What “Include Testnets” Means on Chainlist

On Chainlist, “Include Testnets” reveals test networks in search results so you can add a network used for trying apps and transactions. A testnet is a separate blockchain network for development and testing, usually using tokens intended to have no market value. If you are looking for a network to test, turn on the option and search its name; chainlist will show matching entries that may otherwise be hidden.

What changes when you include testnets on Chainlist?

The setting changes which networks appear in the results; it does not change the network your wallet is currently using. With the option off, the results focus on mainnets, where real assets and live applications operate. Turning it on adds listed testnets to those results, so a search can show both a project’s live network and its testing network.

Each network entry gives details a wallet needs to connect to a chain. A Chain ID is the number a wallet uses to identify a network, while an RPC endpoint is the server address the wallet contacts to read data and send transactions. Check the network name and Chain ID before adding it: similar names can refer to different networks.

How do you add a testnet from Chainlist?

Search for the network, open the matching entry, and use its wallet connection button. Your wallet should show a request to add the network; review the name, Chain ID and network address before approving. The option only makes testnet results visible. It does not add one to your wallet by itself.

After adding it, select that network in your wallet before opening the app you want to test. Test tokens on one network do not become real tokens on another. They also do not move between a testnet and a mainnet just because both appear in the same search.

When should you turn on Include Testnets?

Use it when you need a separate place to check an app, contract or wallet setup without using live assets. Leave it off when you are looking for a network for ordinary transactions; this keeps test entries out of the results. The setting is useful when you know the project name but need to find its test network.

• Turn it on to search for a project’s test network.
• Compare the network name and Chain ID with the project’s own instructions.
• Approve the wallet request only after checking the network details.
• Switch back to the intended mainnet before using real assets.

Seeing a testnet on Chainlist does not confirm that it is current or suitable for a particular app. Network details can change, and a testnet may be retired. For most readers, the better choice is to leave the setting off unless they have a specific test task, then verify the details before adding the network.