Metamask: Get the account icon and name

Getting Account Information with Metamask

When integrating Web3.js and the Metamask extension provider into your JavaScript project, you may wonder if you can get information like the account name and icon.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to directly access an account name and icon using the Metamask extension provider. These details are usually stored on-chain with the Ethereum blockchain and are not accessible via the browser or client-side JavaScript code.

However, there are a few workarounds you can consider:

1.
On-chain Retrieval

You can use the eth_address object from Web3.js to get the address of an account. You can then use the eth_name and eth_icon methods from the ethers.js library to retrieve the account name and icon, respectively.

const web3 = new Web3(window.ethereum);
// Get the address of an account
const address = wait web3.eth.getAddress();
// Get the name and icon of the account
const name = wait web3.eth.name(address);
const icon = wait web3.eth.icon(address);

2.
Using a Service Provider

Another approach is to use a service provider like the MetaMask API, which provides access to on-chain data. You can log in with your MetaMask account, and then use the eth_name and eth_icon methods of the MetaMask object.

const metaMask = new window.Metamask({ accessToken: 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN' });
// Sign in with MetaMask
metaMask.sign();
// Get the account name and icon
const name = wait metaMask.eth.name();
const icon = wait metaMask.eth.icon();

3.
Using a third-party library

There are also third-party libraries like web3-utils that allow accessing on-chain data via their API. These libraries may provide methods to retrieve account information.

import { signName, signIcon } from 'web3-utils';
const web3 = new Web3(window.ethereum);
// Sign in with MetaMask
metaMask.sign();
// Get the account name and icon
const name = wait signName(web3.eth.address());
const icon = wait signIcon(web3.eth.address());
console.log(name, icon);

While these workarounds may provide access to some on-chain data, keep in mind that they are not officially supported by Ethereum or Web3.js. Always make sure to use a reliable and compliant solution for your project.

Remember to always follow best practices when accessing sensitive information such as addresses and account names.

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