How to use Revoke.cash

If you are a regular crypto user, you have likely granted plenty of token approvals to interact with DeFi services. These approvals allow apps to move your tokens for trading, lending, borrowing, and other actions.

Though approvals offer convenience, they also make you vulnerable to scams because they usually stay active indefinitely unless you revoke them.

To protect your wallet, it is important to regularly review and remove approvals you no longer need. This is where Revoke.cash comes in.

In this guide, we will explore everything you need to know about this tool, including how to use Revoke Cash, why to use it, and when to use it.

What is Revoke.cash?

First released in 2019, Revoke.cash is a free security tool that helps you manage the permissions you have granted from your wallet to crypto apps, called approvals.

With Revoke.cash, you can see all the token and NFT approvals linked to your Ethereum wallet, as well as other compatible wallets built on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

This makes it easy to spot and remove approvals you no longer need. By doing this regularly, you lower the chances of falling victim to scams and keep your wallet safer.

If you prefer not to remove an approval completely, Revoke.cash also lets you adjust the amount of access you have granted to an app.

The tool works across more than 100+ networks, is available as a browser extension, and is also fully open-source, which means its code is public and anyone can check how it works.

How to use Revoke.cash

Revoke.cash has a simple and user-friendly interface, so anyone can use it without needing deep technical knowledge. Just follow these steps:

1. Visit Revoke.cash and connect your wallet

Go to the official Revoke.cash website in your browser or use the official browser extension. Click the three-line icon at the top right, then select “Connect Wallet” and choose your wallet from the list. (For this example, let’s use MetaMask.)

If you prefer, you can also type your wallet address directly into the search bar.

When you connect, you give Revoke.cash permission to read your approvals. It cannot move your funds. It only shows which apps currently have access to your wallet.

2. Review approvals

After connecting, you will see a list of all your active approvals for tokens and NFTs. For instance, you might see “Uniswap Router — approved unlimited USDC” or “Seaport (OpenSea) — manage all items in collection.”

These real-world examples help you quickly spot common approval types. Review this list carefully to spot approvals you no longer need or trust.

You can sort or filter the list to make it easier to search. For example, if you suspect you recently approved a malicious app, sort by “Newest to Oldest” to check your latest approvals first.

3. Revoke or adjust approvals

Once you identify an approval you want to remove, click the “Revoke” button.

If you prefer not to remove it completely, you can reduce the approved amount by clicking the pencil icon. This way, you can keep using the app but limit its access to your tokens.

4. Pay gas fees

Revoke.cash itself is free, but revoking or updating approvals requires a blockchain transaction, which means you need to pay a gas fee.

This applies to most wallets, but there is one exception. Some wallets have adopted the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4337, also known as Account Abstraction.

This is a newer wallet technology that allows more flexible transactions, including the option for a third party to cover your gas fees.

Thanks to this feature, wallets like Ambire and Coinbase Smart Wallet let you revoke one batch of approvals per week without paying gas yourself. At the moment, only a few wallets support this.

Pro tip: You can save on gas by timing your revokes during periods of lower network activity. Use tools like GasHawk or Etherscan’s Gas Tracker to find cheaper windows.

5. Repeat regularly

If you have followed the previous steps, you have successfully reduced your risk by removing unnecessary approvals with Revoke.cash. But keep in mind that this is not a one-time task.

Each time you interact with crypto apps, you are likely granting new approvals. That is why it is important to connect to Revoke.cash periodically and clean up old approvals.

To make things even easier, you can install the Revoke.cash browser extension. It warns you in real time before you sign suspicious approvals.

Why should you use Revoke.cash?

Revoke.cash is one of the most popular security tools used to revoke crypto permissions. The app offers several benefits:

User-friendly: Both the website and the browser extension are simple to use, so anyone can manage their wallet’s security with ease.
View history: The app shows you which permissions are still active in your wallet. This makes it easier to spot and revoke approvals that look suspicious or that you no longer need.
Preventive tool: The browser extension alerts you in real time if you are about to sign a potentially harmful approval. This gives you a chance to think twice before confirming.
Peace of mind: Regularly cleaning up approvals reduces the risk of unauthorized access and helps you feel confident that your funds are safer.
Supports all major networks: Revoke.cash works on more than sixty networks, including Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Avalanche, and many more.
Exploit Checker feature: This feature lets you check if your wallet might have been exposed to known hacks or vulnerabilities, giving you an extra layer of security awareness.

What Revoke.cash cannot do

Revoke.cash is a great tool for managing approvals, but it is not a complete security solution. Here are its main limitations:

Recover stolen tokens: If your funds are already stolen, no tool can bring them back. Revoke.cash only prevents further damage.
Stop new approvals before you sign: It cannot block approvals in advance. You still need to review transactions carefully before confirming.
Replace safe wallet practices: Good habits remain essential, such as using a hardware wallet, avoiding suspicious links, and storing your seed phrase securely.
Protect you if your keys are compromised: If someone has your private key or seed phrase, they control your wallet completely. In this case, moving your funds to a new wallet is the only safe option.

What Revoke.cash does best is help you take back control over old or risky approvals, reducing the chances of scams and unauthorized access.

When should you use Revoke.cash?

The best time to use Revoke.cash depends on how you interact with crypto. Here are a few situations where it is especially helpful:

After using a new app: Any time you try out a new DeFi app, NFT marketplace, or trading platform, check your approvals afterwards to make sure you only keep the ones you actually need.
If you stop using an app: If you no longer trust or use a project, it is safer to revoke its approvals so it cannot access your tokens in the future.
After a suspicious interaction: If you think you signed something shady or clicked on a phishing link, immediately review your approvals. Sort them by “newest first” to quickly find and remove the risky ones.
Periodically for wallet protection: Even if nothing seems wrong, it is good practice to clean up approvals every so often. How often depends on your activity. If you use your wallet every day, a weekly check is smart. If you use it rarely, a monthly check may be enough.

Disconnecting a wallet vs. revoking approvals: why they’re not the same

Many crypto users think disconnecting and revoking approvals are the same, but they are not.

Disconnecting a wallet only removes it from the app’s interface. This means the app will no longer display your wallet or balances, but any approvals you granted earlier remain active in the background.

If the app gets compromised or hacked, it can still use those permissions to access your tokens.

Revoking approvals is different because it cancels the actual permission given from your wallet to the app. Once revoked, that app no longer has the ability to move your tokens or NFTs.

Disconnecting improves privacy, but only revoking approvals improves security.

Final thoughts: Why Revoke.cash should be part of your crypto wallet security routine

Managing approvals is one of the most overlooked parts of crypto security, yet it is also one of the most important.

Throughout this guide, you’ve seen how approvals work, why they can put your funds at risk, and how Revoke.cash helps you take back control.

With Revoke.cash, you can see which apps still have access to your wallet, remove the ones you no longer trust, and even adjust access without fully revoking it.

The tool works across major networks, is open-source, and offers both a website and a browser extension for real-time protection.

The key takeaway is simple: approvals stay active until you revoke them. By making approval checks part of your regular routine, you greatly reduce your exposure to scams and give yourself more peace of mind when using crypto.