After Martian Wallet, Petra Wallet is one of the most popular crypto wallets for the Aptos blockchain.
Petra Wallet is available as a Chrome extension. It allows users to store and transfer assets and interact with dApps on the Aptos blockchain.
You can also create and view NFTs inside your wallet.
How to Create and Set Up Petra Aptos Wallet?
You can download the Petra Wallet extension in two ways either from Google Chrome Web Store or the GitHub repo.
To use Petra Aptos Wallet, first, you need to download the extension.
Then, you need to create your Petra Aptos Wallet account.
Like other decentralized wallets, the account creation process includes setting a new password and backing up the recovery phrase.
Steps to Create and Set Up Petra Aptos Wallet
- Install Petra Wallet Extension
- Click “Create New Wallet”
- Set a Password
- Backup and Verify the Recovery Phrase
- Use Petra Aptos Wallet
1. Install Petra Wallet Extension
If you have already installed the Petra Wallet/ Petra Aptos Wallet extension, you can skip this step.
First, you need to add the extension to the Chrome browser.
To do so, visit the Petra Wallet website and click “Download”. Now, you will be taken to the Chrome Web Store, where you can install the extension.
Alternatively, you can also download the extension via GitHub. To do so, go to their GitHub repo and download the latest version and unzip it.
Then, go to the Extension tab in Google Chrome (More tools -> Extensions) and enable the developer mode.
Then, click “Load unpacked” and navigate to the “build” folder in the unzipped wallet release.
2. Click “Create New Wallet”
After the installation, the extension gets opened automatically. If not, click the “puzzle icon” and navigate to Petra Wallet and open it.
Now, you need to select “Create New Wallet” since you are new to the Petra Aptos Wallet.
3. Set a Password
As a part of wallet account creation, you need to set a strong password to access the Petra Wallet on your current device.
Remember, the password gets stored on your device, not on the server of Petra Aptos Wallet. Hence, the wallet team cannot recover your password if it is lost.
However, you can reset your Petra wallet password by yourself with the recovery phrase, which we will talk about in the next step.
Now, enter the password with a minimum of 8 characters, including a special character and number combination.
Read the “Terms of Use” and agree to them. Click “Continue”.
4. Backup and Verify the Recovery Phrase
Now, the wallet will display the 12-word secret recovery phrase in a blurred manner. You need to click on it to see those words.
Before you click on it, make sure to check that nobody is behind and around you. If anyone has access to these secret recovery phrases of yours, they will have full control over your wallet.
Since Petra Wallet is a decentralized wallet, you need to rely on this secret recovery phrase to restore your password or restore your account on different devices.
Note down secret recovery phrase of yours and store it in a secure place where you only have access to it. I recommend physical storage rather than digital.
Next, you will be asked to verify your secret recovery phrase. Enter it in the right order and click “Continue”. If you have wrongly entered either one of two words, you will not be able to click “Continue”.
Now, you are all set to use the Petra Aptos Wallet.
5. Use Petra Aptos Wallet
Now, you will land on the home page of your Petra Wallet account. On the “Home” page, you can see your account balance and perform actions, such as sending tokens and copying your wallet address.
To add another Petra account, click the “profile icon” in the upper right corner.
Click “Library” to see your collectibles and the “Activity” tab to see your recent transactions.
To rename the Petra Wallet account, go to “Settings” and click the “pencil icon”.
To lock your wallet, go to “Settings” and click the “Lock Wallet” option. You can also enable the auto locker feature by navigating to Settings>Security and Privacy>Auto-lock Timer.
Conclusion
Installing and creating a Petra Aptos Wallet account is a simple task.
Setting up the password and backing up the recovery phrase are the two essential steps involved in creating the Petra Aptos Wallet account.
Anyone with your seed phrase can access all your assets.
Hence, always follow best practices to keep your secret phrase safe. Otherwise, you will have no way of accessing your assets. If you lose them, nobody can access your account—even Petra Wallet developers.
Beware of the scams floating around. At any point in time, nobody from the Petra Wallet team will ask for your recovery phrase.