Welcome — Start your Trezor safely

A friendly, practical setup guide that walks you from unboxing to securing your recovery seed and connecting to apps — without the confusion.

  1. 1. Before you open the box — mindset & preparation

    Time: ~5-10 minutes • Goal: Understand the security mindset

    Take a breath. Hardware wallets protect your private keys by keeping them offline, but they rely on you following a few simple safety practices. Have a clean, private space; a pen and paper for recovery words; and ensure the purchase came from a trusted vendor. Never accept a pre-initialized device from someone else.

  2. 2. Unboxing & first visual checks

    Time: ~5 minutes • Goal: Confirm device integrity

    Open the package and inspect the tamper seal and packaging. Confirm the device looks undamaged and that the accessories match what’s listed by the vendor. Keep the packaging until setup is complete — it can be helpful for warranty or verification later.

  3. 3. Powering on, firmware check, and official software

    Time: ~10 minutes • Goal: Ensure authentic firmware and apps

    Connect your Trezor to your computer or phone and visit the official start page to begin: trezor.io/start. Follow the on-screen prompts to verify and install the latest firmware from the official source. Authentic firmware checks are crucial — they validate the device hasn’t been tampered with.

  4. 4. Create a PIN and device passphrase

    Time: ~5 minutes • Goal: Add a local device lock

    Set a PIN you won’t forget but is not trivially guessable. The PIN protects access to the device itself. Optionally, consider a passphrase for plausible deniability and an extra layer of protection — but know that lost passphrases cannot be recovered.

  5. 5. Generate and secure your recovery seed

    Time: ~15–25 minutes • Goal: Safely record the recovery seed

    When prompted, write down every word of your recovery seed exactly as shown — in the correct order. Use the supplied recovery card or high-quality paper; consider metal backup plates for long-term durability. Store at least two geographically separate copies in secure places (e.g., home safe, safety deposit box). Never store your seed digitally (photos, screenshots, cloud storage) and never share it with anyone.

    Pro tip: Practice reconstructing by reading the words back to yourself. That confirms accuracy before you rely on the backup.

  6. 6. Add accounts & connect to apps

    Time: ~10 minutes • Goal: Link wallets and verify addresses

    Open the official Trezor Suite or a supported wallet interface and add your cryptocurrency accounts. When receiving funds, always verify the address shown on your Trezor’s screen matches the address in the app — the device is the single source of truth for addresses.

  7. 7. Best practices for everyday use

    Time: ongoing • Goal: Maintain strong operational security (OpSec)

    • Keep firmware up to date, but only via official update prompts from freestanding app/site you trust.
    • Use small test transactions when sending to new addresses or services.
    • Never enter your recovery seed into a computer or website — only into the hardware device during recovery.
    • Consider a dedicated, offline backup of your recovery seed and limit who knows its location.

  8. 8. Recovery drills & disaster planning

    Time: ~30–60 minutes (once) • Goal: Practice recovery so you’re prepared

    Simulate a recovery on a spare device (or after wiping your device) to ensure your seed works and your instructions are clear. Document the recovery process and keep clear instructions for an executor you trust — not the seed itself.

  9. 9. Privacy, advanced features, and troubleshooting

    Time: varies • Goal: Learn advanced options safely

    Explore features such as passphrases, coin-account management, and integration with privacy tools, but do so carefully. When troubleshooting, rely on official support channels and community resources rather than unknown forums. If ever in doubt about a URL, type it yourself or use bookmarks rather than clicking links from emails.