1. Quick overview — what you need
To start, you need your Ledger hardware device (for example Ledger Nano S Plus or Nano X), a computer or smartphone, the official USB cable included with the device, and a secure place to write down a recovery phrase. The official setup flow walks you through choosing a PIN, recording your 24-word recovery phrase, and installing Ledger Live — the companion application for managing accounts and transactions.
2. Download & install Ledger Live
Ledger Live is the desktop and mobile app that connects to your Ledger device for account management, sending/receiving crypto, and installing apps on the device. Download Ledger Live only from the official Ledger website, then follow the installer prompts. Once installed, open Ledger Live and choose Get Started to begin the device setup flow.
3. Set up your Ledger device
When you power up a new Ledger device you’ll be prompted to create a PIN and to write down the 24-word recovery phrase displayed on the device screen. Always record the words exactly in order on a physical recovery sheet and store it somewhere safe (multiple copies in different secure locations is a common practice). Never enter these 24 words into a phone, a website, or send them to anyone — they are the sole key to recover your funds.
4. Restore vs. New device
If you already have a recovery phrase you can choose the restore option and enter the phrase directly into the Ledger device (not into your computer). If you are starting fresh, let the device generate a new recovery phrase and back it up immediately before receiving funds.
5. Add accounts and manage crypto
After the base setup, open Ledger Live and add accounts for the currencies you want to manage. Install only the official apps on your Ledger device via Ledger Live (for example Bitcoin, Ethereum apps) and add corresponding accounts inside Ledger Live. Use the app to monitor balances, send/receive transactions, and check activity history.
6. Security best practices
Ledger support will never ask for your 24 words or your PIN. Beware of phishing: always verify the domain before installing software or entering personal information, and use Ledger’s Recovery Check or official on-device features to verify backups rather than typing seeds into other tools. Use a strong, unique PIN, keep firmware updated via Ledger Live, and consider hardware passphrase features only if you understand their implications.
7. Recovering accounts
If you need to recover accounts on a new device, use the Restore function and enter your 24 words on the Ledger device itself. After restoring, connect Ledger Live to re-add accounts — the app will rescan the blockchain and show your balances. If you lose your recovery phrase, Ledger cannot recover it for you; the phrase is deliberately stored only on the user side for security.
8. Helpful learning resources
Explore Ledger Academy tutorials and video guides for short walkthroughs and step-by-step articles. The support center contains detailed articles for each model, troubleshooting, and warnings about ongoing phishing campaigns. Bookmark official support and academy pages so you can revisit them if questions arise.