If you want to use apps on Mode, an Ethereum Layer 2 built with the OP Stack, your MetaMask wallet needs to know the network exists. Out of the box, MetaMask only shows Ethereum mainnet and a handful of popular chains, so Mode will not appear until you add it. The good news: adding a network to MetaMask takes about two minutes, and you can do it either by hand or with one click from a trusted site.
In this guide you will learn what Mode is and why it matters, the two safe ways to add it to MetaMask in 2026, how to check that the network was added correctly, and the mistakes and scams to avoid along the way.
id=”what-is-mode”>What Mode Is
Mode is an Ethereum Layer 2 network built with the OP Stack — the same open-source toolkit behind well-known networks like Optimism and Base. The idea is straightforward: instead of executing every transaction on Ethereum mainnet, where fees can spike during busy periods, Layer 2 networks process transactions off-chain and post summaries back to Ethereum for security. You get faster, cheaper transactions while still inheriting most of Ethereum’s security guarantees.
Mode’s angle is a DeFi-focused ecosystem with sequencer fee sharing that rewards developers who build on it, but as a wallet user you mostly need to know three things. First, Mode is EVM-compatible, which means it works with the same MetaMask wallet you already use — no new wallet software is required. Second, gas fees on Mode are paid in ETH, exactly like Ethereum mainnet, so if you know how to manage gas on Ethereum you already understand Mode. Third, Mode is a separate network with its own chain ID, which is why MetaMask needs you to register it before your wallet can connect to Mode apps.
One thing to keep straight: Mode the L2 network has nothing to do with other projects that happen to share the word “mode” in their name. Scammers occasionally exploit this confusion with lookalike sites. Throughout this guide, when you read “Mode,” it means the OP Stack Layer 2 described above — and the network-switching habits from our safe switching guide apply here too.
Why Add Mode to MetaMask
Until you add Mode to MetaMask, your wallet literally cannot see or interact with anything on the network. dApps on Mode — decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, NFT marketplaces — connect to your wallet and ask it to sign transactions. If Mode is not registered in your network list, those connection requests fail or prompt you to add the network, which is exactly the moment where mistakes (and scams) happen. Setting it up yourself, calmly, from a source you trust, is far safer than adding a network in a hurry when a random site asks you to.
Adding Mode ahead of time also lets you prepare properly. You can confirm the network details, check your balance display, and bookmark the correct block explorer before you ever connect to a dApp. That preparation matters because the most common wallet compromises start with someone approving a malicious “add network” request that points their wallet at a lookalike chain controlled by attackers. A little setup work now saves you from rushed decisions later.
Finally, the skill transfers. Once you know how to add Mode, you can add any EVM network to MetaMask — the steps are identical and only the network details change. If you have already added another chain using our Polygon setup guide, this will feel very familiar.
Method 1: Add Mode in One Click
The fastest and generally safest way to add Mode is the one-click method. This uses MetaMask’s built-in network directory or a reputable network registry, which sends the correct parameters to your wallet through the standard wallet_addEthereumChain request. You review the details in a MetaMask prompt and approve them — nothing is typed by hand, so there is no room for a typo in the chain ID or RPC URL.
Here is the flow, step by step:
Step 1. Open MetaMask and click the network selector at the top-left of the wallet. It usually shows “Ethereum Mainnet” or your current network.
Step 2. Click “Add network.” MetaMask opens a page of popular networks, and Mode typically appears among the listed options because it is a well-established OP Stack chain.
Step 3. Find Mode in the list and click “Add.” A MetaMask prompt appears showing the network name, chain ID, RPC URL, currency symbol, and block explorer URL.
Step 4. Review the details in the prompt. The chain ID for Mode mainnet is 34443 (shown in hex as 0x868b in some tools). The currency symbol should be ETH, and the block explorer should point to explorer.mode.network. If anything looks different — a different chain ID, a strange RPC URL — stop and do not approve.
Step 5. Click “Approve.” MetaMask adds Mode and asks if you want to switch to it. You can switch now or stay where you are; Mode will remain in your network list either way.
If Mode does not appear in MetaMask’s built-in directory, use a reputable network registry such as Chainlist (type the address yourself rather than clicking links from social media). Connect your wallet on the site, search for Mode, click “Add to MetaMask,” and approve the same review prompt described above. The key safety rule is identical: read every field in the approval prompt before clicking approve.
Method 2: Add Mode Manually
The manual method gives you full control and is a good option if you prefer to verify every parameter yourself, or if the one-click method is not working for you. The steps are the same for any network; only the values differ.
Step 1. Open MetaMask, click the network selector, and choose “Add network,” then “Add a network manually.” This opens a form with five fields.
Step 2. Fill in the fields with Mode’s network details. As of this guide’s writing, the commonly listed parameters are:
- Network name: Mode
- New RPC URL: https://mainnet.mode.network (Mode’s public RPC endpoint; third-party providers such as dRPC also publish endpoints like mode.drpc.org)
- Chain ID: 34443
- Currency symbol: ETH
- Block explorer URL: https://explorer.mode.network
A quick note on these values: chain IDs are fixed and permanent — Mode’s 34443 will not change — but RPC endpoints can change over time as infrastructure providers update their services. If a field does not match what you see in MetaMask’s own directory or on Chainlist, cross-check with Mode’s official documentation before proceeding. Never copy network parameters from a random forum post, Discord message, or sponsored ad.
