Guide
Why Your Solana Transaction Failed: Causes and How to Fix It
Bottom line: it's usually one of four causes
When a Solana transaction fails (fails / is dropped), the cause generally falls into one of these buckets: ①insufficient balance (not enough even to cover fees or rent), ②slippage exceeded (during a swap), ③the transaction gets dropped because the network is congested, or ④a priority fee that's too low to get included. Even when it fails, the asset you tried to send generally doesn't move (though a small fee may be deducted).
Key points of this article
Main causes = insufficient balance / slippage / drops from congestion / insufficient priority fee. Fixes = keep the fee plus a little SOL in your account, set slippage appropriately for swaps, and during congestion raise the priority fee and resubmit. If a transfer never arrives, see what to check when it doesn't show up; for outages, see the history of network outages.
Causes and fixes
| Cause | Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient balance | Not enough for fees or rent | Keep a little SOL in the account (how fees work) |
| Slippage exceeded | Swap won't go through | Set slippage appropriately (don't widen it too much) |
| Dropped in congestion | Missed during heavy load | Wait a while / raise the priority fee and resubmit |
| Priority fee too low | Transaction gets deprioritized | Raise the priority fee |
Fixes for common situations
- You see "not enough SOL": Keep a small amount of SOL on hand for fees and rent (transactions fail more easily if you only hold tokens)
- A swap keeps failing: Review your slippage setting. The thinner a token's liquidity, the more the price tends to drift
- It won't go through during congestion: Raise the priority fee, or wait a while and resubmit
A fee may apply even when a transaction fails
On Solana, the base fee for signature verification may be deducted even if the transaction fails. However, the amount or token you were trying to send does not move.
Read next
- Transfer not showing up → When a SOL transfer doesn't arrive
- How it works → What is a priority fee?
Frequently asked questions
Q. Why does a Solana transaction fail? A. The main causes are insufficient balance, slippage exceeded, drops from network congestion, and an insufficient priority fee.
Q. Do I lose my assets if it fails? A. The asset you tried to send generally doesn't move. However, a small base fee for signature verification may be deducted.
Q. How do I get a transaction through during congestion? A. Raise the priority fee and resubmit, or wait a while for the congestion to ease.
Sources
- Solana Official (Fees): https://solana.com/docs/core/fees
- Backpack Learn (handling transaction failures): https://learn.backpack.exchange/articles/solana-transaction-failed
Note on use
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Crypto assets (including SOL) carry risks such as price volatility, hacking, and network outages. Make any operational or investment decisions at your own responsibility and after checking the latest official information.
Sources
FAQ
- Why does a Solana transaction fail?
- The main causes are insufficient balance, slippage exceeded, drops from network congestion, and an insufficient priority fee.
- Do I lose my assets if the transaction fails?
- The asset you tried to send generally doesn't move. However, a small base fee for signature verification may still be deducted.
- How do I get a transaction through during congestion?
- Raise the priority fee and resubmit, or wait a while for the congestion to ease.
This article is informational only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Prices are reference snapshots and may be outdated. Always do your own research.
