# How do I speed up or cancel a pending transaction on Ethereum?

Sometimes, Ethereum transactions can get **stuck pending** — especially when gas fees are low or the network is congested. If you need to **speed up** or **cancel** a transaction, your wallet (e.g., MetaMask) can help — but timing is key.

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### 🔁 Why Do Transactions Get Stuck?

Every Ethereum transaction must be confirmed by the network. If your **gas fee is too low**, your transaction may stay pending for a long time or get stuck behind others offering higher fees.

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### ⚡ How to Speed Up a Transaction

You can **speed up** your pending transaction by submitting the same transaction again with a **higher gas fee**. This replaces the original and gets it processed faster.

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### ❌ How to Cancel a Transaction

You may also choose to **cancel** the transaction entirely (if it hasn't already been picked up by the network). This replaces the pending transaction with a **zero-value transaction** that uses the same nonce.

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### 📖 Follow This Step-by-Step MetaMask Guide

If you're using MetaMask, here's their official article that walks you through both options:

🔗 [MetaMask Guide: How to Speed Up or Cancel a Pending Transaction](https://support.metamask.io/manage-crypto/transactions/how-to-speed-up-or-cancel-a-pending-transaction/)

[<br>](https://docs.mintable.app/ethereum-version/basics/what-is-eth-ethereum/why-is-ethereum-gas-fees-so-high)