The ultimate security layer for your crypto journey. Learn how to set up, secure, and manage your digital assets with Ledger Live.
Ledger Live: Desktop is the central application that brings security and utility to your hardware wallet experience. It’s more than just a companion app—it is your personal operating system for crypto. By combining the industry-leading security of your physical Ledger device with a streamlined, intuitive software interface, Ledger Live ensures that you can manage your digital assets safely, stake them for rewards, swap them for new tokens, and explore the web3 ecosystem without ever compromising your 24-word Recovery Phrase. Your keys never leave the secure chip; Ledger Live only serves as the window and the communication layer.
Your journey into secure self-custody starts here. Follow these steps carefully to ensure a smooth and protected experience.
Unbox your device and follow the on-screen prompts. Crucially, write down your 24-word Recovery Phrase on the provided physical sheet. Never take a photo of it or store it digitally. This phrase is the only backup of your funds.
Download the Ledger Live application ONLY from the official Ledger website. Install it on your desktop computer. Beware of phishing links or unofficial versions—always double-check the URL and source.
Open Ledger Live and select 'Initialize a new device' or 'Restore from Recovery Phrase.' Connect your physical device via USB. Ledger Live will walk you through verifying the genuineness of your device and the integrity of your Recovery Phrase.
In the 'Manager' section of Ledger Live, install the blockchain applications you need (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana). These apps are small programs on your device that allow it to sign specific blockchain transactions.
Go to the 'Accounts' tab and click 'Add Account.' Select the coin you installed the app for. Once the account is created, click 'Receive' to generate an address. **Always verify the receiving address shown on Ledger Live matches the address shown on your Ledger device screen** before sending funds.
Always double-check that you are using the official Ledger website for downloads and support. Ledger Support will **never** ask for your 24-word Recovery Phrase.
Ledger Live is the essential desktop and mobile application for managing your Ledger hardware wallet. It serves as your all-in-one portal for checking real-time crypto balances, sending and receiving assets, staking, swapping, and accessing dApps—all secured by your Ledger device. It's the secure gateway that lets you interact with the decentralized world without exposing your private keys.
The Ledger device (like Nano S Plus or Nano X) uses a secure element chip to store your private keys (represented by your 24-word Recovery Phrase) offline. When you want to transact using Ledger Live, the application prepares the transaction, but the final, critical step—**signing** the transaction—must be manually confirmed on the physical device itself. This 'two-factor' confirmation ensures that even if your computer is compromised, your funds remain safe.
Absolutely. Ledger Live supports a massive range of cryptocurrencies and seamlessly integrates with your NFT collections (primarily Ethereum and Polygon). While some less common tokens or dApps might require you to connect your Ledger device to third-party wallets (like MetaMask), Ledger Live acts as the primary, most convenient, and most secure interface for all major digital assets.
The 24-word **Recovery Phrase** is the master key to your funds. The most critical rule is to **never digitize it**. Do not type it on your computer, save it as a photo, or store it in any digital cloud service. Write it down on the provided physical Recovery Sheet, ideally split across multiple secure, hidden locations. If you lose this phrase, your assets are lost. If someone else finds it, they gain full access.
Firmware updates are vital for maintaining the security and functionality of your Ledger device. These updates are managed exclusively through Ledger Live. Simply connect your device, navigate to the Manager section, and follow the on-screen instructions. Updates often introduce support for new coins, fix bugs, and implement new security protocols.