What are Imported Accounts?
By Lesa Moné
Imported accounts are specific addresses that you can import into your MetaMask wallet. Imported addresses are not part of your wallet’s 12 words seed phrase.
Why import separate accounts into your primary MetaMask account?
Say you have accounts in two separate MetaMask wallets, or you have an address in a different wallet software, that you would like to view in the same MetaMask interface. Or, maybe, you have a shared address for your family’s expenses that would like to view and use in your main MetaMask wallet. This can be done by importing existing outside accounts to your MetaMask wallet.
Please note that imported accounts are not associated with your wallet’s seed phrase. This means, if you restore your primary MetaMask wallet later with your seed phrase, the imported accounts will not automatically appear.
Also, be careful when copy pasting a private key. Do this in a safe and secure way by using a password manager for example.
Method 1: Importing An Account Through A Private Key
In this demonstration, I will import a secondary account, which lives on the MetaMask extension in the Brave browser, to my primary wallet, which lives on Google Chrome.
Step 1. Click the MetaMask extension in Brave to access the account that you plan to import
Step 2. Click on the three dots, and select “Account Details”
Step 3. Enter account password to access your Private Key.
Warning: Never disclose this private key. Anyone with your private keys can steal any assets held in your account.
Step 4. Copy your private key, and head to your primary MetaMask wallet.
Step 5. On your primary wallet, click the circle profile icon, and select “Import Account.”
Step 6. Paste the private key from your secondary account into your primary wallet
Step 7. Celebrate! You have imported your secondary account to your primary wallet.
In this example, my imported account is Account #4 in my primary wallet.
Be sure to keep both seed phrases saved separately in your password manager, in case you have to access them again.
Method 2: Importing An Account Through A JSON File
If you have a JSON file created in another wallet software, you can import that address to your primary MetaMask wallet by following the steps described below:
Step 1. Click the circle profile icon in your MetaMask wallet, and select “Import Account.”
Step 2. Select the “JSON File” option in the dropdown menu, look for the file in your computer, and enter the password of the JSON File.
Step 3. That’s all! 
You now can see the imported address in the Accounts List of your MetaMask wallet.
Imported accounts can be removed from the Accounts List of your wallet. Removing them will delete the private key of that address from your wallet’s local encrypted Vault.
Make sure to keep imported addresses’ specific private keys or JSON files backed up someplace safe.
Series Disclaimer:
This series article is intended for general guidance and information purposes only for beginners participating in cryptocurrencies and DeFi. The contents of this article are not to be construed as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult with your advisors for all legal, business, investment, and tax implications and advice. ConsenSys is not responsible for any lost funds. Please use your best judgment and practice due diligence before interacting with smart contracts.