Step 3. Double-check every field before saving. The most common manual-entry error is a wrong chain ID, which can leave your wallet connected to the wrong network or an attacker’s lookalike chain. Read the chain ID digit by digit: 34443.
Step 4. Click “Save.” MetaMask adds Mode to your network list and offers to switch to it.
Which method should you use? The comparison below lays out the trade-offs honestly.
| Factor | One-click method | Manual method |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | About 30 seconds | About 2 minutes |
| Typo risk | None — parameters are pre-filled | Real — chain ID and RPC are typed by hand |
| Transparency | Good — you still review the approval prompt | Excellent — you see and verify every field |
| Works when | Mode is listed in MetaMask’s directory or a registry | Always, as long as you have correct parameters |
| Best for | Beginners and quick setup | Users who want full control or verification |
| Main risk | Approving a malicious prompt from a fake site | Entering a wrong or malicious RPC URL |
Neither method is “more secure” in the abstract — the security comes from where the parameters come from and whether you review them, not from which button you click. Both are safe if you follow the review habits in this guide, and both are dangerous if you approve prompts blindly. For an alternative chain walkthrough with the same structure, see our guide to adding Soneium.
How to Verify You Did It Right
Adding the network is only half the job — a quick verification pass catches the mistakes that cause the most confusion. Work through these checks in order; they take under a minute.
1. Check the network name in the selector. Open the network dropdown and confirm that “Mode” appears in the list. If you used the manual method and the name is misspelled or oddly capitalized, that is harmless cosmetically — but it is worth fixing so you never confuse it with a lookalike entry later. You can rename a custom network from MetaMask’s network settings.
2. Confirm the chain ID. Go to Settings → Networks → Mode and look at the chain ID field. It should read 34443. If it shows any other number, delete the network and re-add it carefully. A wrong chain ID is the single most important thing to catch, because wallets and dApps use it to identify which chain your transactions target.
3. Check the balance display. Switch to Mode. If you hold no assets on Mode, the wallet will show 0 ETH — that is normal and expected. What you are looking for is that the currency symbol reads ETH and that MetaMask successfully loads the network (no perpetual “connecting” spinner). A spinner that never resolves usually means the RPC URL is wrong or unreachable.
4. Open the block explorer. From MetaMask’s network settings, use the block explorer link and confirm it opens explorer.mode.network and loads blocks normally. This confirms the explorer URL is legitimate and gives you a bookmarked, trusted place to inspect future transactions.
5. Do a tiny test transaction. Once you have bridged a small amount of ETH to Mode for gas, send a tiny transaction — for example, moving a few cents’ worth of ETH to your own address — and watch it confirm in the explorer. This proves end-to-end that your wallet, the RPC, and the chain are all working together. Only after the test succeeds should you use the network for anything meaningful.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Approving “add network” prompts from sites you do not trust. This is the big one. Any website can trigger a wallet_addEthereumChain prompt in MetaMask, including phishing sites designed to look like real Mode apps. Attackers use this to point your wallet at a malicious RPC endpoint they control, which can let them monitor or manipulate what your wallet displays. Rule: only approve network-add prompts from sites you navigated to deliberately — and even then, read the chain ID in the prompt. If a site asks you to add “Mode” but the prompt shows a chain ID other than 34443, close the tab.
Mistake 2: Using an RPC URL copied from an unverified source. RPC endpoints are just URLs, and a malicious RPC can feed your wallet false information — like showing a fake balance or hiding a transaction. Get your RPC URL from MetaMask’s built-in directory, a reputable registry, or Mode’s official documentation, never from a comment section, ad, or direct message. When in doubt, the one-click method from MetaMask’s own directory avoids this problem entirely.
Mistake 3: Sending funds to Mode before it is set up. If you bridge ETH to Mode from Ethereum mainnet but have not added the network to MetaMask, your funds are not lost — they are sitting at your address on Mode, and the same address exists on every EVM chain. But you cannot see or use them until Mode is registered in your wallet. Add the network first, verify it, then move funds. The order matters for your peace of mind, not for the funds’ safety.
Mistake 4: Confusing Mode with similarly named projects. Crypto is full of name collisions, and scammers exploit them with lookalike domains and branding. When verifying parameters, make sure the documentation you are reading is actually about Mode the OP Stack Layer 2 — check that it references the chain ID 34443 and the explorer at explorer.mode.network. If a “guide” cannot produce a chain ID, treat it as unreliable.
Mistake 5: Skipping the test transaction. It is tempting to go straight from setup to a large bridge transfer. Do not. A small test transaction costs almost nothing on an L2 and confirms everything works before real money is involved. Professionals test; beginners who skip testing are the ones who discover a misconfigured RPC at the worst possible moment.
FAQs
The Bottom Line
Adding Mode to MetaMask is a two-minute task with a one-minute safety habit attached: review the chain ID (34443), the RPC URL, and the block explorer before approving anything, then verify with a tiny test transaction. Do that, and you get fast, cheap access to Mode’s DeFi ecosystem with the same wallet you already use.
This guide is for education only — not financial advice.
