Yes, but only if the family has what the owner had. MetaMask is a self-custody wallet. The funds are controlled by a 12-word Secret Recovery Phrase, and anyone with that phrase can restore the wallet in a fresh copy of MetaMask. Without the phrase, the only other way in is a device where MetaMask is installed and the password is known. MetaMask itself can't open the wallet, reset it, or hand it to the estate.
This guide is for families and executors. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
What MetaMask can and can't do after a death
MetaMask's support site says plainly: "MetaMask cannot recover your wallet for you," and "There's no password or centralized account recovery." The company never holds the phrase or the keys.
That means there is no deceased-user process. With an exchange, an executor sends a death certificate and court papers to the company, and the company releases the account. MetaMask has no account to release. As of November 2026, MetaMask doesn't publish any inheritance guidance.
According to MetaMask, the password encrypts the Secret Recovery Phrase stored on that device. It unlocks that one copy. It is not a master key, and MetaMask can't reset it unless the user is already logged in or, on mobile, biometrics were turned on.
What the family needs
| Item | Why it matters | Where it might be |
|---|---|---|
| Secret Recovery Phrase (12 words) | Restores the wallet on any device. This is the real key | Paper or metal backup in a safe, bank box, with the will, or with a trusted person |
| Device plus MetaMask password | Opens the copy already on that phone or computer | The owner's phone or laptop; password in a password manager or written notes |
| Social login account plus password | Restores a phrase backed up through social login | The owner's Google, Apple or Telegram account; the MetaMask password stored separately |
| List of accounts and networks | Shows which addresses and chains hold assets | Tax records, a letter of instruction, transaction emails |
If you can't find the phrase, see what to do when the seed phrase is missing. For what a phrase looks like, see what is a seed phrase.
Social login: what it is and whether an heir could use it
MetaMask offers social login. According to its help center, a user signs in with Google, Apple or Telegram and sets a password. The Secret Recovery Phrase is then backed up online, and it can be restored on a new device with the same social login and the same password.
So a family would need both the owner's social account and the MetaMask password. Neither alone is enough.
Signing in to a dead person's Google, Apple or Telegram account can raise legal issues, and those providers have their own rules for deceased users. The executor should get legal advice before anyone uses the owner's logins. Don't guess passwords or try to bypass security.
Step by step for the family
- Secure devices and papers. Keep the owner's phone, computers and notes safe. Don't wipe, reset or sell anything.
- Never type the phrase into a website. A real restore happens only inside the MetaMask app or browser extension, installed from MetaMask's official site or app store.
- Use a trusted technical helper. If a restore is needed, do it with someone you trust, on a clean device that has nothing else installed, ideally kept offline except when needed.
- Confirm authority first. The executor or administrator should have legal authority over the estate before funds move. Get advice if the will doesn't mention crypto.
- Move funds to an estate-controlled wallet. Create a new wallet with a new phrase that the executor controls, and transfer the assets there.
- Record values for taxes. Note each asset's value on the date of death and the date of transfer. See is inherited crypto taxable?
If you don't yet know which wallets exist, start with how to find out if someone had crypto.
Beware of fake support
MetaMask says it "will never ask you for your Secret Recovery Phrase." It also says its support never sends the first direct message or email. Official channels are support.metamask.io, the @MetaMaskSupport account on X, r/Metamask on Reddit, and community.metamask.com.
Scammers build fake help pages on free hosting such as sites.google.com or pages.dev, and they reply to families asking for help in public. Anyone who asks for the phrase, remote access to a computer, or a fee to "recover" the wallet is not MetaMask. See which wallet support numbers are real and our inheritance scam red flags.
If you use MetaMask: make this easier for your family
- Write down where the phrase backup is kept, not the words themselves.
- Note whether you use social login and where the MetaMask password can be found by an authorized person.
- List which networks and accounts you use.
- Put this in a letter of instruction and a digital asset inventory.
PingVaults can store instructions like these encrypted and deliver them to a chosen contact after a period of inactivity.
Common questions
Can MetaMask unlock a wallet for the executor?
No. MetaMask says it cannot recover wallets and has no centralized account recovery. Only the Secret Recovery Phrase, or a working device with its password, opens the wallet.
Is the MetaMask password enough?
Only on the device where MetaMask is already set up. The password unlocks that device's encrypted copy of the phrase; it can't restore the wallet anywhere else.
What if the owner used social login?
Then the phrase is backed up online. Restoring it needs the same Google, Apple or Telegram login and the MetaMask password, and the executor should get legal advice before using those accounts.
Does MetaMask have an inheritance feature?
MetaMask doesn't publish any inheritance feature or guidance as of November 2026. Planning has to be done by the owner, outside MetaMask.