How to Use Uniswap: Wallet Connect, Swap, Slippage and LP Basics (2026)
— By Tony Rabbit in Tutorials
Learn how to use Uniswap step by step, from connecting a wallet and swapping tokens to setting slippage, reading route impact, and understanding LP basics.
Intent check: This page owns the broader Uniswap interface walkthrough: connect wallet, swap, set slippage, read route impact, and understand LP basics. If you only want the beginner swap execution path, read How to Swap Tokens on Uniswap. If you want the LP-specific guide for fee tiers, ranges, and impermanent loss, read How to Provide Liquidity on Uniswap. If you want the AMM model and UNI token context first, read What Is Uniswap?.
Uniswap is the largest decentralized exchange in crypto, responsible for pioneering the automated market maker (AMM) model that now powers most of DeFi. With over $4 billion in total value locked across 12+ chains, it is the default DEX for Ethereum and the go-to for ERC-20 token swaps.
This tutorial walks you through connecting a wallet, swapping tokens, providing liquidity on Uniswap V3 and V4, and using DEXTools to analyze pools before trading.
What Is Uniswap?
Uniswap launched in November 2018 as a simple AMM on Ethereum. It introduced the concept of permissionless token listing and liquidity providing - anyone can create a pool for any ERC-20 token. V2 (2020) added ERC-20/ERC-20 pairs. V3 (2021) introduced concentrated liquidity. V4 (2025) added hooks, custom pool logic, and a singleton contract architecture that drastically reduces gas costs.
Uniswap is deployed on:
- Ethereum Mainnet - The original and highest-liquidity deployment
- Arbitrum - Lower gas, same tokens
- Optimism - OP rewards for LPs
- Base - Coinbase's L2, fast and cheap
- Polygon, BSC, Avalanche, Celo - and more
Step 1: Connect Your Wallet
- Go to app.uniswap.org
- Click Connect in the top-right corner
- Select your wallet - MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, WalletConnect, or Rabby
- Approve the connection
- Select the network you want to trade on (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, etc.)
Gas Savings Tip
Ethereum mainnet gas can be $5-50+ per swap depending on congestion. If you are trading smaller amounts, switch to Base or Arbitrum where the same Uniswap interface works with gas under $0.10. Your tokens bridge easily via the Uniswap interface itself.
Step 2: Swap Tokens
Swapping on Uniswap is straightforward:
- On the Swap page, select your input token (e.g., ETH)
- Select your output token (e.g., UNI) - paste the contract address for new tokens
- Enter the amount
- Review the quote: exchange rate, price impact, minimum received, and network fee
- Click Swap and confirm in your wallet
Swap Settings
• Slippage: Auto mode works for most trades. Set manually (0.5-1%) for stable pairs or (2-5%) for volatile/low-liquidity tokens.
• Transaction Deadline: Default 30 minutes. If your transaction has not been mined by then, it reverts to protect you from stale prices.
• UniswapX: An opt-in feature that routes trades through a network of fillers who compete to give you the best price, often better than on-chain routing alone. It also provides MEV protection.
Step 3: Provide Liquidity (V3 Concentrated)
Uniswap V3 lets you concentrate liquidity within a custom price range. Tighter ranges earn more fees but require active management.
- Go to Pool > New Position
- Select your token pair (e.g., ETH/USDC)
- Choose a fee tier:
- 0.01% - Stablecoin pairs (USDC/USDT)
- 0.05% - Correlated pairs (ETH/stETH)
- 0.3% - Standard pairs (ETH/USDC)
- 1% - Exotic/volatile pairs
- Set your price range - the min and max price at which your liquidity will be active
- Enter deposit amounts
- Click Add Liquidity and confirm
V3 Liquidity Is Not Passive
Unlike V2, concentrated liquidity positions require monitoring. If the price moves outside your range, you stop earning fees and hold 100% of the less valuable token. You need to rebalance (close and reopen) your position when the market moves significantly. This is active portfolio management, not "set and forget."
Step 4: Uniswap V4 - Hooks and Custom Pools
Uniswap V4 is the latest version, introducing a modular architecture:
• Hooks: Custom smart contract logic that runs before or after swaps, LP actions, or donations. Developers can build limit orders, TWAP orders, dynamic fees, and more - all natively within Uniswap pools.
• Singleton Contract: All pools live in one contract, dramatically reducing gas for multi-hop swaps and pool creation.
• Flash Accounting: Only net balances are transferred at the end of a transaction, saving gas on complex operations.
• Native ETH: V4 supports native ETH pools directly, eliminating the need to wrap ETH to WETH for trading.
Step 5: Analyze Uniswap Pools on DEXTools
DEXTools provides real-time analytics for every Uniswap pool across all deployed chains.
- Go to DEXTools and select Ethereum (or any chain Uniswap is on)
- Search for a token or paste a pool address
- View real-time charts, buy/sell pressure, and holder distribution
- Check the DEXTools Score - a composite safety rating for the token
- Look at Liquidity tab to see how deep the pool is and whether liquidity is locked
Before You Swap: The DEXTools Checklist
✔ DEXTools Score above 50 (higher = safer)
✔ Liquidity locked or burned
✔ No single wallet holds >10% supply
✔ Contract verified and renounced
✔ Consistent trading volume (not wash trading)
Uniswap Fees
Avoiding the Interface Fee
The 0.25% interface fee only applies when using the official Uniswap frontend (app.uniswap.org). You can avoid it by using aggregators like 1inch, Cowswap, or trading bots that interact directly with Uniswap's smart contracts. The trade-off: you lose UniswapX routing and the curated UX.
The UNI Token
UNI is Uniswap's governance token, launched via one of crypto's most famous airdrops in September 2020. UNI holders can vote on protocol upgrades, fee switches, and treasury allocations.
In 2025, Uniswap governance activated the fee switch on select V3 pools, meaning a portion of swap fees now flows to UNI stakers - making UNI a revenue-generating asset for the first time.
Security Tips for Uniswap
- Verify token contracts - Anyone can create a token with any name. Always paste the official contract address from CoinGecko or CoinMarketCap
- Check DEXTools before swapping - Look for rug pull indicators
- Beware of honeypots - Tokens you can buy but cannot sell. DEXTools flags these.
- Approve with limits - When approving a token, set a specific amount rather than unlimited approval
- Bookmark the real URL - Only use app.uniswap.org. Phishing clones are everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uniswap safe?
Uniswap's core contracts are among the most battle-tested in DeFi, having processed trillions in volume without a protocol-level exploit. However, the tokens traded on Uniswap can be scams. The protocol itself is safe; what you trade on it may not be. Always verify token contracts.
Do I need to use Ethereum mainnet?
No. Uniswap is deployed on Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, Polygon, and other L2s and sidechains. For smaller trades, L2s are much cheaper. Ethereum mainnet has the deepest liquidity for large trades.
What is UniswapX?
UniswapX is a protocol for trading across AMMs and private liquidity sources. Instead of routing on-chain, your order goes to a network of fillers who compete to fill it at the best price. Benefits include gas-free swaps (the filler pays gas), MEV protection, and often better prices than direct on-chain routing.
Why did my swap fail?
Common causes: slippage too low (increase to 1-3%), insufficient gas, token has a transfer tax (increase slippage), or the token contract blocks sells (honeypot). Check the token on DEXTools to see if others are able to sell successfully.