A steadier start
for self-custody.

A hardware wallet is one part of a personal security practice. It is designed to help you manage access to digital assets, but it does not remove the need to think carefully about software, transactions, backups, and the people or websites you trust.

Start by separating two ideas: the device and its companion software help you interact with your accounts; recovery information is what may allow access to be restored if the device is lost or unavailable. That recovery information is exceptionally sensitive. Anyone who obtains it may be able to control associated assets, so it should never be treated like an ordinary password or support detail.

Ledger.com/start is a useful starting point for finding current onboarding information. Use it by navigating to the address yourself, rather than following an unexpected message or search advertisement. Confirm that the address is spelled exactly as intended and that you are on the official domain before downloading anything or connecting a device.

This guide cannot verify your particular device, current interface, or account. Its job is to give you a calm framework: prepare a private workspace, use trusted sources, check what is displayed, and stop whenever a request does not make sense. If instructions here and official instructions differ, follow the current official product documentation.

Choose a time when you can focus without being interrupted. A quiet, private location is better than a shared screen, public workspace, or a moment when you are trying to finish quickly. Keep your device, a trusted computer or phone, and any materials specified in official instructions within reach. Do not photograph or record sensitive setup information.

Use the official Ledger website to locate the current setup flow and compatible software. Avoid links in unsolicited emails, direct messages, pop-up warnings, and sponsored results you have not independently checked. If you received the device from a source you are unsure about, pause and consult official guidance about purchase and authenticity rather than relying on appearance alone.

Update your computer or phone through its normal trusted update process, and use a network you recognize. These are general digital hygiene steps, not a guarantee of safety. Keep unnecessary browser tabs and screen-sharing tools closed, and never let someone else remotely control your device while you handle recovery information.

Before beginning, decide where confidential recovery materials will be stored safely and privately, following the device maker's recommendations. Do not improvise a cloud backup or save secrets in a notes app, email, photo library, password manager, or shared drive unless official documentation explicitly directs you to a specific supported method. If a step feels confusing, stopping to read is part of the setup—not a failure.

Begin from the official setup resource at Ledger.com/start and follow the route it currently recommends for your specific product. Interfaces, names, and requirements may change over time, so this guide intentionally does not prescribe button sequences or claim that every model follows the same flow.

Read each prompt on the trusted source and the device itself. When the two present information for confirmation, compare it rather than assuming one screen represents the other. Take one step at a time; do not skip warnings simply because a prompt looks familiar. If the software asks you to install an update, confirm that the instruction is part of the official flow and let the process finish without disconnecting or interrupting it.

Choose setup options deliberately. New-device setup and recovery of an existing wallet are different situations. If you are restoring access, only proceed when you understand which recovery method applies and have verified that it matches official instructions. Never enter recovery information into a website, chat, search field, or unsolicited support form. Be especially cautious of anyone claiming that entering it is required to “synchronize,” “validate,” or “unlock” your wallet.

As you move through the steps, make a note of non-sensitive decisions—such as the date you completed setup or which official help page you used—if that helps you keep track. Do not write down secrets in that note. When in doubt, close the flow and reach support through a contact route found on the official site, not a number or link supplied by a stranger.

Verification is not a single final check. It is a repeated habit that helps you catch mismatches while there is still time to stop. Check that you are using the intended official website and application. Confirm that prompts make sense in the context of the action you initiated, and that the device screen reflects what you expected to approve.

For any future transaction, review the recipient, asset, network, and amount using trusted information. Address formats can be long and difficult to compare, and a familiar contact name alone may not be enough to establish that destination details are correct. Follow current official documentation for how your device and software present transaction details; never approve a transaction you cannot understand.

Keep account organization simple at first. Use labels that help you distinguish accounts without revealing private information. If you are monitoring balances or transaction activity in companion software, remember that displayed information is not the same as a guarantee that a transaction is reversible or that an asset's value will remain stable. Make decisions only after checking the actual details relevant to them.

Verification also applies to help. Search for answers from the official support center, and check the domain before sharing even non-secret account details. Real support should not need your recovery phrase. Anyone asking for it—or asking you to approve an unexpected transaction—should be treated as untrusted.

Recovery information can be the most consequential part of a self-custody setup. Handle it as a secret that must remain under your control. Follow the exact, current product instructions for generating, recording, checking, and storing it. Never substitute a process from a forum post, video, or this general guide for the official one.

Do not share recovery words or equivalent secrets with anyone—not a friend, relative, support agent, influencer, or person claiming to be Ledger. Do not type them into a computer or phone, send them in a message, photograph them, or paste them into a website. An urgent request does not make disclosure safer. If a person says they need the words to diagnose a problem, stop communicating and verify through official channels.

Store the physical recovery record in a location that is private, protected from casual access, and appropriate to your circumstances. Think through practical risks such as loss, damage, or unauthorized discovery. Avoid keeping a recovery record together with the device in a way that would make one incident expose both. Do not announce where it is stored or document its location in an unsecured digital account.

Recovery planning is personal and should be guided by official documentation. Do not test recovery by entering secrets into an untrusted tool, and do not create additional copies without understanding the security trade-offs. If you suspect the information has been exposed, consult official support documentation promptly for the appropriate response. Never wait for a stranger to direct your next move.

Rushing past prompts. Familiar-looking steps can still have important differences. Read what is on screen, check official instructions when uncertain, and do not approve something just to move forward.

Following an unsolicited link. Scammers imitate familiar brands and create pressure to act. Navigate to Ledger.com/start yourself, check the address carefully, and avoid downloads or instructions delivered through unexpected messages.

Sharing recovery information. A request to reveal a recovery phrase is a major warning sign. No support conversation should require you to disclose it. Do not enter it into an online form or application based on a message or call.

Confusing an account label with a verified destination. Before sending assets, confirm transaction details through the trusted software and device prompts according to official guidance. A name in an address book is not a substitute for checking the destination.

Assuming every interface is the same. Product models, software versions, and instructions evolve. Screenshots in an old tutorial may not match your current experience. Use current official documentation and stop if a difference changes the meaning of a step.

Letting urgency decide. Artificial deadlines, threats that an account will be closed, or promises of guaranteed returns are reasons to slow down. Take time to verify through an independent route before acting. When you cannot verify, do not proceed.