Switch chain and network
Intended reader: anyone using more than one chain, or testing on a test network. Goal: the wallet showing the chain and network you intend to act on. Prerequisites: an unlocked wallet. Safety: acting on the wrong network is how funds go somewhere unrecoverable. Check before you copy an address.
- Open Settings, then Network.
- The screen lists every network the build knows about, and states how many are selectable.
- Choose one. Entries a build has not enabled are marked Coming soon and cannot be selected.
- Confirm the network name now shown at the top of the wallet.
The list
Section titled “The list”Ten networks appear: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Testnet, Bitcoin Testnet4 (Beta), Bitcoin Signet, Dogecoin, Dogecoin Testnet, Zcash, Zcash Testnet, Fractal Bitcoin, and Fractal Bitcoin Testnet. See Chains and networks for what each is for.
What changes
Section titled “What changes”- The addresses shown, because formats differ per network.
- The balance, assets, and activity, because they are read per network.
- Which protocol operations are conceivable, because authorization is recorded per protocol and per network.
What does not change
Section titled “What does not change”- Your recovery phrase. One phrase covers every network.
- Anything on any chain. Switching is a view change, not a transaction.
- Existing connections. A connection is granted for one address on one network, and switching does not extend it to another. A site that needs the other network has to request it.
A site can ask you to switch
Section titled “A site can ask you to switch”An application can request a chain or network switch, and the wallet shows an approval for it. Read which network is being requested before approving, particularly if you were not expecting the prompt.
Expected result
Section titled “Expected result”The wallet header shows the network you chose, and the balance and assets are those of that network.
How to verify
Section titled “How to verify”- The network name in the wallet header is the one you selected.
- The receiving address has the prefix you expect for that network.
- The balance matches what you expect for that network, which for a test network is usually zero until you use a faucet.
Common failures
Section titled “Common failures”| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Balance is zero after switching | Correct. That network holds nothing yet. | Switch back, or fund it |
| An entry is marked Coming soon | The build did not enable that network | Nothing you can change locally |
| A connected site stops working | Its grant was for the other network | Reconnect on the network you are using |
| A switch prompt appeared unexpectedly | A page requested it | Read the network being requested. Reject if unclear. |