As the cryptocurrency market continues to evolve, securing your digital assets has never been more important. Ledger® Live is a powerful desktop and mobile application that allows users to manage their cryptocurrencies and NFTs with a Ledger hardware wallet. Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned investor, Ledger Live provides a seamless and secure experience for buying, selling, swapping, and managing crypto assets.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get started with Ledger Live — from downloading the app to securing your funds and making your first transaction.
Ledger Live is the official companion app for Ledger hardware wallets such as the Ledger Nano X and Ledger Nano S Plus. It provides a user-friendly interface that connects with your Ledger device to manage over 5,000 cryptocurrencies securely. Ledger Live allows you to:
The first step is to download Ledger Live from the official Ledger website. Make sure you download the app from the official source to avoid phishing or fake apps.
Once downloaded, install and launch the application. You’ll be greeted with the option to set up a new device or connect an existing one.
If you’re new to Ledger, you’ll need to initialize your hardware wallet. Follow the on-screen instructions in Ledger Live to:
Important: Never share your recovery phrase with anyone. Ledger will never ask for it, and anyone with access to it can steal your funds.
Once your device is initialized, connect it to Ledger Live via USB (or Bluetooth if you're using Nano X on mobile). Ledger Live will check the firmware version and walk you through installing updates if needed.
You’ll then be prompted to install "apps" for each crypto asset you wish to manage. For example, to manage Bitcoin, you’ll install the Bitcoin app on your device via Ledger Live.
After installing the relevant apps, you can add accounts to Ledger Live. Each account corresponds to a blockchain (e.g., Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana) and allows you to track and manage your assets on that chain.
To add an account:
Your account will then appear in your Ledger Live dashboard.
Now that your accounts are set up, you can send and receive crypto securely:
All transactions must be physically confirmed on your device, keeping your funds safe even if your computer is compromised.
The Ledger Live portfolio feature gives you a real-time overview of your assets’ value, allocation, and performance. You can track multiple accounts and assets in one place, complete with price charts and historical data.
For investors who hold multiple coins or manage portfolios, this feature is extremely helpful for visualizing performance and diversification.
Ledger Live allows you to interact with trusted third-party partners for more advanced actions:
Ledger Live supports NFTs on Ethereum and Polygon. You can view, send, and receive NFTs while storing them securely on your hardware wallet. This is a major upgrade from browser-based wallets, offering both security and usability for NFT collectors.
Here are some best practices when using Ledger Live and your Ledger device:
No. Ledger Live is designed to work with a Ledger hardware wallet for maximum security.
Yes, Ledger Live is completely free