How to check wallet permissions before signing a transaction
You can check wallet permissions before signing by reading the approval screen, matching the spender address, and checking your token allowances.
Vahe HakobyanEditor-in-chief
Updated Oct 5, 20263 min readFact-checked
On this page
- Read the confirmation screen and name the permission.
- Match the spender to the app's official address.
- A limited approval caps spending; an unlimited one does not.
- Revoke unwanted allowances with a new transaction.
You can check wallet permissions before signing a transaction by reading the confirmation screen and matching the spender with the app you trust. You need your wallet and your public address.
How do you read a wallet approval?
A wallet confirmation screen appears before you sign, and it names the exact permission the app asks for. Read the token contract, the spender contract, and the amount. A warning about an unknown contract does not prove the request is malicious on its own. Look up the contract address in a block explorer before you decide.
How do you check permissions step by step?
A public approval checker lists the token allowances for your address. You paste your public address, not your seed phrase. Approval checkers have been in wide use since the early 2020s.
- 1Open an approval checkerPick a checker that supports your network.
- 2Paste your public addressDo not connect your wallet or type in your seed phrase.
- 3Read the listed allowancesThe checker shows the tokens and spenders it supports.
- 4Match the spender addressCompare it with the official address of the app you trust, not a logo.
- 5Check the amount limitA specific number caps the approval. An unlimited value lets the spender move that token later.
What should you do after signing?
After you sign, the approval takes effect when the transaction confirms. To remove an allowance you no longer want, send a new transaction that clears it for that spender.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. A checker needs only your public address. Your private key and seed phrase stay in your wallet.
The spender can move the approved token until you clear the allowance. Find it in a checker and revoke it.
No. Revoking changes what the spender may do next, and it cannot reverse a transfer that already confirmed.
Each checker covers the networks it supports. An allowance on one network may not appear on another.
