nonce; increase the fee components in the appropriate areas rather than using arbitrarily high gas limits.

6. If there are multiple pending transactions, in what order are they canceled?

For transactions sent consecutively from the same account, the most critical rule is to start with the smallest nonce value. For example, if nonces 41, 42, and 43 are pending, 41 must be processed first. Sending a high-fee replacement transaction for nonce 42 will not clear the queue while 41 is still pending. MetaMask’s official support documentation recommends that replacement transactions be processed from oldest to newest.

Make a separate decision for each nonce: If you want to continue the transaction with the same content, select “Speed Up”; if you want to abandon it entirely, select “Cancel,” or use a new transaction with the same nonce to your own address. If there are multiple local entries with the same nonce, the successful finalization of that nonce invalidates other candidates with the same nonce. This does not mean that the entire queue with different nonces will be canceled by a single transaction.

7. Common Issues and Solutions

8. When should “Clear activity and nonce data” be used?

The feature previously known as “Reset account” in the MetaMask Extension is now called “Clear activity and nonce data” in current versions. On mobile, the name “Reset account” may still appear. This action does not delete your wallet balance or transactions on the blockchain; it clears MetaMask’s local transaction history and local information about pending transactions.

However, it does not actually cancel any pending transactions on the network. MetaMask specifies that this feature should only be used when recommended by the Support team and when the transaction does not appear in the block explorer. “Reset wallet,” on the other hand, is a different and much more comprehensive process; it restores the app to its initial setup state. The two options should not be confused.

9. Checklist for Secure Use

• ☐ I verified the account and network to which the transaction was sent.
• ☐ I checked the transaction status not only in MetaMask but also on the correct network’s blockchain explorer.
• ☐ I understand that once a transaction is confirmed, it cannot be canceled.
• ☐ If there are multiple pending transactions, I will start with the smallest nonce value.
• ☐ I understand the difference between using “Speed Up” to continue the same transaction and using “Cancel” to abandon the transaction.
• ☐ In the manual method, I used my own address, the correct nonce, and the correct network.
• ☐ I left a sufficient balance in the network’s native token to cover the gas fee.
• ☐ I checked the "Max fee" and "Priority fee" values based on current network conditions.
• ☐ I did not provide any information—such as my seed phrase, private key, or screen—to anyone who requested it.
• ☐ I will not use the “Clear activity and nonce data” option as a first solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a pending transaction in MetaMask be definitively canceled?

No. Cancellation is an attempt to override the original transaction by sending a new transaction with the same nonce but a higher fee. If the original transaction is included in a block first, the cancellation will fail.

What is the difference between “Speed Up” and “Cancel”?

"Speed Up" aims to resubmit the same transaction with a higher fee to ensure it is processed. "Cancel," on the other hand, attempts to prevent the original transaction from being processed by consuming the same nonce with a different, typically worthless transaction sent to your own address.

Why is a gas fee paid for a cancellation transaction?

Because a Cancel transaction is also a real replacement transaction sent to the chain. If the original transaction is canceled, its gas fee is not collected; the replacement transaction in the block consumes gas.

What happens if the nonce is entered incorrectly?

An incorrect nonce may fail to modify the intended transaction and could create a new pending transaction. If a higher nonce is selected, the new transaction may remain in the queue until the old one is resolved.

Can I cancel multiple pending transactions at once?

Transactions with different nonce values generally require separate action. If there are multiple candidate transactions with the same nonce, finalizing that nonce invalidates the other candidate transactions with the same nonce.

Why isn’t the “Cancel” button visible?

The button may not be displayed due to the network, your MetaMask version, or the Smart Transactions feature. If the transaction is truly pending, the custom nonce method can be used; this may require temporarily disabling the Smart Transactions feature.

Can a confirmed MetaMask transaction be reversed?

No. A transaction that appears as “Success” or “Confirmed” in the block explorer has been finalized on the blockchain. Neither MetaMask nor the network validators can reverse this transaction.

Does resetting MetaMask cancel a pending transaction?

No. “Clear activity and nonce data” only clears MetaMask’s local history. The transaction may still remain pending on the network; this option should only be used as recommended by MetaMask Support.

Conclusion

The correct way to resolve a pending transaction in MetaMask is to first determine the actual status on the chain and then safely use the same nonce. If the transaction is correct, use “Speed Up”; if you want to cancel, use “Cancel”; if the buttons are not visible, you can use a manual replacement transaction with the same nonce. For multiple transactions, the oldest nonce must be resolved first; confirmed transactions cannot be reversed.

Fees can fluctuate within seconds depending on network congestion. Therefore, instead of copying a fixed Gwei value, evaluate MetaMask’s real-time estimate, the gas tracker for the correct network, and the current fee values of the pending transaction together. If the transaction involves a high amount or the nonce sequence is complex, record all transaction hashes and nonce values before sending any additional transactions.

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