What it means
Every transaction from an account carries a nonce: a sequence number that starts at zero for the first transaction and increases by one each time. MetaMask describes it as a portmanteau of "number used only once". The network requires them in order, which is what stops the same transaction being replayed.
"Nonce too low" means the number your wallet offered has already been used by a confirmed transaction. The network will not accept it again, so your new transaction is rejected before it is queued.
Why it happens
The wallet’s cached view is out of date
Wallets track the next nonce locally. If that cache falls behind the chain — after a network switch, a reinstall, or using the same account in two wallets — it can offer a number that has already been consumed.
The same account is used in more than one place
Two wallets, or a wallet and a script, both tracking the same account will both think they know the next nonce. Whichever transacts second hits this error.
A pending transaction confirmed after all
A transaction you believed stuck may have confirmed while you were preparing a replacement. The replacement then arrives with a nonce that is no longer available.
A custom nonce was entered by hand
If you set the nonce manually, the number may simply be behind the account’s current position.
How to fix it
- Check the account on a block explorer and see how many transactions it has actually sent. That number is the authoritative next nonce.
- Let the wallet set the nonce itself rather than entering one, and try again.
- If the error persists, clear the wallet’s cached activity and nonce data for that network. In MetaMask this is under developer settings, and it affects only the current network.
- If you use the account in more than one tool, transact from one at a time.
How to avoid it
Clearing activity data removes your wallet’s local history, not your funds or the chain’s record — MetaMask notes that transaction history always remains on the blockchain. Still, treat it as a last step rather than a first one, and avoid driving the same account from two tools at once.
Frequently asked
Have I lost funds?
No. A nonce error means a transaction was refused before it did anything. Your balance is unchanged and no fee was paid.
What is a nonce, in plain terms?
A counter. Your first transaction is number zero, the next is one, and so on. The network processes them in order, which prevents the same signed transaction being replayed against your account.
Does resetting my account in MetaMask delete anything important?
It clears the locally cached activity and nonce data for the current network only. Your accounts, keys and on-chain history are unaffected, though your wallet’s displayed transaction list will be emptied.
Sources & further reading
- MetaMask: how to customize a transaction nonce
What a nonce is and how wallets sequence transactions with it.
- MetaMask: clear activity and nonce data
Clearing locally cached activity and nonce data, per network.
- Ethereum: transactions
Transaction fields including nonce, gas limit and fee caps.
- MetaMask: user guide to error codes
Wallet-level explanations of the error strings surfaced to users.
Sources checked on 18 September 2026. Network features and platform support can change; check the relevant provider before acting.
AI-assisted editorial content; no independent expert review is claimed. Error behaviour varies between wallets, networks and client versions. This is educational information, not investment advice. Read our editorial policy.