Ledger Live — Your Desktop and Mobile Crypto Companion

Ledger Live is the official companion app for Ledger hardware devices. Ledger Live helps you manage accounts, send and receive crypto, and check portfolio performance in a secure environment.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Ledger Live and does not constitute financial, investment, or security advice. Always verify software downloads from the official Ledger website, keep your recovery phrase private and offline, and never share your PIN or recovery phrase with anyone. The author is not responsible for losses resulting from misuse or misconfiguration of Ledger Live.

Ledger Live — Quick Overview

Ledger Live is an application that connects with your Ledger hardware wallet to display balances and perform transactions. Ledger Live supports desktop and mobile platforms, provides firmware updates for Ledger devices, and integrates with multiple blockchains and tokens to give you a consolidated view of your crypto holdings.

Ledger Live — Installation and Setup

To start using Ledger Live, download the installer from the official Ledger website and follow the on-screen instructions. During setup, Ledger Live will guide you through adding an existing Ledger device or creating a brand-new device. When adding a device, Ledger Live will prompt you to confirm the device type and connect via USB (desktop) or Bluetooth (mobile, if supported).

Ledger Live pairs with your hardware device but never stores your private keys. The private keys remain on the Ledger device itself, while Ledger Live acts as a secure interface to view and sign transactions.

Ledger Live — Security Best Practices

Security is central to Ledger Live's design and how it interacts with Ledger hardware. Always verify the device's recovery phrase during initial setup offline and keep that phrase in a safe place. Ledger Live will never ask for your recovery phrase directly; treat any request for that phrase as a scam attempt.

For additional safety when using Ledger Live, enable a PIN on your Ledger device, install official firmware updates through Ledger Live, and confirm transaction details on the device screen rather than only trusting the app display.

Ledger Live — Managing Accounts and Assets

Ledger Live allows you to add accounts for a wide range of cryptocurrencies. Each account corresponds to an address or set of addresses managed by your Ledger device. You can add accounts for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many other chains, check transaction history, and view real-time portfolio valuations.

Open Ledger Live and go to the Accounts tab to add a new account.
Choose the cryptocurrency, then follow prompts to connect your device and allow Ledger Live to derive and display addresses.
Repeat for multiple accounts or multiple blockchains as needed.

Ledger Live — Sending and Receiving Funds

Sending and receiving funds through Ledger Live requires device confirmation. When sending crypto, Ledger Live will prepare the transaction data and send a signing request to your Ledger device. Verify the recipient address, amount, and fees on the device screen before confirming to ensure authenticity.

To receive funds, open the Receive flow in Ledger Live and confirm the receive address on your device. Always double-check the address on the hardware screen — this ensures the address displayed in the app hasn't been tampered with by malware.

Ledger Live — Firmware Updates and App Management

Ledger Live manages firmware and app installations for your Ledger device. When Ledger releases a firmware update, Ledger Live will show a notification and provide a guided process to update. Only install firmware or apps from Ledger Live and never from unofficial sources.

App management in Ledger Live lets you add or remove blockchain-specific apps on the device to manage disk space and enable support for specific chains.

Ledger Live — Advanced Features

Ledger Live includes features beyond basic account management: staking integrations for participating blockchains, swap and exchange partners accessible in-app, portfolio analytics, and notifications for large balance changes. These advanced features are optional; you can use Ledger Live as a simple, secure viewing and signing tool or enable additional services as needed.

Ledger Live — Troubleshooting Tips

If Ledger Live cannot detect your device, try the following steps: ensure the USB cable is data-capable, check that the device is unlocked with the PIN, confirm the device is running the latest firmware, and restart Ledger Live. For Bluetooth connections on mobile, make sure Bluetooth is enabled and the device is paired through the Ledger Live mobile app.

Ledger Live — Privacy and Data Handling

Ledger Live collects minimal data required to provide services. Your private keys never leave your Ledger device, and sensitive signing always occurs on-device. Ledger Live may fetch market prices and blockchain data from third-party providers to display balances — review the privacy settings in Ledger Live to control telemetry preferences where available.