Desktop
Your complete guide to setting up and using Ledger Live on your desktop. Secure, manage, and grow your crypto assets with confidence.
Ledger Live is the official desktop and mobile application for managing your Ledger hardware wallet. It provides a secure and user-friendly interface to buy, sell, exchange, and grow your cryptocurrency holdings while keeping your private keys safe on your Ledger device.
With Ledger Live Desktop, you can manage over 5,500 coins and tokens, stake your assets to earn rewards, track your portfolio in real-time, and access a wide range of DeFi applications—all while maintaining complete control over your private keys.
Your private keys never leave your Ledger hardware wallet, ensuring maximum security.
Manage all your crypto assets from one simple, intuitive interface.
Real-time portfolio tracking and automatic account synchronization.
Visit the official Ledger website at ledger.com and navigate to the downloads page. Always ensure you're downloading from the official source to avoid malicious software.
Never download Ledger Live from third-party websites, app stores, or unofficial sources. Always verify the website URL is exactly "ledger.com" before downloading.
Once the download is complete, locate the installer file in your downloads folder and run it. The installation process is straightforward and similar to any other desktop application.
The application will automatically check for updates upon first launch to ensure you have the latest security patches and features.
When you first launch Ledger Live, you'll be guided through an initial setup process. This is where you'll configure your preferences and connect your Ledger hardware wallet.
You'll be presented with options based on whether you're setting up a new device or already have one:
Ledger Live will ask for permission to collect anonymous usage data to improve the application. You can:
You can set up a password to protect access to Ledger Live on your computer. This adds an extra layer of security, especially on shared computers. Note that this password only locks the application—it does not protect your crypto assets, which are secured by your Ledger device and PIN.
Now it's time to connect your Ledger hardware wallet to your computer. This physical device is what keeps your cryptocurrency safe.
Keeping your Ledger device firmware up to date is crucial for security and accessing the latest features. Ledger Live will automatically check if your device needs an update.
If an update is available, Ledger Live will guide you through the process. The update typically takes 5-10 minutes. Your device will restart automatically when complete. Your crypto assets and recovery phrase remain safe during the update process.
Never disconnect your Ledger device during a firmware update. Interrupting the update can cause your device to malfunction. Keep it connected until the update is 100% complete and the device restarts.
To manage different cryptocurrencies, you need to install the corresponding apps on your Ledger device. Each cryptocurrency requires its own app (e.g., Bitcoin app, Ethereum app, etc.).
Storage Space: Ledger devices have limited storage. If you run out of space, you can uninstall apps you're not using. Don't worry—uninstalling an app doesn't delete your crypto assets; they remain safe on the blockchain.
Now that you have apps installed, you can add accounts for each cryptocurrency. Accounts allow you to receive, store, and send crypto assets.
You can create multiple accounts for the same cryptocurrency. This is useful for:
Once your accounts are added, you'll see them listed in the left sidebar. Click on any account to view its balance, transaction history, and manage your crypto.
Purchase cryptocurrency directly through Ledger Live using credit card, bank transfer, or other payment methods from trusted partners.
Easily send crypto to any address or receive crypto by sharing your secure wallet address. All transactions are verified on your device.
Exchange one cryptocurrency for another directly in Ledger Live without leaving the app. Compare rates from multiple providers.
Earn rewards by staking supported cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, and more. Grow your holdings passively.
Monitor your entire crypto portfolio in real-time with detailed charts, performance metrics, and market insights all in one place.
Connect to decentralized applications (dApps) securely while keeping your private keys on your Ledger device through Ledger Connect.
Yes, Ledger Live is completely free to download and use. However, when you buy, sell, swap, or stake cryptocurrencies through the app, there may be fees charged by third-party service providers or network fees (gas fees) required by the blockchain.
While you can download and explore Ledger Live, you need a Ledger hardware wallet (Ledger Nano S, Nano S Plus, Nano X, or Stax) to actually manage cryptocurrencies. The hardware device is what keeps your private keys secure and allows you to sign transactions safely.
If you lose your Ledger device, your crypto assets are still safe as long as you have your 24-word recovery phrase. You can purchase a new Ledger device and restore your accounts using your recovery phrase. This is why it's crucial to store your recovery phrase securely offline. Without it, you cannot recover your funds if you lose your device.
Ledger Live supports over 5,500 different coins and tokens, including all major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and thousands of ERC-20 tokens, as well as many altcoins and DeFi tokens. The list is constantly expanding as new cryptocurrencies gain popularity.
Ledger takes privacy seriously. Your transaction data is synced with Ledger's secure servers to provide you with balance and transaction history, but your private keys never leave your device. You can also opt out of analytics collection during setup. Ledger does not sell your data to third parties.
Yes! You can install Ledger Live on multiple computers and use the same Ledger device with all of them. Your accounts will sync automatically when you connect your device. You can also use Ledger Live Mobile alongside the desktop version for convenient access to your portfolio on the go.
If you enter the wrong PIN code three times, your Ledger device will automatically reset for security purposes. Don't panic—your crypto is still safe! You can restore your device using your 24-word recovery phrase. This is another reason why keeping your recovery phrase secure and accessible is so important.
Ledger Live itself doesn't charge transaction fees for sending crypto, but you will need to pay network fees (also called gas fees or miner fees). These fees go to the blockchain network validators and vary depending on network congestion. You can usually choose between slow, medium, or fast transaction speeds, with higher fees resulting in faster confirmations.
If you encounter any issues or have questions not covered in this guide, Ledger's support team and community are here to help.
Important: Ledger will never ask for your 24-word recovery phrase. Beware of phishing attempts and only contact support through official channels at ledger.com.