Get started with Ledger — Ledger.com/start
A clean, secure flow to set up your Ledger hardware wallet and Ledger Live app — plus best practices and troubleshooting.
Overview — What you’ll do today
In this short walkthrough you’ll: unbox your Ledger device, install & open Ledger Live, set a PIN, write down your 24-word recovery phrase safely, and transfer crypto to your device. The steps below are fast, repeatable, and designed so you stay in control of your keys at all times.
Step-by-step setup (concise)
1. Unbox & verify
Open the box and ensure the tamper-evident seal is intact. Ledger provides official product pages with images and serial information — buy only from the official shop or authorized resellers.
2. Install Ledger Live
Download Ledger Live for desktop or mobile from Ledger’s official download page, then install and open the app. Ledger Live is the secure companion you use to manage accounts and apps on your device.
3. Initialize device
- Choose “Set up as new device.”
- Create a PIN that you can remember (do not store digitally).
- Write down the 24-word recovery phrase on the recovery sheet provided — this is the only backup to your funds.
4. Add accounts & transfer
Open Ledger Live → Manager, install the app for the blockchain you want (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum), then create an account and use the receive address to withdraw from your exchange or other wallet.
Security: essential rules (short & strict)
Rule 1 — Never share your 24 words
Ledger will never ask for your recovery phrase. Treat it like cash: offline, private, and duplicated only in secure physical forms (e.g., steel backup plates).
Rule 2 — Download only from official sources
Only download Ledger Live and device firmware from ledger.com. There are malicious clones and fake apps—verify URLs and certificate signatures where possible.
Rule 3 — Use the hardware device for confirmations
Always confirm transactions on the Ledger device screen — never via a webpage prompt alone.
Troubleshooting & support
Common fixes
- Device not recognized — try a different cable/USB port and reboot your machine.
- Forgot PIN — use the recovery phrase to restore on a new device.
- Fake support requests — Ledger never asks for your 24 words.
When in doubt, go to the official Ledger Support center for step-by-step articles and contact options.
Extras: backups, Ledger Recovery, and learning
Ledger offers additional backup options such as the Ledger Recovery Key (an optional PIN-protected backup product) and guidance in the Ledger Academy. Consider physical steel backups and split backups (distributed) for large holdings.
Further reading & official links (inside the page):