Your Journey to Self-Custody Begins Here

The most critical step in setting up your Ledger is securing your **24-word Recovery Phrase (or Seed)**. This sequence of words is the master key to all your crypto assets, regardless of which Ledger device you use or whether the device is ever lost or damaged. It is generated by the Ledger hardware itself in an offline, cryptographically secure environment, and it is the standard mechanism, known as BIP39, used across the entire cryptocurrency industry to derive your private keys. You must treat these 24 words with the same reverence you would an unlimited bearer bond: whoever possesses them controls your funds. The Ledger device ensures these words are never exposed to any connected computer or network, protecting them from online threats like malware and keyloggers.

During the initialization process, your Ledger will display these words one by one. It is **mandatory** that you copy them precisely onto the recovery sheet provided in the box. Do not take a photo, type them into a computer, email them, or store them in any digital format. A digital copy creates an attack vector, immediately nullifying the security benefit of the hardware wallet. Once you have written them down, the Ledger will ask you to confirm a selection of these words in a random order to ensure you copied them correctly. This verification process is a crucial security check conducted entirely on the device itself.

The 24-word phrase serves a dual purpose. First, it is the sole means to **restore** your access to your funds if your physical Ledger device is destroyed or stolen. You can input this phrase into any new Ledger device, or even another brand of hardware wallet that supports the BIP39 standard, and instantly regain full access. Second, by performing the confirmation step, you verify that the device is functioning correctly and is genuinely generating the seed phrase offline, confirming the **authenticity** of your device. Never use a pre-filled or pre-printed recovery sheet; always generate the phrase yourself. Once safely backed up and hidden in a secure physical location—like a safe deposit box or fireproof safe—you can confidently proceed to use Ledger Live to install apps and begin your secure financial journey.