<p>When sending funds via <strong><a href="https://metamask.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Metamask</a></strong>, you may occasionally find your transactions stuck. This means that the funds remain on hold, i.e. the transaction is not completed in a timely manner.</p>



<p>The reasons why you may come across stuck transactions in Metamask are aplenty. </p>



<p>The gas limit that you specify for transactions may be too low in the current state of the network. Alternatively, you may simply run out of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.thecoinzone.com/blockchain/what-is-a-native-token" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.thecoinzone.com/blockchain/what-is-a-native-token" target="_blank"><strong>native tokens</strong></a> to cover the <strong><a href="https://www.fool.com/terms/c/crypto-gas-fees/#:~:text=A%20gas%20fee%20is%20the,car%20needs%20gasoline%20to%20run.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gas fees</a></strong>. Finally, the funds get stuck when you try sending two or more transactions from the same address simultaneously.</p>



<p>There are a few ways to resolve this problem. In this article, we are going to give a few guides on how you can fix pending transactions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Why Is Your MetaMask Transaction Stuck?</h2>



<p>Before you try any fix, you need to know where the problem actually lives. There are two very different scenarios.</p>



<p><strong>Local queue (MetaMask only)</strong>: The transaction was submitted but never broadcast to the network. This usually happens after a browser crash, a network switch, or a nonce gap created by a previous failed transaction.</p>



<p><strong>On-chain mempool</strong>: The transaction reached the Ethereum network but miners or validators have not included it in a block. Low gas price is the most common reason.</p>



<p>To check which scenario you are in, open a block explorer such as Etherscan, paste your wallet address, and look at the Pending Transactions tab. If your transaction does not appear there at all, the problem is local. If it appears, the problem is on-chain.</p>



<p>The four most common root causes:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Gas price too low.</strong> Under EIP-1559, every transaction pays a base fee set by the network plus an optional priority tip for validators. If your base fee bid is below the current network base fee, the transaction will not be picked up.</li>



<li><strong>Gas limit too low.</strong> Complex contract interactions require more computation. If the gas limit is set below what the operation needs, the transaction fails or stalls.</li>



<li><strong>Nonce gap</strong>. Every transaction from your address must be processed in strict nonce order. If transaction #5 is stuck, transactions #6, #7, and every one after it are also blocked until #5 resolves.</li>



<li><strong>Insufficient ETH for gas.</strong> Your wallet balance must cover the full gas cost at the time of execution, not just the token amount you are sending.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Which Fix Should You Use?</h2>



<p>Pick your situation from the table below, then jump directly to the relevant section.</p>





<p style="margin:0 0 16px 0;font-size:16px">
👉 <strong>Quick takeaway:</strong> Most stuck transactions resolve with a speed-up or cancel via the MetaMask UI in under 5 minutes. If MetaMask shows pending but Etherscan shows nothing, an account reset clears the local state. Nonce gaps require a manual override and are the most technically involved fix on this list.
</p>
<div style="overflow-x:auto;margin:0 0 24px 0">
  <table style="width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:16px;line-height:1.5;min-width:750px;border:1px solid #e5e7eb"><thead><tr style="background-color:#f8fafc;text-align:left"><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Your Situation</th><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Recommended Fix</th><th style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Time Required</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Transaction is pending and you want it confirmed faster</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
          Speed Up (raise gas)<br/>
          <span style="color:#15803d;font-weight:600">🏆 Simplest fix in table</span>
        </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
          <span style="color:#15803d;font-weight:600">🟢 Under 2 minutes</span>
        </td></tr><tr style="background-color:#fcfcfd"><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Transaction is pending and you want to abandon it</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">Cancel via MetaMask UI or zero-value nonce override</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
          <span style="color:#15803d;font-weight:600">🟢 2 to 5 minutes</span>
        </td></tr><tr><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">A nonce gap is blocking all newer transactions</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
          Manual nonce override (replace method)<br/>
          <span style="color:#d97706;font-weight:600">⚠️ Most technically involved fix</span>
        </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
          <span style="color:#d97706;font-weight:600">⚠️ 5 to 10 minutes</span>
        </td></tr><tr style="background-color:#fcfcfd"><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">MetaMask shows pending but Etherscan shows nothing</td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
          Account reset<br/>
          <span style="color:#d97706;font-weight:600">⚠️ Clears local transaction history</span>
        </td><td style="padding:14px 16px;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb">
          <span style="color:#d97706;font-weight:600">⚠️ 2 minutes — but clears history</span>
        </td></tr><tr><td style="padding:14px 16px">Multiple transactions stuck in sequence</td><td style="padding:14px 16px">Cancel in ascending nonce order</td><td style="padding:14px 16px">
          <span style="color:#d97706;font-weight:600">⚠️ 5 to 15 minutes depending on count</span><br/>
          <span style="color:#d97706;font-weight:600">⚠️ Longest resolution time in table</span>
        </td></tr></tbody></table>
</div>




<p>If you are not sure which situation applies, start with the diagnostic check in the section above.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Speed Up a Pending Transaction</h2>



<p>This is the right first move for most users. It takes under two minutes and does not require enabling custom nonce.</p>



<p>How to use it:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Open MetaMask and go to your activity feed.</li>



<li>Find the pending transaction and click on it.</li>



<li>Click &quot;Speed Up.&quot;</li>



<li>MetaMask opens a gas editing screen. Raise the max fee above the current network base fee. The Etherscan Gas Tracker shows current base fee in real time.</li>



<li>Confirm. MetaMask resubmits the same transaction with the same nonce but a higher bid, giving it priority over your original submission.</li>
</ol>



<p>If Speed Up is not visible, the transaction may have already dropped from the local queue. In that case, move to the Replace or Cancel methods below.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Cancel Stuck Transactions</h2>



