Official Site® | Ledger.com/Start® - Secure Self-Custody Begins Here

Welcome to the official Ledger setup guide. By choosing a Ledger Nano (S Plus, X, or Stax), you have taken the most important step in digital asset security. This guide, based on the process at **Ledger.com/Start**, will walk you through unboxing, secure initialization, and mastering the Ledger Live application. Remember: with self-custody, you are your own bank.

Part 1: Unboxing, Verification, and Ledger Live Installation

⚠️ CRITICAL WARNING: Authenticity Check

Before you open your Ledger, inspect the box for any signs of tampering, such as damaged seals or replaced packaging. A genuine Ledger device is shipped without a pre-configured PIN or Secret Recovery Phrase. If you are prompted for one or see signs of tampering, **DO NOT PROCEED**. Contact Ledger Support immediately. **Always download Ledger Live ONLY from Ledger.com/Start or Ledger.com.**

Step 1: Download and Verify Ledger Live

  1. **Access the Official Site:** Navigate directly to **Ledger.com/Start**.
  2. **Download:** Select the correct Ledger Live application for your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android). **Do not use third-party app stores or shared links.**
  3. **Install:** Follow the installation prompts. The Ledger Live software acts as your secure window to the blockchain, enabling you to manage your accounts while your private keys remain safely locked on the hardware wallet.
  4. **Launch:** Open the application and choose **"Set up a new device."**

Step 2: Connect the Device and Set the PIN

The first steps are always performed directly on the Ledger device's screen, ensuring maximum isolation from your computer.

  1. **Power On:** Connect your Ledger device to your computer or power source using the supplied USB cable.
  2. **Start Setup:** Follow the instructions on the Ledger screen, which will prompt you to **Set up as new device**.
  3. **Choose Your PIN:** Select a strong, unique **4- to 8-digit PIN code**. This PIN is your daily lock; you use it to unlock your device every time you connect it. You will enter and confirm the PIN using the device's buttons.
**💡 PIN Best Practice:** Choose a PIN that is easy to remember but difficult for others to guess (avoid birthdays, sequential numbers, or 1234). Use the device's buttons carefully to enter your PIN.

Part 2: The Secret Recovery Phrase (SRP) — The Master Key

🚨 THE GOLDEN RULE: NEVER DIGITIZE YOUR SRP

Your 24-word phrase (SRP) is the master key to all your crypto. If someone gains access to it, they control your funds, even without your Ledger device. **Do not type it into your computer, take a photo, store it in the cloud, or save it in a password manager.** The SRP must remain offline, in its original physical form.

Step 3: Write Down the 24 Words

This process is carried out **exclusively on the device screen**. Ledger Live is temporarily paused and cannot see this phrase.

  1. **Generate Phrase:** The Ledger device will display your unique 24-word phrase, one word at a time.
  2. **Record Carefully:** Write each word down **in order** on the official **Recovery Sheet** provided in your box. Double-check the spelling of every single word.
  3. **Review and Confirm:** After all 24 words are recorded, the device will ask you to confirm specific words (e.g., "Word 12," "Word 19") by selecting them from a list using the device buttons. This verification ensures you have the correct, usable backup.
  4. **Secure Storage:** Once confirmed, store your Recovery Sheet in a secure, private, and fireproof location (a home safe or bank vault).

Step 4: Run the Genuine Check in Ledger Live

Once your device is initialized and your SRP is safely stored, Ledger Live will perform a cryptographic check to ensure your device is authentic and running genuine Ledger firmware.

  1. **Acknowledge Setup:** In Ledger Live, confirm that you have set the PIN and written down the SRP.
  2. **Unlock and Connect:** Unlock your device with your PIN and connect it to the computer.
  3. **Genuine Check:** Ledger Live securely communicates with the Ledger server. This process is instant and prevents the use of counterfeit or tampered devices.
  4. **Complete:** Once the "Your device is genuine" message appears, you are ready to proceed to asset management.

Part 3: Installing Apps and Account Management

To interact with any cryptocurrency, you must first install its specific application onto your Ledger device. These apps allow the Ledger to correctly process that blockchain's rules for transaction signing.

Step 5: Install Crypto Applications (Apps)

  1. **Access Manager:** In the Ledger Live left sidebar, click on **Manager**.
  2. **Allow Manager:** Unlock your Ledger device and press both buttons simultaneously when it prompts **"Allow Ledger Manager"** on its screen.
  3. **Search and Install:** Search for the assets you wish to manage (e.g., **Bitcoin**, **Ethereum**, **Solana**). Click the **Install** button next to each app. (Your Ledger Nano has limited storage, so install only the apps you need.)

