This guide walks you through the Trezor experience you begin at Trezor.io/start. It focuses on practical steps and safety-minded habits for first-time setup and daily use. Follow the order below and keep your recovery protections secure—this is the decisive factor for protecting your assets.
1. What to prepare before you begin
- Work in a private, distraction-free space and use a personal computer that you control.
- Have a fresh pen and paper ready for writing your recovery phrase. Avoid digital copies of your recovery words.
- Keep your Trezor device in its sealed packaging until you are ready to begin; confirm the device shows expected seals and no physical tampering.
2. Initial device setup (step-by-step)
Power the device and visit the official starting page address shown on the device’s screen: that entry point will guide you through firmware checks and pairing steps. Use only that official setup flow to prevent impersonation or modified tools.
- Connect the device to your computer with the provided cable and follow the on-screen prompts on the device itself.
- Install any required companion application the official start page recommends. The companion app will verify device authenticity and check firmware integrity.
- Create a device PIN when prompted. Choose a PIN you can remember but that is not easily guessable; do not store it digitally.
3. Recovery phrase: creation and protection
When the device generates your recovery words, write them down exactly in the order presented. Do not take photographs or store these words in cloud services or on your computer. Consider splitting the phrase between two secure physical locations for resilience.
- Use durable material: standard paper can degrade—consider a steel backup plate if you expect long-term storage in harsh conditions.
- Confirm the recovery phrase using the device’s built-in verification step; this prevents mistakes in transcription.
4. Best practices for everyday use
Treat the device as a high-value key. Connect it only when needed and verify transaction details on the device screen before approving. The device’s display is your final authority for addresses and amounts—always confirm visually on the hardware.
- Keep software up to date: apply official updates promptly after verifying authenticity.
- Use strong, unique passphrases if the device supports them for additional account isolation.
- Prefer hardware confirmations: approve transactions on the device interface rather than relying solely on the accompanying application’s UI.
5. Additional layer: passphrase and hidden accounts
For an advanced layer of privacy and resilience, add a passphrase to create a hidden account. This extra secret acts like a 25th word and protects against physical compromise of your primary recovery phrase. Keep in mind passphrase loss can also mean permanent asset loss—treat it with extreme care.
6. Troubleshooting & recovery testing
Test your recovery before moving significant funds. Use a secondary device to simulate recovery from your written phrase, ensuring that a recovery process reproduces your expected accounts. Never reveal recovery words during support interactions; official support will never ask you to provide your phrase.
7. Practical security habits
- Keep only small, routine balances on software wallets used for daily spending; store the larger reserve on hardware-protected accounts.
- Enable physical security for your storage locations and minimize sharing of setup details with others.
- Regularly audit device firmware and companion app sources through the official start portal.
8. Closing tips
Setting up your device correctly and protecting your recovery phrase are the two actions that most strongly determine long-term safety. Prioritize physical protections and a cautious habit of verifying transaction details on the device display. If you adopt these steps and test your recovery, you will significantly reduce the risk of accidental loss.
If you need to revisit any step, return to the start resource provided by the device to validate firmware and setup tools. This approach helps ensure you always follow the trusted flow and avoid third-party impostors or misleading websites.