How to Add Polygon Network to MetaMask the Right Way
Adding Polygon to MetaMask is straightforward once you know the exact parameters. The wrong RPC URL or a single incorrect character in the chain ID will either fail or connect you to something that is not Polygon. This page gives you the numbers that work.
Why manual entry beats chainlist
Many guides tell you to use Chainlist. It works often enough. But Chainlist pulls from community submissions, and bad entries slip in. A stale RPC endpoint means transactions hang. A wrong chain ID means MetaMask thinks you are on a different network entirely. Manual entry gives you control. You verify each field yourself. You never depend on a third-party list that might be outdated tomorrow.
The Exact Parameters
Open MetaMask. Click the network dropdown at the top. Select "Add Network." Fill in these fields exactly:
- Network Name: Polygon Mainnet
- New RPC URL: https://polygon-rpc.com
- Chain ID: 137
- Currency Symbol: MATIC
- Block Explorer URL: https://polygonscan.com
Chain ID 137 is the crucial number. Polygon uses 137. The Ethereum mainnet uses 1. Binance Smart Chain uses 56. If you enter 137, MetaMask knows this is Polygon. No other network has that ID.
The RPC URL above is the public endpoint run by the Polygon team. It works. If it becomes overloaded, you can find alternative RPC URLs on the official Polygon documentation. But start with this one.
MATIC is the native currency. Not POL. Not MATIC with a different capitalisation. MATIC. That is what MetaMask expects. Polygonscan is the block explorer. You will use it to check transactions and token balances.
The misconception about auto-detection
MetaMask does not auto-detect Polygon. It does not scan the internet for networks you might want. It ships with Ethereum mainnet, a few testnets, and nothing else. You must add every other network yourself. This includes Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche, and every sidechain. No update will add them for you. No background process will discover them. If you open a fresh MetaMask installation, Polygon is not there.
After you add the network
Click "Save." MetaMask will switch you to Polygon Mainnet. The network name appears at the top. Your balance field now shows zero unless you have MATIC on Polygon.
Do not assume the switch worked. Verify it. Go to Polygonscan and look up your address. If your MATIC balance matches what MetaMask shows, the connection is real. If Polygonscan shows a balance but MetaMask shows zero, the RPC endpoint might be down or misconfigured. Try a different RPC URL.
Switching back to ethereum
You can switch back anytime. Click the network dropdown and select Ethereum Mainnet. MetaMask remembers both networks. You can switch between them instantly. Your account address stays the same. The same private key controls both networks. Your Ethereum balances and Polygon balances are separate.
Common Mistakes
Some people enter "Matic" instead of "MATIC." MetaMask will show it correctly, but it can cause confusion when reading guides. Stick with MATIC.
Some people use an RPC URL ending in a slash. Remove it. "https://polygon-rpc.com/" becomes "https://polygon-rpc.com". Extra characters break the connection.
Some people enter chain ID 80001. That is the Mumbai testnet, not mainnet. Mumbai is for developers testing contracts. If you add 80001, you are not on Polygon Mainnet. You are on a test network with fake MATIC.
Why This Matters
Getting the network wrong means you cannot interact with Polygon dApps. You cannot bridge assets. You cannot check your balances. You might send funds to an address on the wrong network, and recovering them is difficult or impossible. A few seconds spent verifying the parameters save you from those problems.
Polygon is a separate blockchain. It is not a layer on top of Ethereum. It has its own validators, its own consensus, and its own blocks. MetaMask needs the correct chain ID to talk to the right chain. Give it the right numbers, and it works. Give it wrong numbers, and it fails silently.
This page will not need updating. The parameters for Polygon Mainnet have been stable since the network launched. If they ever change, the Polygon team will announce them widely. Until then, chain ID 137, RPC URL https://polygon-rpc.com, symbol MATIC, and explorer https://polygonscan.com are the numbers that work.
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