Your official guide to securing your digital life and setting up your Ledger hardware wallet.
In the world of digital assets, true ownership means controlling your private keys. The Ledger ecosystem provides the industry-leading solution for self-custody, ensuring your keys remain offline, isolated from internet vulnerabilities. Ledger hardware wallets, such as the Nano X and Nano S Plus, are built around a certified Secure Element chip, the same technology used for highly secure applications like passports and credit cards. This physical security barrier guarantees that even if your computer is compromised, your private keys cannot be accessed. We believe that security should never compromise convenience; your journey begins here, where cutting-edge technology meets absolute peace of mind.
Your crypto, NFTs, and access to Web3 are secured by the 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase—the only true backup of your assets. Ledger never has access to this phrase.
Ledger Live is the essential companion for your hardware wallet, offering a single, secure interface for managing your entire portfolio. It is far more than just a wallet interface; it is your gateway to the decentralized world. With Ledger Live, you can check your balance in real-time, initiate secure transactions, and access decentralized finance (DeFi) services—all while your private keys remain protected on your Ledger device. Every transaction must be physically verified and confirmed on the device's screen, preventing malicious software from ever tampering with your approvals.
The application supports over 5,500 coins and tokens, including major assets like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and thousands of others. This seamless integration ensures that you can diversify your holdings and interact with multiple blockchain ecosystems without ever exposing your sensitive information to online risk. Ledger Live is available for both desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) and mobile (iOS and Android), providing flexibility and secure management whether you're at home or on the go.
Follow this mandatory, step-by-step process to initialize your device and ensure maximum security for your assets. This procedure must be completed directly on your Ledger device's screen. Never enter your Secret Recovery Phrase into any digital device or application.
First, download the official Ledger Live application directly from the official Ledger website. This is the only legitimate source for the software. Once installed, launch the application and choose your specific device model (Nano S Plus, Nano X, or Stax) to initiate the setup wizard. The application will guide you through the initial connection and genuineness check, a cryptographic procedure unique to Ledger that confirms your device is authentic and hasn't been tampered with. This verification is essential and protects you from counterfeit hardware.
Connect your Ledger device to your computer or phone using the provided cable. The device screen will display "Welcome to Ledger Nano X/S Plus." Follow the on-screen instructions on the device. Your first action is to choose a 4- to 8-digit PIN code. This PIN is required every time you want to unlock the device to access your crypto or approve a transaction. **Crucial Security Note:** Choose your own PIN. If the device was provided with a pre-set PIN or a pre-written recovery phrase, immediately stop using it and contact Ledger Support—it is likely compromised or fraudulent. An 8-digit PIN offers the best level of protection against brute-force attempts.
This is the single most important step. Your Ledger device will generate a unique, 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase (SRP) and display it word by word on its secure screen. Use the provided Recovery Sheet to write down all 24 words in the exact order they appear. **This phrase is the ONLY backup of your private keys.** Lose it and you lose your assets forever; share it and your assets are compromised. After writing it down, the device will prompt you to confirm several words for verification. Store this sheet offline in a secure, fireproof location. Ledger will never ask you to share or verify this phrase online.
**WARNING:** Never digitize your Secret Recovery Phrase. Do not take photos, store it on a computer, or enter it into any website.
All Ledger devices integrate a CC EAL6+ certified Secure Element chip, which is an industry-leading standard. This chip is physically designed to resist sophisticated physical and cyber attacks, ensuring that your private keys are generated and stored in a tamper-proof environment, completely isolated from your device's operating system (MCU).
The custom operating system, Ledger OS, works in tandem with the SE. Unlike typical mobile or desktop operating systems, Ledger OS is minimalistic and proprietary, reducing the attack surface to a minimum. It enforces the rule that all critical operations—specifically, transaction signing—must occur within the Secure Element, verifying legitimacy on the device's trusted display.
A core security feature is the device's small screen. This secure display is connected directly to the Secure Element, guaranteeing that the information you verify and approve (the recipient address, amount, etc.) is exactly what is being broadcast to the blockchain. This physical confirmation step safeguards you against "blind signing" and sophisticated malware attacks.
Your Ledger device is your safe pass to the wider Web3 ecosystem. Through the Discover section of Ledger Live, you can access a curated selection of decentralized applications (dApps), connecting to services like MetaMask and other external wallets, all while requiring your Ledger hardware device to approve any smart contract interaction. This method ensures that while you participate in staking, swapping, or decentralized governance, your private keys remain secured offline at all times.
We have integrated leading, audited third-party partners to facilitate buying crypto directly with fiat currency, swapping between different crypto assets, and staking to earn passive rewards. All of these financial services are aggregated within the Ledger Live environment for convenience, but the final, critical step—the transaction signature—always requires your physical approval on your Secure Element-protected device.
NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are protected with the same bulletproof security that shields your crypto holdings. Ledger Live allows you to view and manage your NFT collections securely, ensuring that your valuable digital art and collectibles are stored on the blockchain addresses derived from your hardware wallet's Secret Recovery Phrase. This is the only way to truly guarantee self-custody over your digital collectibles, protecting them from hot wallet vulnerabilities and malicious minting contracts.