Welcome to True Self-Custody.
The journey to securing your digital assets begins here. Ledger provides the ultimate barrier between your private keys—the definitive proof of ownership—and the vulnerabilities of the online world. Moving your assets off exchanges and into a hardware wallet is the single most critical step toward becoming your own bank. This guide ensures you start your journey with maximum security and confidence. Your security is not a product; it's a process, and we are here to walk you through it.
1. Your Ledger Setup: Initialization & Integrity
Device Integrity Check
Before anything else, ensure your Ledger device packaging is sealed and tamper-free. Always purchase directly from Ledger or an authorized retailer. Once you connect your device via USB, the Ledger Live application will automatically perform a cryptographic check to verify the authenticity of your hardware. This initial verification is Ledger's promise of security, ensuring no malicious software has been pre-installed. Do not proceed if the integrity check fails, and contact support immediately.
Trust only the device screen for critical information, never your computer screen.
Creating Your PIN Code
The PIN code is your local security gate, protecting your physical device from unauthorized access. You will set this 4 to 8-digit code directly on the Ledger screen. Choose a unique combination that is not sequential or a common date. Remember: the PIN only protects the device; the Recovery Phrase protects your assets. If you lose your PIN, you can reset the device using your 24-word phrase (which wipes the device), but you will never lose access to your funds as long as you have the phrase.
2. The Master Key: Your 24-Word Recovery Phrase
ATTENTION: This is the most critical step. Your 24-word phrase IS your crypto.
When you initialize your Ledger device, it generates a unique, cryptographically secure 24-word Recovery Phrase (also known as the Seed Phrase). This phrase is the **Master Key** to all the private keys for all the cryptocurrencies you will ever manage with this device. It is generated *offline*, directly on the hardware wallet, and is never stored online. If your Ledger device is lost, stolen, or destroyed, this phrase is the only way to recover access to your funds on a new Ledger or any compatible wallet.
Best Practices for Storage:
- **Absolute Isolation:** Never, under any circumstances, store your 24-word phrase digitally (no photos, emails, cloud backups, or typing it into a computer).
- **Physical, Durable Storage:** Write it down neatly on the recovery sheets provided. For maximum security, consider engraving it into metal for fire and water resistance.
- **Redundancy:** Store multiple copies in geographically separate, secured locations (e.g., safe deposit box, home safe).
- **Verification:** Ledger will ask you to verify the entire sequence. This is the only time you should ever enter the words.
3. Integrating with Ledger Live
Ledger Live Manager
Ledger Live is your essential software interface. It manages your device's firmware and allows you to install or uninstall crypto-specific applications (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum) on the hardware wallet's storage. Always ensure Ledger Live is downloaded from the official source.
Sending Transactions
To send crypto, you must confirm the transaction details (Recipient Address, Amount, Fee) on the **physical screen** of your Ledger device. This "What You See Is What You Sign" (WYSIWYS) principle prevents malware on your computer from altering transaction details without your knowledge.
Receiving Assets
Always verify the receiving address displayed in Ledger Live against the address shown on your Ledger device screen. While receiving is generally low-risk, this practice maintains the habit of confirming all critical data on the secure element.
4. Refined Security: The Passphrase
For those requiring the highest level of security, the Passphrase (or 25th word) creates a hidden wallet, separate from the one secured by your 24-word phrase alone. This is an advanced feature that acts as a powerful "duress wallet." If someone physically compels you to unlock your Ledger, providing only the PIN to the standard 24-word wallet will reveal only a decoy set of assets, while your main holdings remain secured by the Passphrase. This Passphrase *must* also be memorized or secured offline, separate from the 24-word phrase.