<p>Two paths exist here. Pick the one that matches your situation.</p>



<p><strong>Option A: Use MetaMask&#x27;s built-in Cancel button</strong></p>



<p>If the transaction is still pending and the Cancel button is visible in your activity feed, click it. MetaMask submits a zero-value transaction to your own address using the same nonce and a higher gas fee. This is the fastest route when the button is available.</p>



<p><strong>Option B: Manual zero-value override</strong></p>



<p>If the Cancel button is grayed out or missing, use the manual nonce method. Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the Replace section above to find the stuck nonce. Then initiate a new transaction sending 0 ETH to your own wallet address. Enter the stuck transaction&#x27;s nonce in the Custom nonce field and set a gas fee above the current base fee.</p>



<p>This sends a cheap placeholder transaction that claims the nonce slot and pushes the stuck transaction out.</p>



<p><strong>Canceling multiple stuck transactions</strong></p>



<p>Start with the lowest nonce first. Work upward in order. Trying to cancel nonce #7 before nonce #5 will not work because the network processes nonces sequentially.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Replace a Stuck Transaction (Manual Nonce Override)</h2>



<p>Use this method when the Speed Up button is unavailable or when a nonce gap is blocking a chain of transactions.</p>



<p><strong>Step 1: Enable Custom Nonce</strong></p>



<p>Open MetaMask and go to Settings &gt; Advanced. Toggle on both &quot;Gas controls&quot; and &quot;Custom transaction nonce.&quot; You only need to do this once.</p>



<p><strong>Step 2: Find the stuck transaction&#x27;s nonce</strong></p>



<p>Go to your MetaMask activity feed and open the pending transaction. Note the nonce number shown in the transaction details. Write it down.</p>



<p><strong>Step 3: Send a replacement transaction</strong></p>



<p>Initiate a new transaction to any address (it can be your own address). Before confirming, expand the gas settings and set your max fee above the current network base fee shown on the Etherscan Gas Tracker. In the &quot;Custom nonce&quot; field, enter the exact nonce number you recorded in Step 2.</p>



<p>The network treats same-nonce transactions as competitors. The one with the higher fee wins and the other is dropped.</p>



<p><strong>Step 4: Confirm and monitor</strong></p>



<p>Submit the transaction and watch for confirmation on Etherscan. If it stays pending after a few minutes, repeat with a higher max fee. Each retry must use the same nonce number.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Reset Your Account (Last Resort)</h2>



<p>Use this only when MetaMask shows a transaction as pending but the transaction does not appear anywhere on Etherscan. That means the transaction never left MetaMask&#x27;s local queue. The account reset clears that local state.</p>



<p>What this does: it clears your local transaction history and resets MetaMask&#x27;s nonce counter to match what is on-chain. Your funds, tokens, and seed phrase are not affected.</p>



<p>What this does not do: it cannot cancel or reverse a transaction that is already on-chain.</p>



<p><strong>Steps:</strong></p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Open MetaMask.</li>



<li>Go to Settings &gt; Advanced.</li>



<li>Scroll down to &quot;Clear activity and nonce data.&quot;</li>



<li>Click the button and confirm in the pop-up.</li>
</ol>



<p>After the reset, MetaMask will re-sync your nonce from the network. Any genuinely on-chain pending transactions will reappear in your activity feed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">How to Prevent Stuck Transactions in the Future</h2>



<p>Fixing a stuck transaction once is frustrating. Fixing the same problem repeatedly means the root cause was never addressed.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Check gas before every transaction.</strong> Before confirming, glance at the Etherscan Gas Tracker. If the current base fee is spiking, wait a few minutes or raise your max fee manually.</li>



<li><strong>Avoid sending multiple transactions in rapid succession.</strong> MetaMask increments nonces automatically, but if one transaction in the chain fails or stalls, everything after it is blocked. Confirm each transaction before sending the next if timing is not critical.</li>



<li><strong>Keep a small ETH buffer in every wallet.</strong> Gas costs are paid in ETH regardless of what token you are sending. Running low on ETH is one of the most common causes of stuck transactions that users overlook.</li>



<li><strong>Use MetaMask&#x27;s Advanced Gas Controls for high-stakes transactions.</strong> For time-sensitive swaps or contract interactions, enable Advanced Gas Controls in Settings &gt; Advanced and set your priority tip above the suggested value to give validators a reason to include your transaction first.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading tablecontent">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">What is a nonce and why does it matter?</h5>



<p>A nonce (number used once) is a sequential counter attached to every transaction sent from your wallet address. The network requires transactions to be processed in exact nonce order. If nonce #4 is stuck, nonces #5, #6, and beyond cannot be confirmed until #4 resolves.</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Can a pending transaction disappear on its own?</h5>



<p>Yes. If a transaction stays in the mempool long enough with a gas price that is consistently below the network base fee, nodes will eventually drop it. The time varies by network conditions. When this happens, the funds never left your wallet.</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">What is the difference between Speed Up and the manual nonce override?</h5>



<p>Speed Up uses MetaMask&#x27;s UI to resubmit the same transaction with a higher gas fee. It is faster and simpler. The manual nonce override gives you full control over the fee and the nonce, which is necessary when the Speed Up button is unavailable or when you need to cancel rather than accelerate.</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Why does MetaMask show a transaction as pending when Etherscan shows nothing?</h5>



<p>The transaction is stuck in MetaMask&#x27;s local queue and was never broadcast to the network. Use the account reset method (Settings &gt; Advanced &gt; Clear activity and nonce data) to resolve this.</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">Is it safe to reset my MetaMask account?</h5>



<p>Yes, with a clear understanding of what it does. The reset clears local transaction history and resets the local nonce counter. It does not touch your seed phrase, private keys, token balances, or any on-chain data.</p>

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