The Ledger Nano S Plus is the wallet we send out more than any other, and setting it up takes about 15 minutes. This guide walks through every screen, from checking the box to sending your first test transaction, and it covers the two mistakes that cause almost every support call we get. The original Nano S is no longer made; if you have one, the steps are the same apart from the USB connector.

Before you open the box

Look at the packaging. A genuine Nano S Plus from an authorized reseller arrives in a sealed box with a blank recovery sheet. Ledger does not use tamper seals on the box itself; the protection is in the device, which runs a genuine check in Ledger Live. If the recovery sheet already has words written on it, or a card tells you to "use this PIN", do not use the device. Those are scams designed to make you deposit into a wallet the seller controls.

In the box you should find the device, a USB-C to USB-A cable, three recovery sheets, a lanyard and a keychain ring. You will also want a steel backup for the words, which we come back to below.

Step 1: Install Ledger Live

Go to ledger.com/ledger-live directly in your browser and download the desktop app for Windows, macOS or Linux. Do not install it from a search ad or a link in a message. Fake Ledger Live apps exist and they exist to steal recovery phrases. The mobile app also works with the Nano S Plus on Android over USB-C; iPhone users need the Nano X for Bluetooth.

Step 2: Connect and set a PIN

Plug the device into your computer. The screen says "Welcome to Ledger Nano S Plus". Press both buttons together to continue, and read the short tutorial: the left and right buttons scroll, pressing both selects.

Choose "Set up as new device". The device asks for a PIN of 4 to 8 digits. Scroll to each digit with the buttons and press both to confirm it. Choose the tick mark when finished, then enter the PIN a second time. Use at least 6 digits and avoid obvious sequences. You will enter this PIN every time you connect the device, so make it something you can remember without writing down.

Step 3: Write down the 24 words

This is the step that matters. The device will show 24 words one at a time. Write each one on the recovery sheet, in order, in clear capital letters. Press the right button to move to the next word. When all 24 are written, the device asks you to confirm several of them by scrolling to the correct word. This checks that your copy is accurate.

Three rules for the words:

  • Never type them into a computer, phone or website. No genuine app or support person will ever ask for them.
  • Never photograph them. Phone photos sync to cloud accounts that can be breached.
  • Keep them somewhere a flood or fire will not reach. The paper sheet is a starting point, not a long term home.

Most of our customers transfer the words to a steel plate within the first week. The Billfodl holds the first four letters of each word in sliding stainless tiles, which is all a wallet needs to recover. The Cryptosteel Capsule does the same in a sealed tube. Either survives a house fire.

Step 4: Run the genuine check

Open Ledger Live and choose "Get started", then "Set up a new Nano S Plus". Walk through the prompts; they repeat the steps above. At the end Ledger Live runs a genuine check. The app sends a challenge to the device and the Secure Element answers with a signature only a real Ledger can produce. If the check passes, you have an authentic device running official firmware. If it fails, stop and contact us.

Step 5: Install an app and add an account

Each blockchain needs a small app on the device. In Ledger Live, open My Ledger, find Bitcoin or Ethereum, and click Install. The device shows a progress bar. Then go to Accounts, click Add account, pick the coin, and confirm on the device. Ledger Live scans the blockchain and creates the account. Repeat for each coin you hold. The Nano S Plus has space for about 100 apps, so you will not run out.

Step 6: Receive a test amount

In Ledger Live, open the account and click Receive. The app shows an address and asks you to verify it on the device. The device displays the same address; scroll through it and compare. Press both buttons to approve once they match. Send a small amount from your exchange to that address, wait for it to arrive, and only then send the rest. A test transfer costs a little in fees and saves people from typing errors every week.

Step 7: Send a transaction

Click Send, paste the destination address, enter the amount, and continue. Ledger Live passes the transaction to the device, which shows the amount, the address and the fee on its own screen. Read all of it. The screen on the device is driven by the Secure Element; what it shows is what will be signed. If it matches what you intended, press both buttons to approve. If anything looks different from what you typed, reject it, because that is exactly how address swapping malware is caught.

Optional: the passphrase

Under Settings, Security on the device you can attach a passphrase, which is a word or sentence of your own that creates a second, hidden set of accounts. Experienced users keep a small amount behind the PIN alone and the main holdings behind the passphrase. It is a strong feature, but a forgotten passphrase cannot be recovered by anyone. Set it up only once you are comfortable with the basics, and store it separately from the 24 words.

The two mistakes we see most

  1. Typing the recovery words into "Ledger Live" after an email said the device needed to be re-synced. Ledger Live never needs your words. Any screen that asks for them is fake.
  2. Treating the paper sheet as permanent. We have helped customers whose only copy was lost in a move or a flood. A steel backup fixes this for less than the cost of the wallet.

Need a hand?

Every Nano S Plus from The Crypto Merchant ships factory sealed with free US delivery, and our team in Daytona Beach will walk you through setup by phone or email. If you want Bluetooth for your phone, the Nano X follows the same steps. If you prefer a large touchscreen, the Ledger Flex does too.