Start Your Journey to Uncompromised Digital Asset Security

Your Ultimate Guide to Getting Started at Ledger.com/Start

In the rapidly evolving world of digital assets, becoming your own trusted custodian is the cornerstone of true financial autonomy. The initiation of this journey begins not with a complex instruction manual, but with a streamlined process designed for clarity and absolute security. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every essential step to activate your device, establish your unique security foundation, and confidently begin managing your digital portfolio.

Our goal is to ensure that your introduction to self-custody is smooth, secure, and fully understood. We have carefully structured this path to eliminate ambiguity, focusing purely on the critical principles of asset protection that underpin all decentralized finance. Welcome to the world of genuine ownership.

Phase 1: Preparation and Initial Device Activation

Before you power on your hardware device, preparation is paramount. Ensure you are in a private, distraction-free environment. This initial setup involves creating your irreversible security foundation, a critical step that should never be rushed or performed in public.

Step 1: Unbox and Power On

Carefully unpack your device. Connect it to a secure power source. The device will typically display a welcoming message prompting you to initiate the setup. Follow the on-screen instructions, using the physical buttons to navigate and confirm selections. Never connect to your computer until instructed.

Step 2: Choose a Unique PIN Code

You will be asked to create a Personal Identification Number (PIN). This is the code you will use to physically unlock your device for every transaction. This number should be unique to you, not easily guessable, and only known by you. Utilize the device’s physical buttons to input your chosen sequence, confirming it carefully.

Phase 2: The Cornerstone of Security – Your Recovery Phrase

The **Recovery Phrase**—sometimes called a seed phrase—is the master key to your digital assets. It is a sequence of 24 words that, if ever needed, can restore access to your entire portfolio on any compatible device. This phrase is the ultimate backup, and its security is your highest priority.

Step 3: Carefully Record the 24 Words

Your device will now display the 24 words one by one. This is the single most important action in the entire setup. You must:

• Write the words down exactly, in the correct order, on the recovery sheets provided.
• Verify the spelling of each word as you write it.
• Never photograph, digitize, or store this phrase online. Keep it physically secured—a secure vault or safe deposit box is ideal.

Step 4: Device Confirmation and Verification

To ensure you have recorded the phrase correctly, your device will ask you to confirm several words from your list. This mandatory verification step is essential for your security. A failure to correctly confirm the words means you must start the process over to ensure your backup is flawless.

Phase 3: Connecting and Establishing the Management Interface

Once your device is initialized and your recovery phrase is safely secured offline, you are ready to connect to the dedicated digital asset management platform provided by Ledger. This platform acts as your secure window into the decentralized ecosystem.

Step 5: Install the Essential Application

On your computer or compatible mobile device, download and install the official Ledger application from the trusted source on the Ledger website. This application is the gateway you will use for checking balances, installing asset applications, and signing transactions.

Step 6: Pair Your Hardware Device

Open the installed application and follow the prompts to pair it with your hardware device. You will connect the device (usually via cable or secure wireless connection) and confirm the pairing directly on the device's screen. The hardware device acts as a second-factor authenticator, ensuring no communication can proceed without physical authorization.

Phase 4: Managing Assets and Best Practices

With your device set up and connected, you are now fully prepared to manage your portfolio with unparalleled security.

Step 7: Install Asset-Specific Applications

Within the management application, you will need to install specific 'applications' onto your hardware device for each type of digital asset you intend to secure (e.g., one application for Asset A, one for Asset B, etc.). These applications are what allow the device to generate and manage the necessary public addresses.

Step 8: Generate Your Secure Receiving Addresses

Use the management application, in conjunction with your connected device, to generate the public addresses for the assets you wish to secure. **Crucially, always verify the generated receiving address directly on your Ledger device’s trusted screen** before initiating a transfer. This prevents man-in-the-middle attacks where a malicious program might try to swap the address.

Step 9: Practice Transaction Security

When sending assets, the full details of the transaction—the amount and the recipient's address—will be displayed on the small screen of your hardware device. This is the final, critical security check. You must manually confirm these details using the physical buttons. The transaction can only proceed after this physical, human approval, making remote theft practically impossible.

The Commitment to Self-Custody

Your journey with Ledger is a commitment to self-custody. By taking the time to understand these steps—from securing your PIN and recovery phrase to verifying every transaction on the device's screen—you become the strongest link in your security chain. Never share your recovery phrase. Never input it into any digital interface. Trust only the display of your hardware device. Welcome to complete, uncompromised control over your digital wealth.

Ready to deepen your security? Continue your journey at Ledger.com/Start for advanced tips and support.