Ledger.com/Start® — Starting Up Your Device®

Complete step-by-step setup & security guide for your Ledger hardware wallet

Welcome — this guide walks you through starting up your Ledger hardware wallet (Nano S / Nano S Plus / Nano X) and Ledger Live. It covers unboxing, initializing your device, creating a secure PIN, recording the recovery phrase, installing cryptocurrency apps, and practical safety tips. This is an independent how-to guide and is not affiliated with Ledger.

Before you start

Read these quick notes first:

  • Only download Ledger Live from the official Ledger website: ledger.com/start.
  • Do the setup in private — never share your recovery phrase or enter it into a website or phone.
  • Have a pen and secure paper (or a metal backup) ready to store your recovery phrase.

What you’ll need

  • Your new Ledger device and USB cable.
  • A computer or smartphone with a compatible OS and internet connection.
  • A pen and the supplied recovery sheet (or a secure metal backup if you have one).

Step-by-step setup

  1. Unbox and inspect your device.

    Confirm the box and device packaging are sealed and show no signs of tampering. If anything looks wrong, stop and contact the seller or Ledger support.

  2. Download Ledger Live.

    Go to ledger.com/start to download Ledger Live for your platform. Install it and open the app.

  3. Choose “Initialize as new device” or “Restore from recovery phrase”.

    If your device is brand new, select set up as new. If you’re recovering an existing wallet, select restore and enter your recovery phrase when prompted.

  4. Follow on-screen prompts to choose a PIN.

    Set a PIN you can remember but others cannot guess. The device will ask to confirm the PIN by re-entering it. Never store the PIN together with your recovery phrase.

  5. Write down the recovery phrase (24 words on most Ledger devices).
    Critical security step: Write the words in order, exactly as shown. Keep this phrase offline and private — it is the only backup to recover your wallets.
  6. Confirm your recovery phrase.

    The device will ask you to confirm a few of the words to ensure you've written them correctly.

  7. Install apps via Ledger Live.

    Open Ledger Live → Manager, connect your device, and install the cryptocurrency apps you need (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.). Installing an app does not move funds — it just enables the wallet for that currency on the device.

  8. Create accounts in Ledger Live.

    After installing apps, use Ledger Live to add accounts for each currency and view receive addresses. Always verify receive addresses on the device screen, not only in your desktop/mobile window.

  9. Test with a small transaction.

    Before sending large amounts, test sending a small amount to/from the device to confirm everything works and you can verify transactions on-device.

Security best practices

Keeping your crypto safe is mostly about protecting your recovery phrase and the physical device.

  • Never share your 24-word recovery phrase with anyone or enter it into a website or app.
  • Store the recovery phrase in a secure, fireproof location. Consider a metal backup solution for long-term storage.
  • When buying a device, purchase only from trusted vendors. Do not accept a “pre-initialized” Ledger from a secondary seller.
  • Enable a passphrase (advanced users): a passphrase can add a second layer to your seed; however, losing the passphrase will make funds unrecoverable without it.
  • Keep your device firmware and Ledger Live up to date; updates often include security improvements.

Common troubleshooting

  • Device not recognized by computer: try a different USB port/cable and ensure Ledger Live is up-to-date.
  • Forgot PIN: the device must be reset and restored using the recovery phrase. If your recovery phrase is lost, funds cannot be recovered.
  • App installation fails: restart Ledger Live, reconnect device, and ensure you allowed the device to connect if a prompt appears.
Important: If you ever receive a message, email, or call asking for your recovery phrase or private keys, treat it as a scam and do not respond. Ledger (the company) will never ask for your 24-word recovery phrase.

Extra tips for power users

  • Use a hardware wallet in combination with a software watch-only wallet for daily balance checks without exposing keys.
  • Consider splitting funds across cold storage devices and operational wallets to limit risk.
  • Use a secure passphrase and keep a separate, encrypted backup of it if you enable one.

Quick reference — checklist

✔ Verified package & device
✔ Downloaded Ledger Live from official site
✔ Set device PIN
✔ Wrote and secured recovery phrase (offline)
✔ Installed needed crypto apps via Ledger Live
✔ Tested small deposit/withdrawal
✔ Backed up recovery phrase (paper/metal) safely
Download Ledger Live Ledger Support (official)