Get started with Ledger

A colourful, friendly walkthrough to set up your Ledger hardware wallet safely and confidently.

Welcome — this guide gives a clear, practical path for setting up your Ledger device, protecting your recovery phrase, and sending or receiving crypto. It’s written for beginners but includes security best practices that every user should follow.

1

Unbox and inspect

When your Ledger arrives, confirm the tamper-evident packaging is intact. Inside you’ll typically find the device, a USB cable, recovery sheets, and a quick start card. Do not use the device if the packaging looks opened or damaged.

2

Power up & choose a PIN

Connect the device to your computer or phone, follow the on-screen prompts, and choose a secure PIN (6–8 digits or longer). Don’t use obvious sequences (like 123456) and never store your PIN digitally in plain text.

3

Write down your recovery phrase

Ledger will display a 24-word recovery phrase (sometimes 12). Write each word on the supplied recovery sheet in order. This phrase is the master key to your funds — keep it offline, never photograph it, and never share it with anyone.

4

Confirm the phrase and update firmware

After writing the phrase, the device will ask you to confirm a few words. Next, install Ledger Live on your computer or phone (official app) and check for firmware updates. Keep firmware up to date for security and compatibility.

5

Add accounts & install apps

Open Ledger Live, pair your device, then install the relevant crypto apps (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.) on the device itself. Add accounts in Ledger Live to manage balances, send and receive transactions, and view activity.

6

Send and receive safely

Receive funds by sharing the address shown on your device — always verify the address on the Ledger screen, not just on your computer. When sending, verify transaction details on the device before confirming.

7

Backup & long-term care

Store your recovery sheet securely (fireproof safe, safety deposit box). Consider making two physical backups stored in separate trusted locations. Do not use cloud storage, photos, or screenshots for backups.

Security quick checklist

  • Buy hardware wallets from official sources only.
  • Never share recovery words with anyone or enter them on a website.
  • Enable passphrase features only if you understand the extra responsibility.
  • Keep firmware & Ledger Live up to date.
  • Test a small transaction before sending large amounts.