Ledger Start — Your first steps to private, durable crypto custody

This page walks you through everything you need to unbox, set up, and confidently use a Ledger hardware wallet — from safe recovery practice to day-to-day management with Ledger Live.

Why use a hardware wallet?

A hardware wallet stores your private keys offline in a hardened device that never exposes them to your computer or phone. That means phishing websites, compromised apps, or malware on your computer can't reach your keys. Think of the hardware wallet as the only place your signing secrets ever live — everything else becomes a safe interface.

Private keys stay offline: the device signs transactions internally and only sends signatures out.
Recovery is portable: with your recovery phrase you can restore on a compatible device if the hardware is lost or damaged.
Multi-asset support: Ledger supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, many EVM tokens, Solana, and a broad set of tokens and blockchains via Ledger Live and supported apps.

Unbox and prepare (what to check)

Verify packaging integrity: the box should be sealed from the manufacturer and include the device, a USB cable, and recovery sheets. If anything looks tampered with, stop and contact support directly.
Use the official Ledger website or the Ledger Live app to get firmware and software — never download from random links or third-party sellers.
Charge or connect the device following the quickstart guide included in the box; modern Ledger devices only need a short connection to initialize.

Step-by-step setup

Power on & choose a PIN: pick a PIN you can remember but that isn't trivially guessable. The PIN protects access to the device itself.
Write down the recovery phrase: the device will display a 24-word seed (sometimes 12/18 for other wallets). Write each word in order on the provided recovery sheet — don't take photos or store it digitally.
Confirm the phrase: the device will ask you to confirm a few words to ensure you copied them correctly.
Install Ledger Live: on a trusted desktop or mobile device, install Ledger Live from the official site and follow the "Add device" flow.
Install apps and add accounts: use Ledger Live to install blockchain-specific apps (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum) and create accounts; your device will manage signing for those accounts.

Security-first reminders

Never share your recovery phrase. Ledger staff or any legitimate support will never ask for it. Treat the written seed like the keys to a safe deposit box — if anyone else gets it, they can control your funds.

DO NOT DIGITIZE

Using Ledger Live

Ledger Live is the companion interface for sending, receiving, staking, and managing apps. It acts as a view-only dashboard for your balances while delegating all signing to the hardware device.

Receive safely: always verify your receiving address on the device screen before sending funds — the app may show an address but only the device confirms the true address you control.
Send transactions: build the transaction in Ledger Live, then confirm the details (amount, destination, fee) directly on your hardware device.
Staking & apps: Ledger Live supports staking certain assets and integrating third-party apps. When using external dapps, prefer the "Connect with Ledger Live" or verify all signing prompts on-device.

Troubleshooting & recovery

If your device is lost, damaged, or stolen, use your recovery phrase to restore access on a new Ledger device or a compatible seed-restoration wallet. Keep the recovery phrase safe: a single copied photo or cloud backup can be an exploit vector.

Device firmware: keep firmware updated via Ledger Live; firmware updates patch vulnerabilities and add features.
Fake support attacks: attackers may call, email, or DM pretending to be support. Legitimate support will never request your seed or PIN.

Advanced tips for confident custody

Use a passphrase (optional): a passphrase adds an extra word to your seed, creating separate hidden accounts. It increases security but also increases recovery complexity — record the passphrase securely and separately.
Air-gap & dedicated systems: for large holdings, use a dedicated offline computer to interact with unsigned QR or PSBT files and sign only on the Ledger device.
Split recovery & multisig: consider multisig setups or splitting recovery across safe locations for enterprise-grade security and to avoid single-point-of-failure risk.

Quick summary & next actions

The essential three: keep your recovery phrase offline and physical, always verify addresses and transaction details on-device, and use official Ledger Live sources. Once set up, practice small transactions first so you become comfortable with the signing flow and confirmations.

Ready? Connect your device, follow the setup steps above, and treat your recovery phrase as the only backup you’ll ever need — stored in a place you control.