Ledger Live | Getting Started with Ledger | Official Ledger Guide

Welcome to the official Ledger® Getting Started guide — your essential companion to setting up and using Ledger Live, the powerful application that brings your crypto assets to life. Whether you're just getting into cryptocurrency or transferring from another wallet, this guide will walk you through how to get started with your Ledger hardware wallet and the Ledger Live app — securely, step by step.

🔍 What Is Ledger Live?

Ledger Live is the official desktop and mobile app used to manage your Ledger hardware wallet. It acts as a control center, connecting your Ledger Nano S Plus, Nano X, or Nano S to the blockchain.

With Ledger Live, you can:

• Set up and manage your Ledger hardware wallet
• View and track your crypto portfolio
• Send and receive over 5,500 digital assets
• Buy, sell, swap, and stake crypto
• Manage NFTs and interact with Web3 apps

Most importantly, your private keys never leave your Ledger device, ensuring industry-leading security.

🧰 What You Need to Get Started

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• A genuine Ledger hardware wallet (Nano S, Nano S Plus, or Nano X)
• A computer (Windows, macOS, or Linux) or smartphone (iOS or Android)
• A USB cable (or Bluetooth for Nano X)
• Access to the internet
• The official Ledger Live app, downloadable from https://www.ledger.com/start

🛠️ Step 1: Set Up Your Ledger Device

Once your Ledger hardware wallet arrives, follow these steps:

1. Unbox the Device

• Make sure your Ledger wallet box is sealed and shows no signs of tampering.
• Ledger devices come factory reset. If the device is already initialized, do not use it.

2. Connect to Your Computer or Phone

• Use the provided USB cable or Bluetooth (Nano X only)
• Power on the device

3. Choose “Set up as new device”

• Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new wallet

4. Create a PIN Code

• Select a 4- to 8-digit PIN
• This will protect access to your Ledger wallet if lost or stolen

5. Write Down Your 24-Word Recovery Phrase

• Ledger will generate a 24-word seed phrase
• This is the only backup of your private keys — never lose it, never share it, never enter it online
• Store it safely and offline

6. Confirm Your Recovery Phrase

• The device will ask you to confirm the phrase in correct order to finish setup

💻 Step 2: Install Ledger Live

How to Install Ledger Live:

1. Visit the official site: https://www.ledger.com/start
2. Download the app for your system (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android)
3. Open the installer and follow instructions
4. Launch Ledger Live and choose “Get Started”

🔄 Step 3: Connect Your Device to Ledger Live

Once inside Ledger Live:

1. Select “Set up a new device” or “Connect existing device”
2. Ledger Live will prompt a genuine check to verify that your device is authentic
3. Open the appropriate app on your Ledger (e.g., Bitcoin or Ethereum)
4. Confirm actions directly on your device — this keeps private keys secure

Once verified, you can begin managing your crypto assets through the app.

💼 Step 4: Add a Crypto Account

To interact with cryptocurrencies, you must first add accounts in Ledger Live:

1. Go to the “Accounts” tab
2. Click “Add account”
3. Choose a cryptocurrency (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana)
4. Open the selected crypto app on your Ledger device
5. Ledger Live will scan the blockchain and create the account

Repeat this process for every crypto you want to manage.

💸 Step 5: Send and Receive Crypto

✅ Receiving Crypto:

1. Click on “Receive”
2. Choose an account (e.g., Bitcoin Wallet)
3. Ledger Live will display your public address
4. Confirm that the address shown on your screen matches the one on your Ledger device
5. Share your public address with the sender

🛑 Never share your 24-word recovery phrase.

📤 Sending Crypto:

1. Click on “Send”
2. Paste the recipient’s address and enter the amount
3. Review the transaction
4. Confirm the transaction on your Ledger device
5. Ledger Live will then broadcast it to the blockchain

🌐 Step 6: Explore Ledger Live Features

Ledger Live is more than a wallet interface — it's a complete crypto management platform.

✅ Portfolio View

Get a real-time overview of your total crypto holdings, asset distribution, and recent transactions.

🔄 Buy, Swap, and Sell

Use trusted Ledger-integrated providers to buy and swap crypto directly in the app.

🪙 Staking

Earn passive income by staking supported assets like ETH, DOT, ATOM, and more.

🎨 NFTs

View and manage your Ethereum and Polygon NFTs directly within Ledger Live (desktop and mobile).

🔌 Apps Manager

Install and uninstall apps for different blockchains directly on your Ledger device through the “Manager” tab.

📱 Mobile Ledger Live (Nano X only)

If you're using a Ledger Nano X, you can pair it with the Ledger Live mobile app using Bluetooth.

• Available on iOS and Android
• Allows sending/receiving, staking, and NFT viewing
• Requires PIN and Ledger confirmation for all operations

🔧 Troubleshooting & Common Issues

❌ Device Not Detected

• Try another USB port or cable
• Ensure Ledger Live is up to date
• Unlock the device and open the right app (e.g., Ethereum)

❌ PIN Forgotten

• After 3 incorrect attempts, your device will reset
• Restore it using your 24-word recovery phrase

❌ Ledger Live Won’t Launch

• Restart your device or reinstall Ledger Live