The KeepKey is the largest and simplest hardware wallet we sell. It has a 3.12 inch screen that shows a whole address at once, a single button, and a price under $50. It is a good fit for someone who wants cold storage without a learning curve. This guide covers setup with the KeepKey Desktop app, the 12 word recovery sentence, and your first transactions, plus the limits you should know before buying.
What is in the box
The KeepKey, a USB cable, a recovery sentence card and a quick start guide. The device is an aluminium and polycarbonate slab, about the size of a small phone. Check the box seal before opening.
Step 1: Install KeepKey Desktop
Download KeepKey Desktop from keepkey.com for Windows, macOS or Linux. The app manages firmware and connects the device to the ShapeShift web platform, which is the main interface for accounts and transactions. Do not install browser extensions claiming to be KeepKey unless they come from that site.
Step 2: Connect and update firmware
Plug in the KeepKey. New units usually need a firmware update before setup. The app prompts you, and the device asks you to hold its button to confirm. The screen shows progress. Do not unplug the device during an update.
Step 3: Initialise the device
Choose "Initialize KeepKey". Give it a label so you can tell it apart from other devices, then set a PIN. The PIN is entered on a scrambled grid: the device shows nine digits in random positions on its screen, and you click the matching positions in the app. Because the layout changes every time, a keylogger or screen recorder learns nothing. Enter the PIN twice.
Step 4: Write down the recovery sentence
The KeepKey shows a 12 word recovery sentence on its big screen. Write it on the card, in order, and keep it away from cameras. These 12 words are the full backup. Anyone who has them can take your coins, and no one, including KeepKey, can recover them for you if they are lost.
A 12 word sentence restores into other BIP39 wallets, so you are not locked to KeepKey. For long term storage move the words to steel; the Keystone Tablet and the Billfodl both hold 12 or 24 words.
Step 5: Add accounts
Open the ShapeShift platform through the app and connect the KeepKey. Enable the coins you hold: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dash and ERC-20 tokens are supported. Each account appears with its balance once the blockchain is scanned.
Step 6: Receive and send
Click Receive on an account. The address appears in the app and on the KeepKey's screen in full, which is the advantage of the big display: you can check every character without scrolling. Send a small test amount first.
To send, enter the address and amount in the app. The KeepKey shows the destination and amount and asks you to hold the button to approve. Nothing is signed until you do. If the address on the device differs from what you pasted, reject it.
Where the KeepKey falls short
We sell it, so we will be straight about it. The KeepKey has no Secure Element chip; its security comes from keeping keys offline and confirming on screen, which is the same model as the Trezor Model One. Coin support is narrower than Ledger or Trezor, and newer chains such as Solana are not covered. The software depends on ShapeShift's platform. If you hold a wide range of assets or want a certified chip, the Ledger Nano S Plus or Trezor Safe 3 cost a little more and go further.
What the KeepKey does well is the basics: a big legible screen, a scrambled PIN, a 12 word backup and a price that makes it an easy first step off the exchange.
Common questions
Is 12 words enough?
Yes. A 12 word phrase has 128 bits of entropy, which is not guessable. The 24 word phrases other wallets use add margin, not a different class of security.
Does the KeepKey work with MetaMask?
Not natively. For Ethereum DeFi you use the ShapeShift platform or a wallet that supports KeepKey directly.
What happens if the device breaks?
Restore the 12 words into a new KeepKey or any BIP39 wallet. The coins were never on the device.
Buying and support
The Crypto Merchant ships the KeepKey factory sealed with free US shipping, and our team will help with the firmware update and first setup if you get stuck.
