Trézor.io/Start® — Starting Up Your Device

A compact, practical quick guide to get your Trézor hardware wallet running safely with Trézor Suite. Covers unboxing checks, initialization, recovery, everyday use, security essentials, and basic troubleshooting — ideal for new owners who want a secure start.

Why a hardware wallet?

Hardware wallets like Trézor store private keys offline in a dedicated device, greatly reducing exposure to malware and phishing attacks that target keys on desktops and phones. You still control your funds — the device simply provides a secure place for keys and a convenient interface for verification and signing.

Unboxing & initial checks

Inspect the package for signs of tampering and confirm you purchased from an authorized seller. Your Trézor box should include the device, USB cable, recovery cards, and basic documentation.

  1. Check seals and packaging for tamper evidence.
  2. Do not use any pre-filled recovery cards — your seed must be generated on-device.
  3. Find a clean, private workspace for setup; avoid public/shared computers if possible.

Download Trézor Suite

Go to the official start page at trezor.io/start. Download the desktop installer for your OS or use the web Suite. Verify you are on the correct URL — phishing sites can mimic official pages.

Tip: Prefer the desktop app on your main machine for frequent use, and keep a separate air-gapped device or machine for cold-storage operations if possible.

Initial setup — create or recover

When you power on Trézor and connect it to Suite, you’ll be guided to either create a new wallet (generate a new recovery seed) or recover an existing one. Follow on-device prompts — never type your recovery seed into your computer or phone.

Create a new wallet

  1. Connect the device and open Trézor Suite.
  2. Select "Create new wallet" and confirm on the device.
  3. Write down the recovery words exactly in order on the provided cards or a durable metal backup.
  4. Confirm the words on the device when requested.

Recovering a wallet

  1. Choose "Recover wallet" on the device and enter your recovery words carefully using the device input method.
  2. After the device accepts the seed, connect to Suite to re-add accounts and rescan history.

Using Trézor Suite — basic flows

Trezor Suite is where you add accounts, send/receive funds, manage coins, and perform firmware updates. Important: Suite builds transactions, but the device shows the final details — always verify these on-device.

Receive

  1. In Suite, select an account and click Receive.
  2. Connect your device to display the receiving address on the Trézor screen.
  3. Verify the on-device address matches the one shown in Suite before sharing it.

Send

  1. Compose the transaction in Suite (recipient, amount, fee).
  2. Review the transaction preview in Suite.
  3. Confirm the address and amount on the Trézor device screen and approve to sign.

Security essentials

Good habits make hardware wallets much safer. Follow these essentials every time you operate your device.

  • Never share your recovery seed — anyone with it can control your funds.
  • Record seeds physically (paper/metal); avoid digital copies and photos.
  • Verify transaction details on the device screen before approving.
  • Use a passphrase if you need extra separation or plausible deniability, but store passphrases securely — they are essential for recovery.
  • Only install firmware and Suite updates from official sources.

Advanced tips & workflows

Advanced users may use Trézor in multisig setups, air-gapped signing workflows (QR or SD transfer for unsigned tx), or combine with privacy tools. If you manage large holdings, split funds between cold-storage and a hot wallet for daily use.

Troubleshooting

Common issues are usually connectivity or driver problems. Try a different USB cable/port, restart Suite, and ensure your device firmware is not mid-update. If Trézor is unresponsive, consult the official support guides and when needed, use recovery on a new device with your seed.