How to Use Ethereum Name Service (ENS): Your Guide to Web3 Domains

What You’ll Need

Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready: an Ethereum-compatible wallet such as MetaMask, Rainbow, or Coinbase Wallet, and enough ETH on Ethereum Mainnet to cover both the registration fee and gas costs. The registration process requires two on-chain transactions, so having a small buffer of ETH beyond the registration fee is recommended.

Step 1: Search for an Available Name

Head to app.ens.domains and connect your wallet. Type your desired name into the search bar. If the name is available, you’ll see a green indicator and the option to proceed with registration. Keep in mind that shorter names are significantly more expensive, so if you’re looking for an affordable option, a name with five or more characters is your best bet at just $5 per year.

Step 2: Choose Your Registration Duration

You can register your ENS name for any duration — by the number of years or by selecting a specific expiry date using the calendar icon. There’s no minimum registration period, though most users opt for at least one year. Registering for multiple years upfront can save you gas fees in the long run, since you won’t need to renew as frequently.

Step 3: Set Your Primary Name

Your Primary Name is the ENS name that represents your wallet address across the Web3 ecosystem. When apps and wallets look up your address, they’ll display your Primary Name instead of the raw hexadecimal string. Setting a Primary Name is optional during registration, but it’s highly recommended if you want your identity to be visible across ENS-compatible platforms like OpenSea, Uniswap, and others.

Step 4: Build Your Profile (Optional)

Before completing registration, you can enrich your ENS profile with a variety of records. You can add wallet addresses for multiple cryptocurrencies (ETH, BTC, and many others), link your social media handles (Twitter/X, Discord, Telegram), set an avatar and header image, add an email address, and even point to a decentralized website via a content hash. These records are stored on-chain and are readable by any ENS-compatible application.

Step 5: Register Your Name

ENS uses a two-step registration process specifically designed to protect you from front-running — a situation where someone could see the name you’re trying to register and grab it before you. Here’s how it works:

Request to Register (Commit): Click Begin and approve the first transaction in your wallet. This transaction stores a secret key in your browser linked to your wallet and chosen name. No registration fee is charged at this stage — only a small gas fee. Important: do not clear your browser cache or switch browsers until the process is complete.

Wait 60 Seconds: A mandatory 60-second waiting period begins. This delay is what prevents front-running — it ensures no one can see your name choice and register it before you. The name is not reserved for you during this time, so it’s best to complete Step 3 promptly.

Complete Registration: Click Complete Registration and confirm the second transaction in your wallet. Once confirmed on-chain, you are the official owner of your new ENS name. The NFT will appear in your wallet immediately.

Receive Crypto Payments Easily

The most immediate benefit of an ENS name is being able to share a simple, memorable address for receiving crypto. Instead of copying and pasting a 42-character hex string, you can just tell someone to send funds to yourname.eth. ENS supports multiple cryptocurrency addresses, so you can link your Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and many other wallet addresses to the same ENS name — making it a universal payment handle across blockchains.

Build Your Web3 Identity

Your ENS name functions as a portable, decentralized identity across the Web3 ecosystem. Platforms like OpenSea, Uniswap, Aave, and hundreds of other dApps automatically display your ENS name instead of your wallet address. You can also use it as your username on Twitter/X and Discord, creating a consistent identity that bridges Web2 and Web3. Think of it as your digital passport for the decentralized internet.

Host a Decentralized Website

One of ENS’s most powerful features is the ability to point your name to a website hosted on a decentralized storage network like IPFS, Arweave, or Swarm. This creates a truly censorship-resistant website where both the domain and the hosting are entirely decentralized — no servers, no hosting companies, no single point of failure. Browsers like Brave natively support ENS-based websites, and others can access them through the ENS gateway.

Send and Receive Web3 Email

ENS integrates with Web3 email providers like ETHMail and EtherMail, allowing you to send and receive emails using your ENS name as your address (e.g., yourname@yourname.eth). This is a growing area of the ENS ecosystem and represents a compelling vision for a more private, user-owned email experience.

Issue Subdomains

If you own an ENS name, you can create and distribute subdomains to others. This is particularly useful for DAOs, communities, and projects that want to give members a unique on-chain identity. For example, a DAO called myfund.eth could issue subdomains like alice.myfund.eth and bob.myfund.eth to its contributors. Subdomains can be issued manually or programmatically through a custom resolver smart contract.

Edit Your Records

You can update your ENS records at any time — add or change wallet addresses, update your avatar, change your linked website, or add new social handles. Each update requires a transaction on Ethereum, so a small gas fee applies. The exception is your avatar, which can be updated gaslessly if you use the Upload Image option during setup.

Renew Your Registration

ENS names expire if not renewed. When your name expires, it enters a 90-day grace period during which only the current owner can renew it. After the grace period, the name enters a temporary premium phase before becoming available for anyone to register. It’s a good idea to set a reminder well before your expiry date, or register for multiple years upfront to avoid the risk of losing your name. You can renew multiple names at once through the ENS Manager App to save on gas.

Transfer or Sell Your ENS Name

Because ENS names are NFTs, you can transfer them to another wallet or sell them on NFT marketplaces like OpenSea. Premium short names and dictionary words have sold for significant amounts — the name paradigm.eth sold for over $1 million. If you own a valuable name, it’s worth exploring the secondary market. To transfer a name, simply use the ENS Manager App to edit the owner role and send it to the new wallet address.