A concise, practical walkthrough that covers everything from initial unboxing to recovery best practices. Designed for first‑time users and experienced holders who want a fast, secure refresher.
Hardware wallets keep your private keys offline in a secure chip. They protect against phishing, remote hacks, and most malware by requiring physical confirmation for transactions. Use a hardware wallet when you hold meaningful digital assets you intend to keep safe long‑term.
If anything looks tampered with, stop and contact the vendor before proceeding.
Always begin at the official setup portal: ledger.com/start.
Download and install Ledger Live from the official site and follow the application prompts to create a new device or restore an existing one.
Treat your recovery phrase as the ultimate key. If someone obtains it, they control your funds.
When you send crypto, Ledger Live constructs the transaction and the device displays the details. You must confirm on the device itself — this prevents malware from silently changing addresses or amounts.
Check the recipient address on the device screen before confirming; hardware displays are the trust anchor.
Don’t store your recovery phrase in cloud backups, email, photos, or plaintext files.
Visit official support channels below before trusting third‑party advice.