A friendly, step‑by‑step guide to unboxing, setting up, and securing your Ledger hardware wallet with Ledger Live. Clear headings (H1–H5), an FAQ, and 10 official colored links included.
Hardware wallets like Ledger store your private keys in a secure, offline element. Unlike exchange wallets or hot wallets on a phone, a hardware wallet keeps the keys isolated so that signing transactions requires the physical device — providing strong protection against remote attackers. This guide focuses on Ledger devices and Ledger Live, Ledger's official companion app.
Only download Ledger Live from Ledger’s official website. Never share your 24‑word recovery phrase with anyone. Ledger staff will never ask for your recovery phrase — if someone does, stop and report the attempt immediately.
Ledger devices ship in tamper‑evident boxes. Ensure the box seal is intact and that the product looks genuine. Ledger’s packaging often includes a quick start guide and the recovery sheet for writing down your seed phrase.
Connect your Ledger to your computer or power it up. Follow the on‑screen prompts to choose a secure PIN — avoid obvious choices like 1234 or your birthday. The PIN protects access to the device if it’s lost or stolen.
Your device will display a 24‑word recovery phrase (sometimes 12/18 words depending on the model/config). Write these words down in order on the provided recovery sheet and store it in a safe location. This phrase is the ultimate backup of your crypto — treat it as highly sensitive.
Ledger Live is the official app that lets you manage accounts, install apps on your device, and send/receive crypto. Install Ledger Live only from Ledger’s official website or your device’s official app store.
Open Ledger Live, choose "Get Started", follow prompts to set up a new device or restore from recovery phrase. Ledger Live will walk you through adding accounts for supported cryptocurrencies and installing device apps required for each coin.
Each cryptocurrency requires a corresponding app installed on the Ledger device (for example: Bitcoin, Ethereum). Apps are lightweight and can be managed from Ledger Live’s Manager tab. Install only the apps for coins you intend to manage to conserve device space.
In Ledger Live, use "Add account" for the coin you want. Ledger Live and your device will coordinate to derive addresses and display balances. Always verify addresses on your device screen before sending funds.
Always confirm transaction details and addresses on the Ledger device’s screen — not just in the app. This prevents man‑in‑the‑middle or malware from showing a fake address in Ledger Live.
Firmware updates patch security improvements. Only install firmware updates from Ledger Live itself and follow on‑screen verification steps.
Store your recovery sheet in a safe or secure physical location. Consider using a metal backup solution for long‑term durability. Do not store your recovery phrase online or in a photo.
If your Ledger is lost or damaged, you can restore your accounts on a new compatible Ledger device using the 24‑word recovery phrase. Move funds to a new device as soon as you are able and consider revoking any third‑party approvals if relevant (for smart contract tokens).
If you receive suspicious messages asking for your recovery phrase, PIN, or to install unknown apps — do not comply. Report scams to Ledger’s support and change security practices where possible.