Insulin resistance plays a crucial role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Insulin receptor signalling is antagonized and tightly controlled by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). However, the precise role of the PTP src homology 2 domainâcontaining phosphatase 1 (SHPâ1) in insulin resistance has not been explored. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a highâfat diet (HFD, 60% kcal from fat), to induce insulin resistance, or a lowâfat diet (LFD, 10% kcal from fat) for 10 weeks. Afterwards, HFDâfed mice were pharmacologically treated with the SHPâ1 (Ptpn6) inhibitor sodium stibogluconate and the broad spectrum panâPTP inhibitor bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV) (BMOV). Both inhibitors ameliorated the metabolic phenotype, as evidenced by reduced body weight, improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, which was not due to altered PTP gene expression. In parallel, phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and of the insulin signalling key intermediate Akt was enhanced, and both PTP inhibitors and siRNAâmediated SHPâ1 downregulation resulted in an increased glucose uptake in vitro. Finally, recombinant SHPâ1 was capable of dephosphorylating the ligandâinduced tyrosineâphosphorylated insulin receptor. These results indicate a central role of SHPâ1 in insulin signalling during obesity, and SHPâ1 inhibition as a potential therapeutic approach in metabolic diseases.