Why a hardware wallet?
Hardware wallets isolate private keys from the internet. They sign transactions locally and expose only signed transactions to your computer or phone.
Welcome! This page walks you through the essential steps to set up your Ledger hardware wallet, secure your recovery phrase, install apps, and use Ledger Live safely. Follow each step carefully — hardware wallets keep private keys offline and significantly reduce risk.
Setting up a Ledger device properly is the single most important step to securing your cryptocurrency. This guide covers practical steps and clear recommendations so that you can confidently protect your assets. Below you’ll find exactly what to do from first power-on to regular maintenance and advanced tips for long-term security.
Make sure you are in a private location and your computer or phone is free from suspicious software before you connect a hardware wallet. Use official Ledger resources to download companion software and double-check that you’ve purchased your device through trusted channels. If anything about the device packaging looks tampered with, contact support immediately.
Power on the device and follow the prompts. Choose a PIN — this will be asked each time you connect the device. The device will show you a 24-word recovery phrase. Write the words down in the order presented, on the physical recovery sheet that comes with the package. Confirm the words on the device when prompted — this verifies you wrote them correctly.
The 24-word phrase is a human-readable representation of your private keys. Anyone with these words can restore your wallet and access your funds. This phrase should never be typed into a website, sent over chat, or stored in cloud storage. Treat it like cash or the keys to a safe deposit box.
Ledger Live is the official companion app for managing accounts and installing apps on your Ledger device. Install only official versions from trusted sources. Use Ledger Live to add accounts and view balances — for particular protocols or DeFi interactions you might connect Ledger to other trusted wallets that support hardware signing. When connecting to third-party dApps, check the transaction details on your device screen and verify every field before approving.
To receive crypto, generate a receiving address in Ledger Live and confirm that the address shown by the software matches the address shown on your device. When sending crypto, a transaction preview appears on the device screen; compare amounts, fee, and destination. If anything looks off, cancel and investigate. Never use addresses pasted from unknown websites.
1) Keep your recovery phrase offline. 2) Use a strong PIN and change it if you suspect it has been observed. 3) Be wary of phishing: only use official websites and never trust unsolicited support messages. 4) Consider a secondary physical backup (e.g., metal seed storage) for disaster resilience. 5) For very large holdings, consider multisig setups or geographically distributed backups with trusted co-signers.
Ledger periodically issues firmware updates that may include security improvements or new features. Update your device only through official flows, and always verify update prompts appear on the device screen. Back up your recovery phrase before any major operation where prompts instruct you to do so.
If Ledger Live cannot detect your device, try a different USB cable or port and ensure your OS recognizes the device. If your device is frozen, follow official recovery steps. If you lose your device, your recovery phrase allows full recovery on a new Ledger or compatible wallet — that is why safe storage for the phrase is critical.
Advanced users may explore multisignature wallets, hardware wallets in combination with offline transaction creation (air-gapped setups), or third-party integrations for DeFi and NFTs. These use-cases come with extra complexity; ensure you fully understand the signing flow and always verify transactions on-device.
Following these steps will dramatically increase the security of your crypto holdings. If you need further help, consult the official documentation and support. Keep learning — security is an ongoing practice.