How to Use Phantom Wallet: Step-by-Step Tutorial for Beginners
A friendly, practical guide that walks you through installing, setting up, and using Phantom Wallet for web and mobile — with safety tips and a short FAQ.
What is Phantom Wallet?
Phantom Wallet is a user-focused crypto wallet primarily known for its Solana support but it also works with other chains such as Ethereum, Base, and Polygon. It’s available as a browser extension and as a mobile app. With Phantom you can hold tokens, view and showcase NFTs, swap tokens, connect to decentralized apps (dApps), and (on mobile) use deeplinks to sign transactions.
Why beginners like Phantom
- Easy onboarding and wallet creation flow.
- Beautiful, simple UI that shows NFTs and tokens in one place.
- Extensions and mobile apps let you connect to web3 sites or use in-app browsers.
Quick links (official)
Ten official Phantom resources — useful to save or bookmark:
Step 1 — Install Phantom
Browser (recommended for desktop)
- Visit
phantom.com/download or the Chrome Web Store link above and install the Phantom extension for your browser.
- After install, click the Phantom icon in your browser toolbar and choose Get Started.
Mobile
- Open the App Store or Google Play and search for Phantom, or use the official download page to find the correct store link.
- Install and open the app.
Important: Only download Phantom from its official site or the official store links shown above. Beware of copycat extensions and phishing sites.
Step 2 — Create a new wallet (or import)
Create
Choose Create a new wallet. Phantom will show you a recovery phrase (seed phrase) — usually 12 or 24 words. Write these words down on paper and store them safely offline. Never share them. This phrase is the only way to recover your funds.
Import
If you already have a seed phrase from another wallet, choose Import wallet and carefully paste the phrase. Importing gives Phantom access to that account’s funds.
Step 3 — Basic actions: send, receive, swap
Receive tokens
Open your wallet, click Receive, and copy your public address or show the QR code to the sender. You can also use payment rails (on-ramp) if available in your region.
Send tokens
Click Send, paste the recipient address, choose the token and amount, then review transaction fees and confirm. Double-check the address — crypto transfers are irreversible.
Swap
Phantom includes a swap feature that finds on-chain liquidity to trade tokens. Always confirm the price/ slippage before swapping.
Step 4 — Connect to dApps and NFTs
To use a dApp, click Connect on the dApp site (e.g., NFT marketplace). Phantom will prompt you to approve the connection and any signing requests. Only approve requests you initiated and understand.
Viewing NFTs
Your NFTs will appear in the NFTs tab. Phantom displays images and metadata fetched from NFT contracts and IPFS/URLs.
Security best practices
- Never share your seed phrase with anyone or enter it on websites. Phantom staff will never ask for it.
- Use a hardware wallet like Ledger with Phantom for large balances.
- Keep your extension and mobile app up to date via official stores.
- Verify domain names and beware of malicious browser extensions that impersonate Phantom.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions
- Q: Is Phantom free?
- A: Yes — creating and using a Phantom wallet is free. You still pay blockchain network fees when sending transactions.
- Q: What if I lose my seed phrase?
- A: If you lose your seed phrase you may permanently lose access to your wallet. If you have a backup, follow the import flow on a fresh Phantom install to recover your wallet.
- Q: Can I use Phantom with Ledger?
- A: Yes — Phantom supports connecting a Ledger hardware wallet for added security.
- Q: Are my private keys stored by Phantom?
- A: No — Phantom is a self-custodial wallet. Private keys remain encrypted on your device; Phantom does not hold them.
- Q: How do I report a scam or get help?
- A: Use the official Support link in the Quick Links section above or visit the Phantom Help Center to chat with support and file tickets.