Ledger Start β€” Hands-on, hardware-first crypto setup

A focused guide to get your Ledger device ready, secure your recovery, and move assets without guesswork. Practical steps, safety-first defaults, and quick tips to avoid the common traps.

What this page does (in plain terms)

Ledger Start is not a promise β€” it’s a sequence: unbox β†’ initialise β†’ protect β†’ connect. Each step minimizes attack surface and gives you a measurable security improvement. You’ll leave with an initialized hardware wallet, a tested recovery flow, and a plan to handle small-to-medium transfers safely.

Step 1 β€” Unbox and inspect

Before you power anything, visually inspect packaging and the device. Genuine devices have tamper-evident seals and a consistent finish. If the packaging looks altered, stop and contact official support. Take a photo of the serial number for your records β€” store the photo separately from the device and recovery phrase.

Step 2 β€” Initialize with a PIN and seed

Turn the device on and follow its on-screen prompts to create a PIN. Choose a PIN length you’ll remember but that isn’t trivially guessable. The device will display a recovery phrase β€” write this on the supplied card or a metal backup (recommended). Never store the seed as an unencrypted digital file or share it over messages.

Step 3 β€” Validate and test your backup

After writing down the words, the device will ask you to confirm a few of them. This is intentional: it verifies you recorded the phrase correctly. Next, restore the device from that phrase on a second device (or a trusted emulator) if possible. A backup that can’t be restored is worthless.

Step 4 β€” Connect apps deliberately

Only install the specific Ledger apps you need (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.). Keep firmware and apps current using the official Ledger Live application. When connecting to web-based wallets or exchanges, always confirm the receiving address on your device screen β€” never rely solely on the computer display.

Smart fund movement: transfer strategy

Move a small test amount first. Confirm arrival, then shift larger sums in controlled increments. Use unique addresses for high-value transfers and enable transaction notifications from your exchange or blockchain explorer to confirm activity.

Everyday safety checklist

  • Never enter your recovery phrase online.
  • Keep firmware up to date via official channels only.
  • Use a metal backup for long-term cold storage.
  • Split large holdings across multiple seeds (multisig for high-value wallets).

Why hardware-first security matters

Software wallets are convenient, but keys in software are exposed to malware. A hardware wallet keeps the private key inside a secure element β€” signing occurs on-device so the key never leaves that protected environment. For anyone holding meaningful value, that isolation matters.

Ready to begin? Use the right device, follow the on-screen prompts carefully, and keep your recovery offline. If anything about your device or packaging seems off, contact official Ledger support before continuing.