How to Cancel or Replace a Pending Ethereum Transaction

Introduction

If you've used the Ethereum network before, you've likely experienced transactions taking much longer than usual to confirm. This happens because miners prioritize transactions based on fees—processing higher-paying transactions first.

When an Ethereum transaction stalls due to low gas fees, you have two options: wait for fees to drop (allowing miners to process it) or replace it with a new transaction offering higher fees. While this might sound complex, the process is simpler than you think and works for both ETH and ERC20 tokens.

Key Facts:

• Confirmed transactions cannot be canceled or replaced.
• Replacement requires broadcasting a new transaction with identical nonce but higher gas.
• MetaMask and Trust Wallet offer built-in tools for this process.

Why Ethereum Transactions Get Stuck

Ethereum uses a gas fee auction system where three factors determine transaction priority:

1. Gas Cost: Computational effort needed (fixed per transaction type).
2. Gas Price: Amount paid per unit of gas (set by user).
3. Gas Limit: Maximum fee you're willing to pay (safety cap).

Transactions stall when:
✅ Gas Price is too low vs. network demand
✅ Multiple transactions are queued from the same address

Step-by-Step: Replace Pending Transactions

Using MetaMask (Accelerate Method)

1. Log in to your MetaMask wallet with the pending transaction.
2. Navigate to Activity → Select the pending transaction → Click Speed Up.
3. Increase the gas price using Fast preset → Confirm.
4. If unsuccessful, manually adjust gas via Advanced settings.

Pro Tip: Check current rates via Etherscan Gas Tracker or EthGasStation before adjusting.

Using MetaMask (Nonce Override Method)

1. Locate the pending transaction and note its Nonce value (in transaction details).
2. Enable Custom Transaction Nonce in Settings → Advanced.

3. Create a new transaction:

   • Recipient: Your own wallet address
   • Amount: 0 ETH
   • Nonce: Same as pending transaction
4. Set a competitive gas price → Confirm.

⚠️ Critical: Disable Custom Transaction Nonce after completion to avoid future issues.

Using Trust Wallet

1. Open the pending transaction in Trust Wallet → Record the Nonce value.

2. Create a new transaction:

   • Recipient: Your wallet address
   • Amount: 0 ETH
3. In settings, manually input the recorded Nonce.
4. Set a high gas price → Confirm replacement.

FAQs

Q: Can I cancel an Ethereum transaction already broadcasted?

A: No—once broadcasted, you can only replace it by submitting a new transaction with identical nonce and higher gas.

Q: How long do stuck transactions take to fail automatically?

A: Typically 24+ hours during network congestion. Replacement is faster.

Q: Why must I send 0 ETH to myself?

A: This creates a valid transaction without changing your balance, focusing solely on replacing the pending one.

Q: What if my replacement also gets stuck?

A: Repeat the process with even higher gas fees or wait for network congestion to ease.

Key Takeaways

• Gas wars happen: During peak times, prioritize transactions by setting above-average gas fees.
• Nonce is crucial: Replacement requires matching the original transaction's nonce exactly.
• 👉 Master Ethereum transactions with our advanced guide.

Proactive Tip: Always check current gas prices before sending ETH/ERC20 tokens to avoid delays. Tools like MetaMask's gas estimator help optimize fees dynamically.