Where Does MetaMask Store Its Vault and Wallet Data?
MetaMask encrypts your vault inside the browser profile; the seed phrase stays the only real backup.
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MetaMask keeps its encrypted vault inside the browser profile, under Local Extension Settings\nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn for Chrome. That folder holds LevelDB files with the KeyringController vault, decryptable only with your wallet password. Firefox keeps the same data in its own profile storage format.
The seed phrase remains the only supported backup. Copying profile folders can rescue a forgotten-password setup, but it never replaces writing down the twelve words. Mobile apps keep keys in app-private storage with an encrypted cloud backup of the phrase, not a browsable file.
Where MetaMask stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn
Chrome vault under the MetaMask extension ID. Brave uses BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser and Edge uses Microsoft\Edge in the same pattern; Firefox keeps it under profile storage. Copy with the browser closed.
~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Local Extension Settings/nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn
Same extension-ID folder under Chrome's Application Support tree. Brave and Edge follow with their own vendor names. Never edit these files while the browser runs.
~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Local Extension Settings/nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn
Same extension-ID folder under google-chrome config. Profile name varies (Default vs Profile 1), so check chrome://version for the active profile path first.
Frequently asked questions
I uninstalled the extension. Can I get my wallet back from disk?
No. Uninstalling or resetting the browser wipes the extension storage, vault included. Without the seed phrase, the funds are unrecoverable. MetaMask's own docs stress this exact scenario.
How does the MetaMask vault decryptor work?
Open the vault decryptor page offline, point it at a copy of the LevelDB files, and enter your old password. It only works if the vault data still exists and you remember the password.
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