ledger.com/start — Official start guide for Ledger & Ledger Live

Starting with Ledger begins long before you plug in a device. It starts with procurement: only buy Ledger hardware from the official ledger.com store or an authorized reseller to reduce the risk of supply-chain tampering. When your device arrives, inspect packaging seals and physical condition. Ledger devices include tamper-evident seals and quality control markings — if the packaging looks compromised, contact support and don’t initialize the device.

Next, download Ledger Live from ledger.com/start. Ledger Live is the official application for device management, firmware updates, and account handling. Depending on your system, Ledger Bridge may be required — a small local native helper that allows browsers and the Suite to communicate with your Ledger device. Only install Bridge from the official site and follow prompts carefully. After installation, Ledger Live will guide you through either creating a new wallet or restoring from an existing recovery phrase.

During initialization, the device will generate a recovery phrase — typically 12, 18, or 24 words — which you must write down exactly and store offline. Consider redundancy and durability: paper can tear or degrade, so many users opt for metal backup plates designed for seed words. Never take photos of the seed, never copy it to cloud notes, and never enter the phrase into any computer or website. Ledger support will never ask for your recovery phrase during legitimate troubleshooting.

Set a PIN on your Ledger device immediately after creating the seed. The PIN provides a first barrier against physical theft. Ledger devices also support optional passphrases which act as an extra word appended to your recovery phrase to create hidden wallets; use passphrases only if you understand the recovery implications and maintain separate backups.

Firmware updates are essential for security and compatibility. Ledger firmware is cryptographically signed, and Ledger Live performs signature checks before applying updates. During update flows, confirm prompts and checksum information shown both in Ledger Live and on the device screen. If any signature or checksum appears incorrect, stop and contact official support. Do not apply firmware from unofficial sources.

Operational practices: avoid connecting your Ledger to unknown or public computers where malware may be present. Use a dedicated, up-to-date machine when possible, and maintain backups of transaction logs if you require them for accounting or tax purposes. For high-value accounts, consider splitting custody (e.g., multiple devices, multisig setups) to reduce single-point-of-failure risks.

For developers and power users, Ledger provides SDKs and documented payload formats for integrating hardware signing into applications. When building integrations, follow recommended payload signing flows, validate addresses, and use address whitelisting where applicable. Enterprises should enforce rigorous processes for deployment and validation, including offline key ceremonies and secure storage of recovery seeds.

Finally, user education is your strongest defense. Phishing remains a dominant attack vector: verify domains, use bookmarks for ledger.com/start, and be skeptical of unsolicited messages asking for device or seed information. If you suspect compromise, move quickly: revoke sessions, migrate funds to new addresses under control of a freshly-initialized device, and contact official support. ¡Mantén la precaución y verifica siempre! With careful setup and continuous vigilance, Ledger hardware plus Ledger Live provide a robust model for self-custody and secure crypto management.