Trezor.io/Start® — Starting™ Up Your Device

A step-by-step onboarding experience for your Trezór® hardware wallet — secure, clear, and built for everyone.

Welcome — what this guide helps you do

This page is a focused guide to safely set up and start using your Trezór® device. We walk you through unboxing checks, initializing a new wallet or restoring from backup, securing your recovery seed, updating firmware, and best practices for day-to-day use. The goal: when you finish, your device is ready, your seed is protected, and you understand how to use the device with confidence.

1. Unbox & inspect

Verify packaging seals, serial numbers, and holograms (if present). Only buy devices from the official store. If anything looks tampered with, return it and contact support.

2. Connect & initialize

Plug your device into your computer and open Trezor Suite or follow the web-based setup. Choose whether to create a new wallet or restore an existing recovery seed.

3. Create & record seed

Write down the recovery seed exactly as shown on-device. Do not photograph, screenshot, or store it digitally. Keep it in at least two separate secure locations.

4. Update firmware

If prompted, update your device firmware via the official updater. Firmware updates patch security and add features — always use official channels.

Detailed setup walkthrough

Below is an expanded version of the onboarding steps with practical tips, common pitfalls, and rationale for each choice. We assume you are using an official Trezór® device and following the official setup flow. If you are restoring an existing wallet, skip the seed creation step and use your known mnemonic phrase.

Unboxing & first checks

Start by confirming the device packaging has not been opened or tampered with. Look for factory seals and compare serial numbers printed on the box and the device. If you purchased from a reseller, check the seller’s reputation and prefer the official Trezor Shop for purchases.

Choosing a setup path

During initialization you can create a new wallet (recommended for first-time users) or restore from a recovery seed (for those migrating devices). When creating a new wallet, the device will generate a secure, random seed — usually 12 to 24 words depending on the model and options. If restoring, carefully enter each word exactly in the order shown in your backup.

Recording your recovery seed

This is the most critical step. Your recovery seed is the only way to restore access if the device is lost, stolen, or broken. Use the supplied recovery card or write the words on durable material. Consider metal seed backups for long-term storage. Never store the seed in cloud services, email, or photos.

Securing your device

Set a strong device PIN during setup — this prevents unauthorized physical use. Optionally enable a passphrase (a BIP39 extension) if you want additional account-level segregation. Remember: passphrases are an advanced feature; losing the passphrase means losing access to those accounts.

Firmware & software

Keep firmware current by using the official updater at Trezor Firmware. For desktop/wallet access use Trezor Suite or trusted third-party wallets that support Trezór® devices. If a web app asks to connect, ensure you have Trezor Bridge installed when required.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Do not enter your recovery seed on any website or app except a device during the official restore flow.
  • Do not share photos or typed copies of your seed.
  • Avoid third-party offers to 'recover' or 'backup' your seed — they may be scams.
Ready to begin?
Start the guided setup and follow the device prompts carefully. If you need help, official support is available.
Begin Setup Contact Support

Security best practices & long-term storage

Treat your recovery seed as the single most sensitive secret. Consider using tamper-evident seed storage, a safe deposit box, or hardware metal backups. When managing large holdings, explore multisig setups or professional custody options that incorporate hardware wallets as signing devices rather than single points-of-failure.

Passphrase and advanced protection

Passphrases can dramatically increase security by creating hidden wallets accessible only with an additional secret. Use passphrases only if you understand the tradeoffs — losing the passphrase is equivalent to losing access.

Where to find help

Official help is available at the support center. For developer integrations, consult Trezor’s GitHub. For educational content, visit Learn & Tutorials.

10 curated links

Final tips

Start Setup Support & Docs