What are token approvals (and why they matter)
Token approvals (often called allowances) are the ERC-20 pattern that lets a smart contract spend tokens from your account. You click "Approve" in a dApp, the contract gets an allowance, and later it can call transferFrom to move your tokens without asking again. Simple. Dangerous when you approve an unlimited allowance and forget about it.
Why should you care? Because a malicious or compromised contract with an active allowance can drain the token it has access to. I've made the mistake of approving a router contract for testing and had to spend gas to clean up later. Want to avoid that hassle? Check approvals regularly.
Connected sites vs token approvals — what's the difference?
Don't confuse "disconnecting" a dApp from MetaMask with revoking a smart contract allowance. They are different controls:
- Disconnecting removes the website's ability to read your address and trigger the connection popup (MetaMask -> Connected sites). No blockchain transaction required.
- Revoking an allowance removes a contract's permission to move tokens. This is on-chain (you must send a transaction and pay gas).
But many people assume disconnecting equals revoking. It doesn't. So check both when cleaning up access.
How to check token approvals (desktop)
Two practical ways I use when auditing an account.
- Explorer token approval checker (read-only lookup)
- Copy your wallet address from MetaMask (click the account name to copy).
- Open a token-approval checker on the explorer (e.g., Etherscan Token Approval Checker) and paste the address.
- The tool lists spender contracts, token allowances, and whether allowances are effectively "infinite."
- Allowance manager (connect and review)
- Open a reputable allowance manager (you'll connect MetaMask).
- Review the list and the spender contract addresses. Each row will show token, spender, and current allowance.
- Don’t rush to click "revoke" — pause and confirm the spender address.
(If you see a long list, export or screenshot the results so you can track what you changed.)
How to revoke approvals (desktop — two methods)
There are two common approaches: interact with the token contract directly, or use an allowance manager that builds the transactions for you.
Method A — Direct contract interaction (Etherscan Write Contract)
- Copy the token contract address from the approval list.
- Open the token's page on the explorer and go to the "Contract" → "Write Contract" tab.
- Click "Connect to Web3" and allow MetaMask to connect.
- Find the
approve function. Enter the spender address and 0 as the amount.
- Execute the transaction via MetaMask and confirm gas (you’ll pay on-chain gas fees).
Notes: this only works when the contract is verified and exposes the standard approve function. Some tokens use decreaseAllowance or custom flows—if so, use the function provided or an allowance manager.
Method B — Allowance manager (UI-driven)
- Connect your MetaMask account (desktop extension) to the allowance manager site.
- Select the approvals to revoke and submit the revoke action.
- MetaMask will prompt you to sign the revoke transaction(s). Confirm and wait for block confirmation.
Advantages: UI is easier and lists spenders in plain language. Disadvantages: you must connect a third-party site (so double-check the URL and the contract addresses).
| Method |
Where |
Requires connection |
Gas |
Pros |
Cons |
| Explorer (Write contract) |
Desktop |
Yes (to write) |
On-chain |
Direct contract call, no third-party manager |
Must be verified; manual |
| Allowance manager |
Desktop/mobile |
Yes |
On-chain |
Easy list, one-click revokes |
Requires trusted UI; watch for batch helpers |
| MetaMask "Disconnect" |
In MetaMask |
No |
None |
Quick disconnect from site |
Does NOT revoke token approvals |
![approvals-ui-placeholder]
How to revoke approvals (mobile)
MetaMask mobile supports two practical paths.
- Use the in-app browser
- Open MetaMask mobile -> Browser -> navigate to an allowance manager site.
- Connect the same account and revoke approvals. MetaMask will prompt for each transaction.
- WalletConnect from a desktop manager
- If you prefer a desktop UI but are on mobile, WalletConnect can link MetaMask mobile to a desktop site that supports it.
In my experience the in-app browser is the fastest on the go. And yes, that means you must be careful which sites you connect to when using your phone.
Costs, chains, and gas tips
Revocation is an on-chain transaction and costs gas on the chain where the token lives. A few practical points:
- Ethereum mainnet revokes cost more. L2s and EVM-compatible chains like Polygon or BSC are cheaper — revoke there first if your token lives there.
- MetaMask uses EIP-1559 fee UI. Check gas-fees-and-eip-1559 for recommendations on priority fees.
- If you have many approvals, batching services exist but they can introduce extra risks (they sometimes deploy contracts to perform batched revocations). Consider revoking the highest-risk allowances first.
Common mistakes and troubleshooting
- Revoked the wrong contract? You can re-approve, but you'll pay gas twice. Always copy-and-paste spender addresses.
- Approval still shows in a dApp UI after revocation? The dApp may cache on-chain state; refresh and re-check on the explorer.
- Transaction failed? Check you’re on the correct network and have enough native token for gas.
- Token contract not verified? Use an allowance manager or contact the dApp support — but proceed cautiously.
But don’t panic if a single revoke costs a bit of gas. It’s insurance against much larger losses.
Who this is for (and who should look elsewhere)
Who this is for:
- Active DeFi users who approve contracts regularly and want to reduce attack surface.
- People running multiple dApps from a single hot wallet and wanting tidy permission management.
Who should look elsewhere:
- If you keep large sums long-term, consider moving to a hardware wallet or a multisig setup (see hardware-wallets and multisig-and-gnosis).
- If you don’t want to manage gas and approvals at all, custodial solutions exist — but that is a different trust model.
FAQ
Q: Is it safe to revoke approvals using a third-party site?
A: Connecting to a reputable allowance manager to read approvals is generally safe, but you must confirm the site URL and verify the spender addresses before revoking. Never enter your seed phrase.
Q: How do I revoke token approvals in MetaMask?
A: Use an allowance manager or interact with the token contract’s approve function on the explorer and set allowance to 0. MetaMask will prompt to sign the revoke transaction.
Q: What happens if I lose my phone after revoking or connecting?
A: Revocation transactions live on-chain and remain effective. If you lose access to the phone, restore via your seed phrase on a new device (see backup-and-recovery-options).
Conclusion & next steps
Revoking token approvals is a small recurring task that reduces risk. Do it monthly or after interacting with any new dApp. In my experience, paying a small gas fee to revoke an old unlimited allowance is better than paying much more to recover stolen funds.
For practical next steps: check your approvals now (copy the address from MetaMask), review connected sites (see connect-to-dapps), and follow our guides on token-management and security-best-practices to tighten things up.
Want a walkthrough for mobile or desktop with screenshots? See how-to-revoke-approvals and the linked setup guides: setup-desktop | setup-mobile.
But don’t make it optional — make it routine.
