Ledger.com/Start®

Getting started — step-by-step presentation
Securely onboard to your Ledger hardware wallet

Getting started

Introduction

Welcome to the Official Site® presentation for Ledger.com/Start®. This document is formatted as a presentation-style HTML page with clear headings, helpful color-coded sections, and detailed guidance for onboarding your Ledger hardware wallet. The content below is structured into slides and headings so you can use the page as a printed handout, a guided workshop script, or a basis for an interactive web presentation.

Design note: the color palette uses a deep navy background with mint-teal and purple accents to highlight steps and important actions.

Table of contents

This presentation is intentionally verbose and thorough so you have everything needed to confidently start using your Ledger device.

Unboxing

What to expect in the box

When you receive your Ledger device, the box should be sealed and contain the following items: the Ledger hardware device (such as Nano S Plus or Nano X), a USB cable appropriate for your model, recovery cards or seed phrase paper, a quick start guide, and sometimes stickers or branded material. Always purchase devices from authorized retailers or directly from Official Site® to avoid tampered units.

If anything is missing, or packaging looks tampered with, contact support and do not connect the device to a computer until verified.

Safety & security

Principles

Security for crypto starts with the device and the habits you adopt. The goal is to ensure your private keys never leave the secure element inside the Ledger device. Follow these principles:

Security is both technical and procedural — both matter equally.

Initial setup

Step-by-step setup (recommended)

Follow these steps to initialize your Ledger device:

  1. Charge your device (if it has a battery such as Nano X). Ensure it's powered & connected using the included cable.
  2. Turn on the device by pressing the physical buttons as described in the quick start guide.
  3. Choose a PIN code using the device buttons. Pick a PIN of at least 4 digits — 6-8 digits is more secure. Memorize the PIN and never share it. Use the device to confirm each digit during setup.
  4. Write down the recovery phrase (24 words) on the supplied recovery cards. Read each word out loud as you confirm them on the device to avoid transcription errors.
  5. Confirm the recovery phrase on the device when prompted. The device will request a subset of words to verify your copy.
  6. Install Ledger Live on your desktop or mobile device (detailed in a later slide).

If your device asks for a recovery phrase during initial setup, this is expected only during the official onboarding or recovery process. If a device asks for a seed unexpectedly later, contact support.

Ledger Live

What is Ledger Live?

Ledger Live is the companion application that lets you manage accounts, install apps on your device, and interact with your assets. Ledger Live is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Always download Ledger Live from the Official Site® — Ledger.com — or your official app store. Ledger Live facilitates secure interactions: it never has access to your private keys.

Using Ledger Live

Security tip

Ledger Live will sometimes prompt for permissions such as device communication. Always review the prompt text on the device and on your screen to confirm it matches the action you initiated.

Install apps on your Ledger device

Why apps?

Ledger devices use a modular architecture where different cryptocurrency support lives in separate apps installed on the device. Install only the apps you need to conserve device storage.

How to install

  1. Open Ledger Live and go to Manager.
  2. Connect and unlock your Ledger device with your PIN.
  3. Find the app you need (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana) and click "Install."
  4. Wait for the installation to complete and check the device screen for confirmation.

If you uninstall an app, your accounts are not deleted — they remain tied to your recovery seed and can be restored by reinstalling the app and re-adding the account in Ledger Live.

Receive crypto

Generating receive addresses

To receive funds, use Ledger Live to generate a receive address for the asset you want to accept. Follow these steps:

  1. Open Ledger Live and navigate to the relevant account.
  2. Click "Receive" and choose the account.
  3. Connect and unlock your device; open the blockchain app on the device (if required).
  4. Ledger Live will display an address. Verify the address on your device screen word-for-word or character-by-character before sharing it with the sender.

Always verify the address on the hardware device — never trust an address shown only in the software without hardware confirmation.

Send crypto

Sending safely

Sending funds requires both Ledger Live and your Ledger device to confirm the transaction. The device validates the transaction details, including destination address and amounts, and requires your physical confirmation (pressing the device buttons) to sign the transaction.

  1. Open Ledger Live, navigate to the account, and click "Send."
  2. Enter the recipient address and amount, or paste a previously copied address.
  3. Review fees and transaction data, then proceed to connect your device.
  4. Confirm transaction details on your device screen and press the buttons to approve.

If the address or amount shown on the device differs from what you entered in Ledger Live, cancel and investigate — do not proceed.

Backup & recovery

Recovery phrase basics

When your Ledger device generates a 24-word recovery phrase, this phrase is the master key to your funds. Anyone with access to it can recover your accounts and take your assets. Therefore, treat it with the same security as the assets themselves.

Recommended backup practices