Official Site® Ledger.com/Start®

Ledger is a French company founded in 2014 that specializes in cryptocurrency security hardware. Its flagship products — Ledger Nano S Plus, Ledger Nano X, Ledger Flex, and Ledger Stax — are among the most widely used cold-storage solutions for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and thousands of other digital assets. The single most important URL every Ledger owner must remember is: https://www.ledger.com/start Ledger publishes this exact link in every official box, quick-start guide, email receipt, mobile app onboarding screen, and support article. Bookmarking or typing anything else (ledger-start.com, ledger-start.org, ledger.com-start, ledger livestart, etc.) carries a high risk of landing on phishing domains designed to steal your 24-word recovery phrase. Why ledger.com/start Exists When you unbox a genuine Ledger device, the first instruction is always the same:

Go to ledger.com/start on a computer or smartphone browser Download Ledger Live (the official companion application) Follow the step-by-step device initialization

This page serves several critical purposes:

Verifies you are interacting with Ledger’s authentic website (HTTPS padlock + correct domain) Detects your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) and offers the correct Ledger Live installer Provides short video walkthroughs in multiple languages Warns about common scams in real time (“Ledger will never ask for your recovery phrase”) Links directly to the genuine firmware update and app installation flows inside Ledger Live

Step-by-Step Legitimate Setup Flow (2026)

  1. Visit the Correct URL Open a fresh browser tab and manually type https://www.ledger.com/start (or click the hyperlink from Ledger’s official Twitter/X @Ledger, YouTube channel, or recent email from no-reply@ledger.com). Avoid search-engine results for “ledger start” or “ledger.com/start” — sponsored ads and SEO-poisoned listings frequently lead to fakes.
  2. Download Ledger Live Click the prominent “Download Ledger Live” button. Ledger Live is available for:

Desktop: Windows 10/11, macOS 11+, Ubuntu 20.04+ Mobile: iOS 15+, Android 10+

Ledger publishes SHA-256 hashes and PGP signatures on the download page so advanced users can verify file integrity. 3. Connect Your Device

Nano S Plus / Nano X: use the included USB-C cable Ledger Flex / Stax: use USB-C or wireless pairing (Bluetooth on Nano X / Flex / Stax)

Ledger Live automatically detects the model and checks whether the device is brand new (displays “Welcome to Ledger” screen) or already initialized. 4. Initialize as New Device Choose “Set up as new device.” The device generates a 24-word recovery phrase (BIP-39 standard with 256-bit entropy). Write these words by hand on the recovery sheet included in the box (or the optional steel backup accessory). Critical rule repeated by Ledger in every interface:

Never take a photo or screenshot of the recovery phrase Never type it into any website, app, email, or chat Never share it with Ledger support, “Ledger recovery services,” or anyone else

  1. Confirm the Phrase The device asks you to re-enter several random words from the list to prove you wrote them down correctly.
  2. Set a PIN Choose an 4–8 digit PIN. This protects the device from unauthorized physical access. After three wrong attempts the device wipes itself (but the funds remain recoverable with the 24 words on another Ledger or compatible software wallet).
  3. Install Apps via Ledger Live Ledger uses a unique “app” architecture: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Cardano, XRP, etc., each run in isolated environments. Install only the coins you plan to hold. Ledger Live shows real-time balances, lets you send/receive, stake (when available), and swap via partners (no KYC for basic swaps in many regions).
  4. Optional: Add Ledger Recover (controversial) Since 2023 Ledger has offered an optional paid service called Ledger Recover that shards your recovery phrase among three independent custodians using secure multiparty computation. Many in the community strongly oppose it because it introduces a third-party trust element. Whether to enable this is entirely your decision; it is not required to use the device. Post-Setup Best Practices

Update firmware regularly through Ledger Live → Manager tab Enable passphrase (sometimes called “25th word” or hidden wallet) for plausible deniability Store the recovery sheet in multiple secure, geographically separate locations (never digitally) Use Ledger Live’s “Clear sign” feature to double-check every transaction on the device screen Ignore any unsolicited DM, email, or phone call claiming to be Ledger support

How to Spot Fake “ledger.com/start” Pages (2026 edition) Phishers continue evolving. Red flags include:

Domain is ledger.com/start but URL shows ledger-live-start[.]co / l-ledger[.]com / ledger-support[.]io etc. Site immediately asks for 24 words “to verify device” or “complete setup” “Customer support” chat bubble appears before you even connect anything Urgency language: “Your device will be locked in 5 minutes” No HTTPS padlock or invalid certificate Requests to download “Ledger Live Update” from third-party file host

If you ever see any of these, close the tab immediately, disconnect the device, and start over from https://www.ledger.com/start typed manually.