Ledger.com/start | Ledger Device Setup

Concise, secure step-by-step presentation to set up a Ledger hardware wallet and Ledger Live — with safety checks and next steps.

Overview

What this covers

How to unbox and initialize your Ledger device, install Ledger Live, perform genuine checks, safely record your recovery phrase, and connect accounts for managing crypto.

Intended audience

New Ledger users and anyone preparing a short demonstration or onboarding presentation.

Before you begin

Essential items

• Your Ledger device (Nano S Plus, Nano X, Stax, Flex, etc.)
• A laptop or phone + USB cable
• A secure place to write/store a 24-word recovery phrase
• Internet access for downloading Ledger Live from the official site

Safety note

Never enter your 24-word recovery phrase on a computer, phone, or website. Ledger will never ask you to share your recovery phrase.

Step-by-step setup (core flow)

Step 1 — Get Ledger Live

  1. Visit the official Ledger download page and install Ledger Live for your OS.
  2. Open Ledger Live and choose Get started. Select your device model when prompted.

Step 2 — Connect & initialize

  1. Connect the device using the supplied cable. Power on the device.
  2. Choose to Set up as new device (unless restoring from an existing recovery phrase).
  3. Pick a secure PIN (4–8 digits depending on model prompts).

Step 3 — Write down recovery phrase

  1. The device will display a 24-word recovery phrase (or 12/24 depending on model). Write the words in order on the official recovery sheet — do not photograph them.
  2. Confirm the words on the device when asked. This validates your backup.

Step 4 — Install apps & add accounts

  1. In Ledger Live, use the Manager or Accounts section to install currency-specific apps (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum) to your device.
  2. Add accounts in Ledger Live to begin monitoring and managing assets.

Security checks & best practices

Genuine check

Perform a genuine check using Ledger Live’s built-in verification when you connect the device for the first time.

Firmware & Ledger Live authenticity

Always download Ledger Live from the official Ledger site and verify installation packages when possible. Keep firmware up to date via Ledger Live.

Do NOT

Recovery & restore

How to restore

If you lose or replace your device, you can restore your accounts on a new Ledger by selecting Restore from recovery phrase and entering the 24 words precisely in order.

Recovery check

Ledger provides a Recovery Check app that lets you verify your recovery phrase is correctly backed up (use only on-device tools for verification).

Presentation tips (if you’re demoing)

Keep it short

Demonstrate the device power-on, PIN entry, and showing the “hide your recovery phrase” instruction — do NOT show or speak the words out loud.

Use screenshots carefully

If using screenshots, blur or redact any sensitive displays. Prefer showing Ledger Live dashboards and high-level screens.

Slide-ready takeaway

Security first: device + PIN + offline recovery phrase = ownership of private keys.

Official resources & links

Use only these official resources for downloads and support: