Start with Ledger Live Desktop Manage, secure, and visualize your crypto like a pro.
Ledger Live Desktop brings your crypto life into one secure, elegant application. Connect your Ledger device, track balances across chains, swap, stake, and sign with confidence—verified on-device and orchestrated by robust, battle-tested security.
Already hold assets elsewhere? Bring visibility to Ledger Live without exposing private keys. Import accounts by public address or connect supported wallets to monitor balances, track history, and manage from a single interface—signing always happens on your Ledger device.
Why Ledger Live Desktop?
Ledger Live Desktop is the control center for your digital assets. It pairs with your Ledger hardware wallet to create a clean separation between sensitive keys and your everyday workflow. Keys remain sealed in secure hardware; the desktop app orchestrates everything else—portfolio views, network fees, on-chain actions, and dApp connections—through a refined user interface designed for clarity and control.
From the moment you open the app, a guided checklist ensures you’re ready to transact securely. You’ll verify your device, confirm firmware, and enable features you actually need. The interface uses subtle robotic cues—scanning lines, pulsing nodes, and contextual hints—to convey state and progress without distracting from the task at hand.
Performance matters, especially across multiple networks. Ledger Live Desktop uses efficient indexing and account caching to keep charts, balances, and histories responsive. Whether you hold BTC, ETH, SOL, or an eclectic mix of tokens, your portfolio renders quickly and consistently so you can focus on decisions, not delays.
First-Run Setup
Pairing your device takes only a few steps. Connect via USB, unlock with your PIN, and open the app. Ledger Live will recognize your model, prompt any firmware updates, and confirm authenticity via secure channels. Next, choose the accounts you want to add. For most networks, the app derives addresses from your device’s seed; for watch-only accounts, you can paste a public address to follow balances without spending access.
The app’s “Portfolio” tab provides a consolidated view: total value, asset allocation, recent movements, and per-account performance. Drill into any asset to see confirmations, mempool status, and fee guidance. When you initiate a send or contract interaction, the transaction details appear on your device’s screen—amounts, addresses, and fees—so you can verify before approving. This “trust but verify” loop is the core of the Ledger experience.
Staking and rewards are integrated for select networks. The interface highlights available validators, estimated yields, and lockup terms with transparent warnings about risks and unbonding periods. For swaps and buys, the app routes to vetted providers and clearly displays quotes and fees, letting you compare options before you commit.
Importing Accounts the Right Way
Importing does not mean moving your coins; it means adding the account so the app can query balances and history. If you import a Ledger-managed account, the app derives it directly from your device. If you import an external account as watch-only, you paste a public address and the app tracks it without spending capability. In both cases, private keys never touch your computer’s memory—signing stays on the device, where it belongs.
Power users can group accounts by network, label them, and set custom derivation paths when needed. You can also archive inactive accounts to reduce clutter without losing data. The goal is a workspace that matches how you think about your finances, not the other way around.
Backups matter. Your recovery phrase is the single source of truth for all device-derived accounts. Store it offline, engraved or written, and never type it into a computer or phone. Ledger Live will never ask for your 24 words—if any website or app does, it’s a red flag.
Security Posture
Ledger Live Desktop follows a pragmatic security model: minimize attack surface, isolate secrets, and maintain verifiability. Updates are signed; binaries can be checksum-verified; device communication uses secure protocols; and critical actions require on-device confirmation. The app ships with sensible defaults—auto-lock timers, data-sharing consent gates, and explicit network warnings—so mistakes are harder to make.
Transparency extends to fees and permissions. When connecting to a dApp through WalletConnect or similar bridges, the app lists what the dApp is asking to do and with which account. You approve or reject—with a physical button press—keeping control in your hands.