How to Set Up Your Ledger Hardware Wallet

1 — Buy from trusted channels and inspect on arrival

Only buy Ledger hardware wallets from the official Ledger store or authorized resellers. Purchasing from the manufacturer or trusted retailers minimizes the risk of supply-chain tampering. When your device arrives:

• Inspect the packaging for intact tamper-evident seals and original branding.
• Check that accessories (USB cable, recovery card, documentation) are present.
• If packaging looks tampered with or suspicious, do not initialize the device — contact the seller or official support.

Security reminder: A legitimate, new Ledger device will always prompt you to generate a new recovery phrase during initial setup.

2 — Install Ledger Live (official companion app)

Ledger Live is the official desktop/mobile application used to initialize the device, install blockchain apps onto the hardware, manage accounts, and handle firmware updates. To install:

1. Visit Ledger’s official download page (type the URL or use a bookmark — avoid social links or emailed links).
2. Choose the correct platform (Windows, macOS, Linux) or install via the App Store / Google Play for mobile.
3. Download, install, and launch Ledger Live. The app will guide onboarding and device connection steps.

If you are particularly cautious, verify the installer checksum/signature if Ledger publishes it.

3 — First connection and initializing the device

With Ledger Live open and your device connected by USB (or Bluetooth on supported models), follow the app prompts:

1. Choose Set up as a new device (unless you are restoring a previously created recovery phrase).
2. Follow on-device prompts to create a PIN — this PIN prevents local unauthorized use of the device.
3. The device will generate a recovery phrase (usually 24 words) and display words on its screen — write them down in order on the supplied recovery sheet.
4. Ledger Live or the device will ask you to confirm a few randomly selected words to ensure you recorded the seed correctly.

Do not: store the recovery phrase digitally, photograph it, or copy it to cloud services. Anyone with access to the seed can control your funds.

4 — PINs, passphrase and hidden wallets

The basic device protection is the PIN. Ledger also supports an optional passphrase feature which derives additional "hidden" wallets from the same recovery seed.

• PIN: Choose a PIN that is memorable but not trivially guessable. The device will block or slow repeated incorrect attempts to deter brute force.
• Passphrase: Adds an extra secret (like a 25th seed word). This creates separate hidden wallets which only unlock when the passphrase is provided. Useful for compartmentalization or plausible deniability, but increases operational complexity.
• If you enable a passphrase, treat it as a separate, highly guarded secret — losing it means you cannot access that hidden wallet even with the recovery phrase.

5 — Install blockchain apps and add accounts

Ledger devices support multiple blockchains through individual "apps" that you install onto the device via Ledger Live's Manager:

1. Open Ledger Live and go to Manager.
2. Install the apps for the blockchains you plan to use (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.).
3. After installing apps, return to Accounts and add accounts for each blockchain — Ledger Live will synchronize addresses and balances for those accounts.

Some tokens or newer chains may require external wallets or integrations; check compatibility before sending unusual tokens to your device.

6 — How to receive crypto safely

1. Select the account in Ledger Live and press Receive.
2. Ledger Live will display a receive address — always verify that the address shown in the app matches the address displayed on your Ledger device screen.
3. Only after confirming the on-device address should you share it with the sender or paste it into an exchange withdrawal form.

Verifying the address on the device prevents malware on your computer from substituting an attacker’s address.

7 — How to send crypto securely

1. Create a new transaction in Ledger Live: enter the recipient address, amount and choose a fee level.
2. Ledger Live prepares the unsigned transaction and sends it to the device.
3. The device will display the recipient, amount and fees — verify every field on the device screen.
4. Physically confirm on the device to sign. Ledger Live then broadcasts the signed transaction to the network.

For large transfers, perform a small test transfer first and confirm arrival before sending the remainder.

8 — Firmware updates and device integrity

Firmware updates include security fixes and new features. Ledger Live will notify you when an update is available. When updating:

• Only update via Ledger Live (official channel).
• Make sure the device stays connected and powered during the entire update — do not unplug mid-update.
• Ledger verifies signed firmware to reduce tampering risk; follow on-screen checks.

If an update fails or the device behaves unexpectedly after an update, stop and consult official support rather than attempting third-party fixes.

9 — Backup strategies and recovery testing

The recovery phrase is your ultimate backup. Best practices include:

• Write the seed clearly on the supplied recovery sheet or on a metal backup plate for durability.
• Store at least two copies in geographically separated secure locations (safe deposit box, home safe, trusted custodian) to mitigate fire, flood, or theft.
• Consider performing a recovery drill by restoring the seed on a spare device to confirm you recorded it correctly.

If you suspect the seed is exposed, move funds to a brand new wallet with a freshly generated seed right away.

10 — Troubleshooting common issues

11 — Security best practices & operational checklist

• Buy hardware only from official or authorized sellers and inspect packaging upon arrival.
• Record the recovery phrase offline and keep it physically secure; never photograph or store it digitally.
• Always verify transaction details on the device screen before approving.
• Keep Ledger Live and device firmware updated, and avoid using unfamiliar or public computers for high-value transactions.
• Consider using multisig, multiple devices, or a dedicated signing machine for very large holdings.
• Be vigilant of phishing — type official URLs or use bookmarks and avoid clicking email or social links for downloads.