Ledger.com/Start

Set up your Ledger hardware wallet, step by step

You have the device. The order you do things in matters more than the device itself. This guide takes you from unboxing to your first transfer, and names the one mistake that costs people their crypto.

  • lock

    Your keys never leave the device

  • touch_app

    Every transaction is approved on screen

  • description

    24 written words restore everything

Open the official setup
Download the app
Flat black rectangular device with a glowing lavender inset, photographed diagonally on a dark textured surface.
The short version

Three numbers worth remembering

Everything else on this page follows from these.

24

words in your recovery phrase

They are the only backup that matters. Written down, they restore every account on your device onto a replacement.

3

wrong PIN attempts wipe the device

That is by design. The device resets, your crypto does not move, and your recovery phrase brings it back.

0

reasons to ever type those words online

No website, app, chat, email or support agent needs them. Anyone who asks for them is trying to take your crypto.

Why it matters

Why bother with a hardware wallet

Crypto sitting on an exchange is not really yours. The exchange holds the keys and decides when you can withdraw. A hardware wallet puts that control back in your hand.

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Your keys stay offline

The device generates your private keys and keeps them inside a secure chip. They are never written to your phone, your laptop or a server.

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You approve every transaction

Nothing moves until you check the amount and the address on the device screen and confirm it. Malware on your computer cannot sign for you.

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Your assets outlive the exchange

If a platform freezes withdrawals or collapses, your crypto is untouched. Only your device and your written recovery phrase can reach it.

The order matters

Setting up your Ledger in six steps

Work through them in this order. Almost every problem at setup comes from doing one of these steps somewhere unofficial.

1

Buy your device from the official store

Order direct from Ledger. A resold or marketplace unit can arrive already initialised, which means someone else could know the keys it generates.

2

Download the app from the official site

Get it from ledger.com and nowhere else. Cloned installers, fake app-store listings and sponsored support links are a common way people are compromised.

3

Connect it and choose Set up a new device

Use the cable in the box and follow the app's prompts. If anything asks for a recovery phrase during setup, stop: you are on a fake page.

4

Set a PIN you will remember

Four to eight digits. The device wipes after three wrong attempts, so choose something you will not forget and do not keep it with the device.

5

Write your 24 words down on paper

The device shows the words once, in order. Write them by hand, check them twice and store them offline. Never photograph them and never type them.

6

Install coin apps, then test with a small amount

Add the apps for the assets you hold, then send a small test transfer and confirm it arrives before you move the rest of your holdings.

Non-negotiable

The rules that keep your crypto yours

Nearly every loss that gets reported traces back to one of these four moments.

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Never type your 24 words anywhere

Not into a website, an app, a form, a chat window or an email. Your recovery phrase is for restoring a device you own, and for nothing else.

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No legitimate service will ask for them

Not Ledger, not a wallet app, not a support agent, not a giveaway. Any message that asks for your recovery phrase or your PIN is a theft attempt.

language

Type the address yourself

Search ads, DMs and sponsored results lead to convincing copies of official pages. Navigate to the address directly instead of clicking a link someone sent you.

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Guard the paper, not the device

The device is replaceable; the 24 written words are the asset. Keep them offline, somewhere you would trust with cash.

Questions

Questions people ask before they start

If yours is not here, Ledger's own support centre is the next stop.

Nothing happens to your crypto. Your assets live on the blockchain, not on the device. Buy a replacement, choose restore from recovery phrase, and enter your 24 words on the new device to regain access.

Only from Ledger's official website. It runs on desktop and mobile, and it is where you install coin apps, add accounts and approve transactions. Treat every other download link, including ads above the official search result, as unsafe.

No. A hardware wallet needs no email address, no identity check and no online account. If a setup flow asks for personal details, or for a payment to activate your device, close the page.

Yes. You can restore the same recovery phrase onto a second compatible device, or keep one sealed as a spare. Both then control the same accounts, so store them in separate places.

Stop the conversation and enter nothing they send you. Legitimate support never asks for your recovery phrase, your PIN, or remote access to your computer. Report the message, then continue setup from a page you navigated to yourself.

Stuck partway through?

The official support centre covers device issues, app problems and recovery questions.

Open Ledger support
Next step

Start with the official page

Everything you need to set up a device lives on Ledger's own site. Open it, follow the prompts, and keep this page open as your checklist.

Go to ledger.com/start