Official Setup — Modern Neumorphic Guide
Welcome to the Trezor setup companion. This page walks through the recommended, step-by-step process to get your Trezor hardware wallet up and running securely. It emphasizes secure choices, explains optional features like passphrases, and provides practical troubleshooting. The design here is intentionally calm and clear — follow the steps at your own pace and avoid rushing critical security actions.
Always purchase directly from Trezor or authorized resellers. Inspect the packaging for tamper evidence and confirm the authenticity card included with the device. If anything looks suspicious, stop and contact support.
Go to trezor.io/start and download the Trezor Suite for your OS. Prefer the desktop application for firmware updates. Verify checksums if you're comfortable with verification tools.
Connect the device and follow guided prompts: create a new wallet or recover an existing one. When creating a new wallet, the device generates a recovery seed — write it down using the supplied card or a metal backup solution.
Set a PIN immediately. Optionally enable a passphrase to create hidden wallets; only use a passphrase if you understand the implications: it's an additional secret that, if lost, permanently locks that hidden wallet.
Quick reminder: the recovery seed is the single most important piece of information — treat it like the master key to a vault.
Trezor Suite provides all the management features you need: firmware updates, account view, transaction signing and analytics. For the most critical operations (firmware installs, seed recoveries) prefer the desktop version. Use checksums/GPG signatures when available for additional assurance that an installer hasn't been tampered with.
# Example checksum check (Linux/macOS) shasum -a 256 trezor-suite-setup.AppImage # Compare the output to the checksum published on trezor.io/start
When you create a new wallet, the device will display each recovery word on its screen — never rely on the computer for word output. Record each word exactly and in order. Do not share these words; anyone with them can reconstruct your wallet.
After setup, send a very small amount (a 'test' transaction) to and from an exchange or another wallet to verify addresses and that signing behaves as expected. Confirm all addresses on the device screen before approving.
Long-term protection of your seed is the most important step. Use physical, durable backups — steel backups are recommended for fire, water and time resistance. If you prefer paper, store it in a secure, fire-rated safe.
Advanced users sometimes split seeds into shards using schemes like Shamir's Secret Sharing or store pieces in multiple secure locations. Only use these techniques if you fully understand the recovery process and can maintain access to all necessary shards.
Keep firmware current. Firmware updates often patch vulnerabilities and improve compatibility. Always update using Trezor Suite and verify you are following the official prompts. Firmware installs will require you to confirm actions on the device itself.