Official Site® | Ledger.com/Start® | Getting started®®

Overview — What this guide covers

This long-form presentation provides a complete walkthrough of the Ledger onboarding experience available at ledger.com/start. It is written to be slide-ready, speaker-friendly, and easily extractable into shorter handouts. Topics include physical device inspection, installation of Ledger Live, device initialization (create or recover a wallet), security best practices, advanced recovery strategies, troubleshooting, glossary entries for new vocabulary, and suggested phrasing for documentation or training sessions.

Throughout the document you will find colour cues, callouts, checklists, and copyable scripts intended to help presenters and authors convey the most important points in plain language. This resource is deliberately verbose to reach an approximate long-form target — suitable for in-depth workshops or internal training materials.

Preparation — Before you start

Physical and environmental checklist

• Secure location: Choose a quiet, private area to unbox and set up your Ledger device. Avoid public spaces and webcams that you do not control.
• Verify packaging: Confirm the tamper-evident seal is intact. Inspect the box for any signs of prior opening or damage. Ledger devices come with specific security markings; consult official resources if you are unsure.
• Trusted computer & network: Use your personal computer, updated OS, and avoid public Wi‑Fi for the initial steps if possible. Prefer a wired or secure home network.
• Backup supplies: Have the recovery sheet provided with the device, a pencil or pen, and a secondary method for long-term storage (e.g., a metal backup plate or fireproof safe).

Digital preparation

Before you visit the site, ensure your operating system is up to date and that you have administrative access to install apps if required. Close unnecessary background apps to minimize interference during USB communication. If using a mobile device, ensure Bluetooth is disabled unless you intend to use Ledger Live mobile over Bluetooth (and you understand the security tradeoffs).

Installation — Downloading Ledger Live

Step-by-step: secure download

1. Navigate to the official start page: Open your browser and go to ledger.com/start. Confirm the TLS lock icon and that the domain matches exactly.
2. Choose your OS: Download Ledger Live for your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux) or mobile (iOS/Android) from the official page. Do not download from third-party mirrors.
3. Verify checksum (optional, advanced): For high-assurance environments, verify the file checksum or signature when Ledger provides them. This step ensures the file you downloaded matches the authentic distribution.
4. Install and launch: Follow your OS-specific installation flow; on first launch, grant necessary permissions. Ledger Live will display a welcome screen with clear onboarding options.

Design cue: colour and contrast

Ledger Live and this guide rely on distinctive colour cues: green tones signal completed or secure states, violet/coral call attention to decisions requiring user attention (e.g., firmware updates), and neutral backgrounds host explanatory text. For slide designs, keep a high-contrast ratio between text and background and use at least size 18–24pt for headlines on presentation slides.

Device Setup — Initialize or Recover

Choosing the right path: Create new vs Restore

When Ledger Live detects your device it will present two primary flows: Create as new device or Restore from recovery phrase. Choose Create as new device if you are starting fresh and want Ledger to generate a new 24-word recovery phrase on-device. Choose Restore if you already have a recovery phrase from a previous device or another compatible wallet.

Step-by-step: creating a new wallet

1. Connect the device: Plug the Ledger in using the supplied cable. Confirm the device boots and shows the welcome animation/logo.
2. Start setup in Ledger Live: Click Get started, then Set up as new device. Follow on-screen instructions until the device displays the first recovery word.
3. Record the recovery phrase: The device will show your recovery words one screen at a time. Write them clearly in order on the recovery sheet. If unsure, pause and verify each word methodically.
4. Secure the physical copy: Store this sheet in a secure place — ideally in two separate physical locations for redundancy. Consider metal backups for long-lived protection against environmental damage.
5. Create the device PIN: You will be prompted to choose a PIN. Pick a non-trivial number sequence and avoid storing it with your recovery sheet.

Step-by-step: restoring a wallet

1. Select restore flow: In Ledger Live, choose Restore from recovery phrase and select the length of the recovery phrase (usually 24 words).
2. Enter words on the device: For security, recovery words must be entered directly on the Ledger device, not on your computer. Enter each word carefully and confirm the full sequence.
3. Confirm and set PIN: Once the device accepts the recovery phrase, set a new PIN and complete the setup. Optionally, enable a passphrase for an additional hidden wallet layer.

Post-Setup — Accounts, Apps, and Tests

Install coin apps

Open the Manager in Ledger Live to install the app(s) for the cryptocurrencies you intend to manage (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum). The apps are small packages that allow the device to understand the coin-specific derivation paths and transaction structures. Install only the apps you need to save device storage; you can uninstall and reinstall without losing funds as long as you have the recovery phrase.

Create accounts and receive addresses

1. In Ledger Live, go to Accounts and click Add account.
2. Select the app/coin and connect your device when prompted. The device will show the receiving address, which you should verify on the device display before sharing or using it.

Test with a small transaction

Send a small test amount from another wallet to the receiving address shown in Ledger Live. Confirm the transaction details and approve the transaction on the device. This validates the end-to-end signing flow before moving larger sums.

