A calm, clear start with Ledger Live Desktop. Set up your app, connect your Ledger device, and learn the essentials before you make a move.
Security-first steps, no shortcuts.
Independent educational guide · Not affiliated with Ledger.
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YOUR FIRST 15 MINUTES
Ledger Live is the companion app for managing assets with your Ledger hardware wallet. Work through these steps in order, and pause whenever something doesn’t look right.
Visit ledger.com/ledger-live by typing the address yourself. Choose the version for macOS, Windows, or Linux. Avoid search-ad download buttons, messages, and third-party download sites. Install the app, then open it. Ledger Live should never ask you to type your 24-word recovery phrase into a computer.
If this is a new device, follow its on-screen instructions to set it up as new and create a PIN directly on the device. If you already have a recovery phrase, restore only through the device’s own setup flow. Never enter or share those words in the desktop app, a website, chat, or support conversation.
Write the phrase on the recovery sheets supplied with your device and keep them somewhere private and physically secure. Anyone who gets the phrase can take your assets. Ledger will never ask you for it. Don’t photograph it, save it in a password manager or cloud drive, or type it into any connected device.
Connect and unlock your device, then install the relevant crypto asset app when Ledger Live prompts you. Add an account for that asset and let it synchronize. Account balances are read from the blockchain; your private keys remain protected by the device. Check the receiving address on the device screen before approving a transaction.
THE NON-NEGOTIABLES
Your recovery phrase is the master backup to your wallet. Anyone asking you to reveal it is not helping you. Ledger Support will never need it.
Review transaction details on your Ledger device’s screen—not only on your computer. Approve only what you intended to do.
Update Ledger Live and your device firmware through the app’s genuine update flow. Don’t follow links in unsolicited messages.
GOOD TO KNOW
Ledger Live is an interface for managing accounts and transactions with your Ledger device. Your device safeguards your private keys; the app helps you view and interact with your accounts.
Restore it only by following the device’s own instructions. Do not enter it into Ledger Live, a website, or any computer. If you’re unsure whether a device or phrase is safe, stop and consult Ledger’s official support resources.
Check your internet connection, confirm the correct asset app and account are selected, and allow synchronization to finish. If the problem continues, use support links from ledger.com rather than search ads or direct messages.
Some app features may be viewable, but a Ledger hardware wallet is needed to securely authorize transactions with keys protected by the device.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Download Ledger Live from the official Ledger website. Bookmark it, take your time, and trust what you see on your device.
Go to Ledger.com Always verify the domain: ledger.com