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Get Started with Confidence at Ledger.com/start | Official Setup Guide

Get Started with Confidence at Ledger.com/start

The journey into secure self-custody begins here. **Ledger.com/start** is the official, trusted entry point designed to provide every Ledger user—whether you have a Nano S Plus, Nano X, or Ledger Stax—with the authenticated resources needed for a safe and successful setup. By directing you to official downloads and comprehensive instructions, this site ensures you bypass phishing attempts and set up your hardware signer with the industry's highest security standards.

This guide will walk you through the entire process, from downloading the essential **Ledger Wallet™ App** (formerly Ledger Live™) to generating and securing your 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase, verifying your device's authenticity, and managing your first accounts. Completing these steps ensures that your private keys remain offline and protected within the Ledger device’s certified Secure Element chip, making your digital assets impervious to online threats.

1. The Foundation: Downloading the Official Ledger Wallet App

The Ledger Wallet App is the mandatory software interface that allows your computer or smartphone to securely communicate with your Ledger hardware signer and the blockchain. **Never use search engine results or third-party links to find the download.**

Official Download and Installation

  1. **Visit the Official Page:** Navigate directly to the authenticated link provided by Ledger (e.g., Ledger.com/start).
  2. **Select Platform:** Choose the correct application version for your operating system: Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) or Mobile (iOS/Android). **The Desktop application is strongly recommended for the initial setup.**
  3. **Download and Install:** Execute the downloaded file and follow the clear installation prompts.
  4. **Launch the App:** Open the Ledger Wallet App. You will be prompted to begin the setup process. Select **"Set up a new device."**

2. Initializing and Securing Your Hardware Signer

This is the most critical stage of the entire process. It is done entirely offline and involves generating your **Secret Recovery Phrase**—the master key to your funds. Ensure you are in a private, distraction-free environment.

The Crucial Steps on the Ledger Device Screen

  1. **Connect and Power On:** Connect your Ledger device to your computer via the original USB cable.
  2. **Set the PIN Code:** Use the physical buttons on the device to select and confirm a 4-to-8 digit PIN code. This PIN protects physical access to your device.
  3. **Generate and Record the 24-Word Secret Recovery Phrase:** The device screen will display 24 words one by one. You **must** meticulously write these words down, in the correct order, on the **Recovery Sheets** provided in the box.
  4. **Verify the Phrase:** The Ledger device will then prompt you to confirm the phrase by asking you to select specific words in the correct sequence. This ensures you have accurately recorded the key before funds are ever sent to it.
🛑 **The Sacred Rule of Crypto Security:** Your 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase **MUST NEVER** be stored digitally (e.g., photo, screenshot, text file, cloud storage, password manager). It must remain offline and secure. This phrase is the **only** backup for your assets. Ledger and its support staff will **NEVER** ask you for it.

3. Authenticity Check: The Ledger Genuine Check

Before transferring any funds, Ledger Live performs a cryptographically-secure check to confirm that your hardware signer is genuine and running the official Ledger firmware. This is essential to guarantee your device has not been tampered with or compromised.

  1. **Start the Check:** In Ledger Live, follow the prompt to begin the **Genuine Check**.
  2. **Connect and Unlock:** Ensure your Ledger device is connected and unlocked with your PIN.
  3. **Confirm on Device:** The Ledger device screen will display a message (e.g., "Allow Ledger Manager?"). You must **physically confirm** this action by pressing the device's buttons.
  4. **Verification Result:** Ledger Live communicates with Ledger's secure server and will confirm: **"Your device is genuine."** You can now proceed knowing your security foundation is solid.

4. Manager & Accounts: Installing Apps and Syncing

The **Manager** section within Ledger Live is your central control panel for maintaining your device and adding accounts to your portfolio viewer.

Managing Your Device

  • **Firmware Updates:** The Manager allows you to securely update the Ledger OS firmware, ensuring your device has the latest security patches and feature support.
  • **Install Crypto Applications:** Find the coins you wish to hold (e.g., Ethereum, Bitcoin, Cardano) and use the Manager to install the corresponding apps onto your Ledger device. **Note:** Uninstalling an app does not remove your funds, as they are stored on the blockchain, secured by the keys on your Ledger device.

Adding Your First Accounts

  1. **Navigate to Accounts:** Click the **"Accounts"** tab in Ledger Live and select **"+ Add account."**
  2. **Select Asset:** Choose the cryptocurrency (e.g., Bitcoin) for which you installed the application.
  3. **Open App on Device:** Ledger Live will instruct you to open the relevant app on your physical Ledger device.
  4. **Scan and Sync:** Ledger Live will securely scan the blockchain to find the addresses generated by your device and associated with your Secret Recovery Phrase.
  5. **Name and Finalize:** Name the account (e.g., "Primary Bitcoin Wallet") and click **"Add account."** Your balance will now appear in the Portfolio tab.

5. Secure Transactions: Receiving and Sending Assets

The final step in your setup is making your first transaction, which must adhere to the **On-Device Verification** protocol.

Receiving Assets (Funding Your Wallet)

  • Click **"Receive"** in Ledger Live. Select the account.
  • Ledger Live generates the address and instructs you to **"Verify address on your device."**
  • **Crucially, confirm that the address displayed on your Ledger screen perfectly matches the one displayed in Ledger Live.** Press the button on your device to approve.
  • Copy the verified address and use it to send crypto from an exchange or another wallet.

Sending Assets (Making a Transfer)

When sending, the security check is even more critical:

  • After entering the recipient address and amount in Ledger Live, the transaction is sent to your device for final signing.
  • The device will prompt you to verify the **recipient address and the exact amount** one last time.
  • **Only after** you physically confirm these details on the Ledger screen will the transaction be signed and broadcast to the network.

You have successfully completed the secure setup process via Ledger.com/start. You are now in full, secure control of your digital wealth.

Explore the full features of the Ledger Wallet App: Buy, Swap, Stake, and Manage NFTs securely.