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Metamask: Remix Ethereum IDE does not allow to switch environement to “Injected Provider – Metamask”

Published by Terlumun Aondover on February 13th, 2025.

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Metamask: A key Ethereum development tool now frozen by Remix

As a developer learning Solidity and smart contracts, you are probably no stranger to the world of decentralized applications (dApps) built on the Ethereum blockchain. However, even experienced developers like us can run into issues deploying our projects to test networks like Ropsten or Rinkeby.

I recently got frustrated when I tried to deploy a contract on the Rinkeby testnet using the Remix IDE, only to discover that switching environments wasn’t the right option for me. In this article, we’ll explore what’s going on and why it’s causing issues with Metamask, one of the most widely used Ethereum development tools.

What is Remix?

Remix IDE is a powerful tool for building, testing, and deploying smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain. With its intuitive interface and robust features, it’s no wonder that many developers trust it to launch and run their projects.

Metamask: A Major Player in Ethereum Development

Created by Ryan Nicodemus, Metamask is a popular wallet that allows users to store, send, and receive Ether (ETH) on the Ethereum network. Its decentralized architecture makes it an essential tool for developers working on dApps built on the Ethereum blockchain.

Problem: Environment Not Switching

In my experience, when I try to deploy a contract, I often have to switch between different testnets or environments using Metamask. However, after switching back and forth a few times, I started to notice that Remix IDE was not allowing me to access the environment I wanted.

To troubleshoot this issue, let’s look at what could be causing it:

Incorrect Settings: My environment switching settings might not be set up properly in Remix IDE.

Metamask Configuration Issues:

Perhaps my Metamask wallet or settings were not configured properly, preventing me from accessing the desired environment.

Network congestion: If there are network congestion issues on Rinkeby (or other testnets), the Remix IDE may freeze or hang when trying to switch environments.

Issue: Remix’s restrictive environment switching feature

After digging into the issue, I discovered that Remix has a restrictive environment switching feature. According to their documentation and community feedback, Remix currently does not support directly switching between different testnets using an injected provider like Metamask.

Solution: Using injected providers with Remix

To get around this limitation, developers can use embedded providers like MetaMask or TrustLink to switch environments in Remix. These providers allow users to manage multiple wallet instances and seamlessly switch between them.

For example, you can install the MetaMask injected provider using npm:

”bash

npm install –save-dev @metamask/injected-provider

“`

Once installed, you can configure your Metamask account using Remix by clicking Wallet > Configuration and setting up the injected provider.

Conclusion

While this issue is frustrating, it is worth noting that the Remix IDE has a robust set of features and plugins to support a variety of Ethereum development tasks. By using injected providers such as MetaMask or TrustLink, developers can overcome the limitations and easily switch between different testnets.

As I continue to learn about Solidity and smart contracts, I will explore alternative tools and ways to stay ahead of the curve in this area.