Security Best Practices

Principles

Security for digital assets is layered. Begin with device integrity and extend to operational security (OpSec), diversification of backups, and careful choice of recovery mechanisms. Assume attackers may attempt social engineering, phishing, or physical theft.

Recommended actions

• Never share your recovery phrase: Ledger or legitimate services will never ask for it. Keep it offline and treat it as the single source of truth for fund recovery.
• Multiple backups: Store copies in geographically separated secure locations. Consider a primary backup in a home safe and a secondary in a bank safety deposit box.
• Metal backups: For long-term resilience against fire, water, and decay, use metal backing solutions designed for recovery words.
• Passphrase caution: A passphrase adds security but also increases the risk of permanent loss if forgotten. Record and store passphrase secrets with the same care as recovery words, but separately.
• Firmware updates: Apply firmware updates only through Ledger Live. The update will be cryptographically signed; Ledger Live verifies signatures to ensure authenticity.

Advanced Topics — Sharding, Multisig, and Air-Gapped Signing

Sharding & distributed custody

For institutional or high-value personal custody, consider splitting access across multiple parties. Techniques include Shamir's Secret Sharing (if supported) or multisignature schemes where multiple devices or keys are required to authorize a transaction. These strategies reduce single point-of-failure risks but add complexity to recovery operations and must be carefully documented.

Air-gapped signing

Air-gapped signing involves keeping the signing device offline and transferring unsigned transactions via QR codes or USB between an online workstation and an offline signing environment. This reduces exposure to remote software attacks but requires rigorous procedural controls.

Multisig wallets

Multisig (multiple-signature) setups require multiple independent keys to authorize spending. This approach is common for corporate treasury, shared trusts, and family custody arrangements. Ledger devices can participate as one of the signers in a multisig setup managed by compatible wallet software.

Troubleshooting — Common issues and solutions

• Device not detected: Try a different USB cable, port, or computer. Avoid USB hubs; use a direct port when possible. Ensure Ledger Live is running and has the latest update.
• PIN forgotten: If you forget your PIN you must reset the device and restore from your recovery phrase. This is why safe, redundant backups are critical.
• Recovery phrase mismatch: If the device fails recovery validation, stop and re-check each word. If uncertainty remains, generate a new wallet and transfer funds only after secure validation of the new backup.
• Firmware update failure: Reconnect and retry the update through Ledger Live. If problems persist, consult official support channels and do not use third-party repair services that require sharing secret material.

Glossary — New words and suggested phrasing

Recovery phrase (seed): The ordered list of words that reconstructs your private keys. This is the master key to your funds—keep it offline.

Passphrase: An optional secret used with the recovery phrase to create one or more hidden wallets. Adds security but increases recovery complexity.

Shamir's Secret Sharing (SSS): A cryptographic technique to split a secret into multiple shares with a threshold required to reconstruct the secret.

Air-gapped: A device or system that is physically isolated from the internet to minimize attack surface during signing or key generation.

OpSec: Operational security practices that minimize risk of exposing sensitive information during daily operations.

Suggested copy for training: "Open ledger.com/start and follow Ledger Live’s guided setup. Never disclose your recovery phrase. Use secure, redundant physical backups and verify device authenticity before proceeding."

Copyable onboarding scripts and speaker notes

Use these short scripts verbatim for workshop slides, speaker notes, or quick reference cards.

Opening script (intro):
"Welcome — today we will set up your Ledger hardware wallet and Ledger Live. We'll verify the device, generate or restore your recovery phrase, and practice a safe, repeatable process for secure backups. Please keep your setup area private and have the recovery sheet ready."

Step-by-step script:
1) Visit ledger.com/start and download Ledger Live.
2) Connect the Ledger device and choose 'Set up as new device' or 'Restore from recovery phrase.'
3) Write down the 24-word recovery phrase in order on the provided sheet; do not photograph it.
4) Set a secure PIN and optionally enable a passphrase for hidden wallets.
5) Install coin apps via Ledger Live Manager and create accounts.
6) Send a small test transaction to confirm the signing flow.
            

Legal & Support — Contacting official channels

This guide is educational and not legal advice. For product-specific or account issues, always consult Ledger's official support channels at ledger.com/support. Avoid community-sourced links for downloads or firmware files. For enterprise deployments, consult Ledger's business offerings and compliance documentation.

Appendix — Design guidance & accessibility

Slide designers: keep slides concise; one major idea per slide. Use high-contrast headings, bullet lists for steps, and colourful callouts for warnings or important actions. Maintain a consistent typographic scale and use at least two accent colours to avoid visual monotony. Ensure all content meets accessibility contrast ratios and provide alternative text for images.

Printable checklist (compact)

- Verify packaging and seal
- Download Ledger Live from ledger.com/start
- Connect device, choose Create or Restore
- Write 24-word recovery phrase in order
- Set secure PIN (do not store with recovery phrase)
- Install coin apps and add accounts
- Send small test transaction
- Create 2 physical backups in separate locations