TROUBLESHOOTING · PENDING TRANSACTION
MetaMask transaction stuck pending: what to check
The spinner has been running for several minutes. Before clicking again, identify what is waiting: your wallet, the network or the receiving service. They do not always display the same state at the same time.
Useful first: How to read an Etherscan transaction: a simple guide
THE SHORT ANSWER
First check the hash in the relevant network explorer. A genuinely pending transaction may be replaced by one from the same account with the same nonce and suitable fees. An already-confirmed transaction cannot be cancelled this way.
What does the explorer show?
Choose an observed status. This guide does not look up a transaction.
The transaction has not been included yet. Check the oldest pending nonce for this account and the wallet’s official replacement options.
For this regular account, the earlier nonce blocks the next transaction.
Check the hash and network before the clock
Open the transaction details and its explorer link. A hash searched on the wrong network may appear missing. Compare the displayed status, sender and nonce. Waiting five minutes alone does not establish failure.
If the explorer shows success, the network has already processed the transaction. A receiving platform may still require confirmations or internal checks before crediting the account. Speeding up in the wallet does not resolve that internal delay.
Understand the queue with an example
Imagine a regular Ethereum account with transactions 8 and 9 pending. If nonce 8 has not been processed, nonce 9 waits its turn. Replacing only 9 does not clear the blockage at 8. The nonce orders this account’s transactions on that network.
This explanation covers standard Ethereum transactions. Smart transaction services, account-abstraction wallets and other networks may expose different mechanisms. Follow the official procedure for your situation.
Wait, speed up or attempt cancellation
Waiting keeps the original request. Speeding up attempts a replacement with the same nonce and a higher fee offer. Cancelling generally tries to have a different transaction with that nonce processed before the original. The outcome depends on which gets included first.
Use the controls provided by your wallet version after checking the status. Cancellation can incur fees and is not guaranteed. Sending more transactions with new nonces is not cancellation.
Clearing activity does not clear the blockchain
A local reset can erase the wallet’s activity information without changing network state. MetaMask recommends clearing this data only when instructed by its support. Keep the hash and context for diagnosis; do not share your recovery phrase.
The questions that remain
How long should I wait?
There is no universal delay. The network, fee offer, account queue and service all matter. The status in the correct explorer tells you more than elapsed time alone.
Does requesting cancellation make the original impossible?
Not until the replacement has won the race and been confirmed. The original may be included first. Check the final outcome in the explorer.
Sources and further reading
- MetaMask — Speed up or cancel a pending transaction · in English
- Ethereum.org — Transactions · in English
- MetaMask — Clear activity and nonce data · in English
Page updated on
Documentation checked on · WhyTheBlockchain · Editorial approach