A method of processing a wafer includes forming a mask on portions of a face side of the wafer which correspond to devices; performing plasma etching on the face side of the wafer through the mask to etch areas of streets other than areas thereof corresponding to metal components, thereby forming grooves in the areas of the streets to a depth corresponding to a finished thickness of device chips; bonding a protective member for protecting the face side of the wafer, holding the face side of the wafer on a chuck table through the protective member and grinding a reverse side of the wafer until bottoms of the grooves are exposed, to fragmentize the wafer into the device chips; and picking up the device chips from the protective member, leaving remaining regions of the substrate which correspond to the metal components on the protective member.