Ledger.com/Start® | Starting Up Your Device – Ledger®

Clear step-by-step onboarding, best practices, and glossary for secure setup
Background: light sky • Layout: two-column demo

Introduction

Welcome to Ledger.com/Start®

Ledger.com/Start® | Starting Up Your Device – Ledger® guides new users through the safe and correct process of setting up a Ledger hardware wallet. This page is intended as a gentle, step-by-step presentation that emphasizes security, clear terminology, and practical tips to ensure you protect your assets from the moment you unbox your device.

What you'll find here

A sequential walkthrough for initializing the device, configuring a PIN and recovery phrase, connecting to Ledger Live, and best practices for ongoing security. Keywords like Ledger.com/Start® and Ledger appear throughout to keep the focus clear for readers and search.

Getting started with your Ledger device

The initial setup should never be rushed. Take time to follow each step exactly, keep your environment private when recording or writing down your recovery phrase, and verify every on-device prompt manually. The process below is optimized to reduce mistakes and protect you from social-engineering attacks.

Step 1 — Unbox & Inspect

Verify packaging and tamper-evidence

When unpacking, check that the tamper-evident seals are intact. Ledger devices are shipped with predictable packaging; any damaged or altered seal should be treated as a potential security incident. If in doubt, contact official support instead of proceeding.

Checklist

  • Original box and documentation present
  • No visible tampering of seals
  • Only connect your device to trusted computers

Step 2 — Power on & Create a PIN

Protect access with a PIN code

The device will prompt you to create a PIN. Choose a PIN that you can remember but that is not easily guessable. The PIN prevents someone with physical access from using the device without authorization. After a few incorrect attempts, the device will enforce time delays or reset behaviors to deter brute force attacks.

Tip

Avoid writing your PIN near your recovery phrase. Store them separately if you must write them down.

Step 3 — Write down your recovery phrase

Critical — the 24-word seed

During initialization, Ledger devices display a recovery phrase (seed) made up of 24 words. This phrase is the ultimate backup for your wallet. Write each word in order on the provided recovery card and store it in a secure, offline location. Never photograph, type, or share this phrase.

Security best practices

  1. Write the full phrase by hand on the official card.
  2. Store in a safe or split between geographically separate secure places if needed.
  3. Never enter the seed into a computer, phone, or website.

Step 4 — Connect to Ledger Live

Download & verify Ledger Live

Visit the official site and download Ledger Live from the Ledger website. Verify the download with the provided checksums or signatures when available. Ledger Live manages applications, account setup, and firmware updates for your device.

Note on firmware updates

Allow firmware updates only through the device's official flow in Ledger Live. Firmware updates may include security enhancements; follow the on-screen and in-app prompts carefully.

Different page layout — Reference & Action Area

Primary content column

Use the primary column for instructions and large content blocks. This keeps the user's focus on steps, warnings, and actions they must take. Include inline keywords like Ledger.com/Start® to maintain clarity.

New words — Glossary

Definitions to know

Recovery phrase (seed): A human-readable list of words that restores your wallet.
Firmware: Embedded software on the device responsible for secure cryptographic operations.
Ledger Live: The official desktop and mobile companion app for managing accounts and firmware updates.
Tamper-evident seal: Packaging feature that shows if the box was opened.

Why they matter

These terms frame the security model. Understanding them helps you make safe choices during onboarding and everyday use.

Troubleshooting & Recovery

If something goes wrong

If you forget your PIN and have your recovery phrase, you can restore your accounts on a new device using the 24-word seed. If you lose the recovery phrase and the device is broken, funds may be unrecoverable. Prioritize secure backups.

Conclusion

Final thoughts on Ledger.com/Start®

The onboarding process at Ledger.com/Start® | Starting Up Your Device – Ledger® is designed to be clear, secure, and resistant to common threats. Take the time to follow each step, protect your recovery phrase, and keep both firmware and Ledger Live up to date. With these practices, you maintain strong, long-term custody over your crypto assets.

Action items

  • Verify packaging and download Ledger Live from the official site
  • Create a secure PIN and write down your 24-word recovery phrase
  • Keep backups offline and use firmware updates only through Ledger Live
Closing

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