[Ethereum] Same MetaMask account can live in two computers at the same time

metamask

I want to have my metamask account in both home and work computers at the same time. Is that possible?

I have already tried restoring my account in my home computer, but when I reopen the browser and the extension, metamask always ask me again to restore my account or create a new one, like in a new installation.

But in the other computer, it's always fine and I can go through as usual.

The other thing that I don't understand is that when I create a new account in metamask in Computer A it gives me a new address, and when I do the same creation operation in Computer B, it creates the same address?!

How is that happening, how Metamask in Computer A can be aware of Metamask in Computer B, if it is supposed that every account within metamask is independent from the other even they both live in that extension.

I hope my explanation isn't very confusing, feel free to ask in the comments.

Best Answer

It seems you have two questions:

  1. Why is my MetaMask installation not behaving properly on one computer?
  2. How does MetaMask generate the same (new) addresses on multiple computers?

I can't help with #1 without more information, but MetaMask's support team would presumably be better equipped to help with that question.

As to #2, MetaMask uses something called "hierarchical deterministic wallets" (gory details) to generate addresses. Essentially, the addresses that you generate are determined solely by the "seed phrase." The first time you run MetaMask, it will generate a seed phrase for you, and then when you install MetaMask on other computers, you can "restore" from the same seed phrase. This means that the same addresses will be generated in the same order.

This should allow you to use MetaMask on two different computers without too much trouble; just use the same seed phrase.

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