Official Site® | Ledger.com/Start® — Getting started (Technical)

Download & verify — defend the supply chain

Before any device initialization, obtain official software from the vendor's verified landing page. Many supply-chain attacks begin with tampered installers or forged sites. Follow this technical checklist to reduce risk:

Use a fresh, patched OS instance when possible and open a new browser session to the canonical domain (ledger.com/start in this mockup).
Download the appropriate installer for your OS (Windows .exe/.msi, macOS .dmg, Linux AppImage). Avoid third-party mirrors unless they are explicitly trusted.
If the vendor publishes checksums (SHA-256) or cryptographic signatures (PGP), verify them locally. On Linux/macOS this is typically sha256sum or shasum -a 256. For PGP, verify signatures against the vendor's official key.
Scan the installer in an isolated environment (optional) and record installer hashes into your provisioning or inventory system for later auditing.

# Example SHA-256 verification (Linux / macOS)
sha256sum ledger-live-desktop-x.y.z.AppImage
# Compare the output to the checksum published on the official site

If signatures or checksums do not match, do not proceed. Contact vendor support via verified channels. Treat any anomalies as potential compromise.

Setup & initialization — minimize human error

Initialization is the moment of truth: the device will generate cryptographic seeds that become the core of your custody. Treat the setup like a formal procedure and document it for auditability.

Recommended initialization workflow

Prepare a secure workspace. Prefer an air-gapped or freshly booted machine for initial setup when feasible.
Connect the hardware device and open the verified Ledger Live application. Choose create new device (recommended) or restore using an authorized 24-word recovery phrase if necessary.
Record the recovery phrase on approved physical media. Consider using metal backup plates for long-term resilience to fire/water damage.
Set a strong device PIN following organization policies. For teams, record device serials, firmware versions, and responsible custodians in inventory systems.
Optionally enable advanced protections such as BIP-39 passphrase (treat the passphrase as a separate, high-value secret), and configure hidden wallets if supported and required by policy.

Operational control: If deploying multiple devices in an organization, perform initialization in a secured facility, capture serials, and ensure tamper-evident packaging was intact at delivery.

Accounts, transactions & multisig

After initialization, add blockchain-specific accounts using the Ledger Live interface. Each account maps to a derivation path; the device exposes public keys to the host but retains signing authority.

Receive flow: Always generate a fresh receive address in the app and verify the same address on the device display before sharing it. This prevents address-replacement malware from sending funds to attacker-controlled addresses.

Send flow: Build the transaction in the application; the device will display human-readable details (recipient, amount, fees, and any contract payload) — manually verify these before approving.

Multisig: For organizational treasury or high-value holdings, prefer multisig schemes where multiple devices or cosigners must approve a transaction. Ledger devices can act as cosigners in many multisig systems; combine with robust off-chain policies for key rotation and custody transfers.

Security model — signing boundary & defense-in-depth

Security rests on a clear separation of responsibilities. The host (Ledger Live or third-party app) handles network queries, transaction assembly, and UX. The device enforces the signing boundary: key generation, storage, and cryptographic signing occur inside the Secure Element. Users must manually confirm transactions on-device.

Host responsibilities

Fetch chain data & fee estimates
Construct readable transaction summaries
Broadcast signed transactions

Device responsibilities

Key generation inside Secure Element
On-device display for verification
Return signatures — never private keys

Operational controls

Firmware signing and verification
Device inventory & firmware governance
Regular recovery testing and audit logs

Always confirm addresses and important parameters on the physical device display; this is the primary anti-phishing control.

Developer integrations — transport and signing patterns

Developers should preserve the signing boundary: build unsigned payloads on the host, present human-readable summaries, then request signatures from the device via official transports and SDKs. Avoid implementing low-level USB protocols unless absolutely necessary; use the vendor SDKs to reduce attack surface and ensure compatibility across firmware versions.

// conceptual signing flow (pseudo-code)
const transport = await LedgerTransport.create(); // WebHID/WebUSB/Node HID
const unsignedTx = buildUnsignedTx(inputs, outputs, feeParams);
const signature = await transport.signTransaction(unsignedTx, derivationPath);
if (verifySignature(signature, unsignedTx)) {
  broadcast(signedTx);
}

Best practices: test against testnets, implement detailed error handling for device disconnects, and never log private keys or sensitive unsigned payloads in production logs.

Enterprise deployment patterns

Institutional usage requires operational rigor beyond consumer flows. Key elements include device procurement from authorized resellers, provisioning and inventory management, firmware governance, multisig treasury design, and auditable approval trails.

Procurement & inventory: Centralize ordering, record serials, maintain secure storage for unused devices, and log custody transfers.
Provisioning: Initialize devices in secure rooms, capture firmware versions, and tag devices with custodian IDs.
Multisig & HSM integration: Combine hardware devices with HSMs and multisig policies to enforce separation of duties.
Incident response & audits: Maintain playbooks for lost seeds, firmware incidents, and suspicious approvals; keep logs for compliance.

FAQ & troubleshooting

Where should I download Ledger Live?: Always from the vendor’s verified domain. Verify checksums or signatures before installing.
What if I lose my device?: Restore from your 24-word recovery phrase on a compatible device. If you used a passphrase, recovery requires that passphrase as well. Test recovery procedures regularly.
How do I verify a transaction?: Confirm the recipient address and amount on your device screen before approving. If hardware shows different details than the host, do not approve and investigate.
Are firmware updates safe?: Only apply firmware signed by the vendor. Ledger Live coordinates updates; the device verifies authenticity before installation. For enterprise, validate updates against internal policies before mass deployment.

Closing & legal note

This page is an original technical landing page mockup created for educational, design, and prototyping purposes. It is not an official Ledger.com / Ledger product page. If you publish or distribute pages that reference trademarked or registered names, ensure you have the necessary rights and comply with branding guidelines. For live downloads, official support, firmware, and vendor-specific documentation always consult the verified vendor domain.

Security reminder: never share your recovery phrase, never enter it into software or a website, and treat hardware devices and passphrases as high-value secrets.