How to Create a Monero Wallet Online (Full 2026 Guide)

You can create a Monero wallet online in about two minutes, and it is the first step to holding and using XMR. The clicking is the easy part. What matters is understanding what you are creating and backing it up properly, because a Monero wallet puts you in full control, with no company to reset things if they go wrong. This guide walks through the whole process in plain language, using MonkStash, a free non-custodial web wallet, and explains the why behind each step so you are not just clicking blindly.

What you need before you start

You do not need much, but a few minutes of preparation prevents the most common mistakes:

• A pen and paper. You will write down 25 words. Paper, not your phone or computer.
• A private moment. No one looking over your shoulder, and no cameras pointed at your screen.
• The correct website. Check the address bar. Fake sites that copy real wallets are the most common way people lose Monero, and they are built to look identical.

Create, restore, or watch-only

When you open the wallet, you get three choices. This guide covers the first, but it helps to know all three:

• Create a new wallet. Generates a brand new wallet and a fresh set of 25 recovery words. Choose this if you are starting from scratch.
• Restore from recovery words. Brings back an existing wallet using its 25 words. Use this if you already have a Monero wallet elsewhere. See how to restore a wallet, or, if your XMR was in Exodus, how to move your Monero out of Exodus.
• Add a watch-only wallet. Follows an address using its view key, so you can see incoming payments without being able to spend. Useful for monitoring, and the private way to check a Monero balance without spending rights.

Create a wallet, step by step

1. Open the wallet and choose Create a new wallet.
2. The wallet generates your 25 recovery words in your browser, using Monero's own cryptography. They are never sent anywhere.
3. Reveal the words only when you are somewhere private, then write them down. We cover how to do this safely in the next section.
4. Confirm a few of the words. This is not busywork: it proves your written copy is correct before you rely on it.
5. Set a password to lock the wallet in this browser.
6. You land on the dashboard, where your address and QR code are ready to receive XMR.

That is the entire process. The whole thing usually takes less time than making a coffee, and there is no waiting for a blockchain to download because the wallet reads the chain through a Monero node. You do not need a browser add-on either: if you went looking for one, here is what exists for Monero in Chrome and why the web wallet works without it.

What your recovery words actually are

Your Monero does not live on your phone or in your browser. It lives on the Monero network. What lives on your device is the set of private keys that prove the money is yours. Your 25 recovery words (some wallets call them a seed phrase) are a plain-words version of those keys. Anyone who has the words controls the money, and they are the only way to rebuild the wallet if your device is lost. The 25th word is a checksum, a built-in spell-check that helps catch a mistake in the other 24.

Back up your recovery words safely

This is the single most important step, so it is worth doing properly. A good backup is on paper, in order, and stored somewhere only you can reach.

• Write all 25 words on paper, numbered 1 to 25, in the exact order shown.
• Double-check the spelling. One wrong word can make the whole backup fail.
• Do not screenshot, photograph, or save them in a notes app, email, or cloud drive. Anything on a connected device can be stolen by harmful software.
• Store the paper somewhere safe. For larger amounts, keep a second copy in a different location, or stamp the words into metal so fire and water cannot destroy them.

For the full version of this, including how to test that your backup actually works, see how to back up a Monero wallet.

Password vs recovery words: the key difference

People often confuse these two, and the difference matters. Your password encrypts the copy of the wallet stored in this browser, so someone with access to your device still cannot open it. Your recovery wordsrebuild the wallet from scratch on any device. If you forget the password, you do not lose your money: you remove the wallet and restore it with your recovery words. If you lose the recovery words, no password can help, and the money is gone.

Optional: add an authenticator code

MonkStash lets you add a 6-digit code from an authenticator app as a second step when you unlock the wallet on this device. It is optional and adds a little friction for a little extra protection on your device. It does not protect your recovery words if someone else gets hold of them, so it is a convenience layer, not a replacement for keeping your words safe.

Receive your first XMR

On the dashboard you will see your address and a QR code. Share this address, or a fresh subaddress, with whoever is paying you. Generating a new subaddress for each sender keeps your payments from being linked together, which is good for your privacy. Payments usually appear within a couple of minutes and are fully settled after about twenty. For the details, see how to receive Monero.

Web, desktop, mobile, or hardware wallet?

A web wallet is the fastest way to start, but it is not the only option. Here is how the main types compare so you can pick the right tool for the amount you are holding. The Monero project keeps a list of wallets of each type.

A common setup is a web or mobile wallet for spending money, and a hardware wallet for long-term savings.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Saving recovery words digitally. Screenshots and notes apps are the most common way wallets get drained.
• Landing on a fake site. Bookmark the real wallet and use the bookmark, rather than clicking links or ads.
• Skipping the backup check. Confirm your written words before you put real money in.
• Starting with a large amount. Send a small test payment first to get comfortable with the flow.

What to do next

Once your wallet is set up and backed up, you are ready to use it. If you are new to Monero, it is worth understanding what makes it different and whether it is safe. When you are ready to move money, read how to send Monero, and always start with a small amount.