Step 6: Add Your Accounts

Adding an account creates a viewing link between the Ledger Live application and the specific addresses on the blockchain that are controlled by your device.

  1. **Click Add Account:** Navigate to the **Accounts** tab and click the **+ Add account** button.
  2. **Select Asset:** Choose the cryptocurrency corresponding to the app you installed (e.g., Ethereum).
  3. **Open App on Device:** Ledger Live will ask you to unlock your Ledger and open the corresponding app (e.g., open the **Ethereum app** on your Nano).
  4. **Scan and Name:** Ledger Live scans the blockchain and finds any existing accounts derived from your SRP. Name your new account (e.g., "BTC Savings," "ETH Trading") and click **Add account**.
**💡 Account Separation:** Adding multiple accounts for the same coin (e.g., two Bitcoin accounts) is a great privacy and organizational tool. Ledger Live will manage this automatically.

Step 7: Receiving Funds (The Address Check)

Receiving crypto is safe, provided you **verify the address on your Ledger device**. This protects you from "address swapping" malware on your computer.

  1. **Initiate Receive:** Click the **Receive** button and select the account you want to deposit into.
  2. **Connect and Open:** Unlock your Ledger and open the relevant crypto app.
  3. **Verify on Device:** Ledger Live displays the address. Crucially, click **Verify** in the application. **The address must appear on your Ledger's secure screen.**
  4. **Compare:** Manually compare the address shown on your computer screen with the address displayed on the **Ledger device**. **They must match exactly.**
  5. **Approve:** Only if they match, approve the address on the device. Copy the verified address from Ledger Live and share it with the sender.

Step 8: Sending Funds (The Offline Signature)

Sending funds is the ultimate test of security. Your Ledger ensures that the private key never leaves the device's secure chip.

  1. **Initiate Send:** Click the **Send** button and choose the source account.
  2. **Enter Details:** Input the recipient's address, the amount, and choose your network fee (higher fee = faster transaction).
  3. **Confirm on Device:** Click **Continue**. Your Ledger device screen will display the transaction details: the **Recipient Address, Amount, and Network Fee**.
  4. **Physical Signature:** Scroll through the details on the Ledger screen. If everything is correct, press both buttons to **Sign** (approve) the transaction. The signed transaction is returned to Ledger Live and broadcast to the blockchain.

Part 4: Mastering the Ledger Live Ecosystem and Advanced Security

The Discover Section and Web3

The **Discover** tab in Ledger Live gives you access to a curated and secure ecosystem of services, all while keeping your keys protected by your Ledger hardware:

  • **Buy/Sell/Swap:** Use integrated third-party partners (like MoonPay, Coinify) to buy crypto with fiat, swap one crypto for another, or sell crypto directly to your bank account. Funds are always sent directly to/from your Ledger-secured accounts.
  • **Earn (Staking):** For supported assets (e.g., Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot), you can participate in staking to earn rewards. Your assets remain under your control and never leave your wallet.
  • **NFTs and dApps:** View and manage your **NFTs** and securely interact with **DeFi (Decentralized Finance)** protocols and other Web3 dApps through the integrated **WalletConnect** feature. Every interaction requiring a signature is verified on your physical device.

Advanced Security: The Passphrase (25th Word)

For advanced users needing an extreme level of protection, the **Passphrase** feature adds a second layer of security (a 25th word) to your SRP.

  • **Function:** The passphrase is a custom word or phrase you choose that creates an entirely separate, **hidden wallet**.
  • **Use Case:** This is often used as a "plausible deniability" layer. If coerced, you can unlock your standard (decoy) wallet with your PIN, keeping your true, heavily funded wallet hidden and inaccessible without the passphrase.
  • **Caution:** If you forget your passphrase, Ledger cannot recover it, and your funds in the hidden wallet are permanently lost. **Use this feature with extreme caution.**
**💡 Privacy Tip: Discreet Mode** Ledger Live includes a Discreet Mode feature (often an eye icon in the top right). Clicking it instantly hides your balances and portfolio values, a useful feature when viewing your Ledger Live application in a public or shared space.

❌ AVOID THESE SCAMS AT ALL COSTS ❌

Your Ledger is your fortress. Scammers try to trick you into compromising your security outside of the device. Never fall for:

  • **Ledger Support Phishing:** Any "support agent" or email asking you for your 24-word phrase or to download "special security software." **Legitimate support will NEVER ask for your SRP.**
  • **Fake Wallet Recovery:** Websites, software, or pop-ups asking you to type your 24-word phrase to "sync" or "recover" funds. This is a hack attempt.

Trust only the process that requires **physical confirmation on your Ledger device screen**.