To register or manage an ENS name you need two things: an Ethereum wallet, and some ETH in it.
What a wallet is
A wallet is an app that holds your ETH and controls what you own on Ethereum, including ENS names. It is how you sign in to the ENS App and approve each change.
Widely used wallets include Ambire.com, MetaMask.io, Rainbow.me and Base.org. Any wallet that supports Ethereum Mainnet works.
Your wallet gives you a recovery phrase when you set it up. Write it down and keep it offline. Nobody from ENS will ever ask you for it, and anyone who does is trying to steal from you.
Getting ETH
There are three common routes:
An exchange such as Coinbase.com, Kraken.com or Gemini.com, then withdraw the ETH to your wallet address.
Directly inside your wallet — most wallets have a card option built in.
From someone else, sent to your wallet address.
If you use an exchange, the ETH sits with the exchange until you withdraw it. It has to reach your own wallet before you can register a name.
Make sure it is on Ethereum Mainnet
ENS names are registered on Ethereum Mainnet. ETH held on an L2 such as Base, Arbitrum or Optimism cannot pay for a registration until you bridge it across.
This is the single most common reason a registration fails with enough ETH apparently in the wallet. Check which network your ETH is on before you start.
How much you need
Enough for the name itself, plus the network fee on top. The network fee goes to Ethereum, not to ENS, and it changes with how busy the network is. The app & wallet app estimate both amounts before you confirm.
Next: register a name
Once the ETH is in your own wallet on Ethereum Mainnet, you are ready to register. It takes about three minutes and two wallet transactions, with a 60-second wait between them.
Steps and screenshots: Register a .eth name.
Common questions
Which wallet should I use?
Any wallet that supports Ethereum Mainnet will work with ENS. We cannot recommend one over another.
Do I need ETH if I already have a name?
Yes, for anything that changes the name onchain — renewing, editing records, transferring. Each of those pays a network fee.
I sent ETH to my wallet but the App still says my balance is too low.
Check the network. ETH on an L2 shows in your wallet but cannot pay for a registration on Ethereum Mainnet.