Ledger Wallet Download: Guide for Desktop and Mobile Users
Ledger wallet download usually means getting Ledger Live, the free companion app for Ledger hardware wallets, onto your computer or phone. This guide explains what that download is, which official source applies to each platform, what you cannot download at all, and how to avoid fake pages and fake apps. This site is informational and is not affiliated with Ledger.
What a Ledger Wallet Download Gets You
The hardware wallet is the physical device. The app you download is only the interface used to manage it. Keeping the two apart in your mind makes most download decisions easier.
The app is the interface, the device holds the keys
Your private keys are generated and stored on the Secure Element inside your Ledger device, and they stay offline. Ledger Live never holds them. It shows balances, prepares transactions and passes them to the device, and every outgoing transaction must be checked and physically confirmed on the device itself.
What you can do once it is installed
With a device connected, Ledger Live lets you install coin apps onto the device, receive and send crypto, buy, sell and swap through the available services, stake some coins through Earn, and track your portfolio. Earn rewards are not guaranteed and vary by coin and provider.
Why the names are confusing
People use “Ledger Wallet” for the hardware device and also for the app that goes with it. “Ledger app” can mean Ledger Live, or it can mean a coin app such as the Bitcoin or Ethereum app that you install onto the device through Ledger Live. When a page offers a “Ledger wallet” installer, it is almost always meant to be Ledger Live.
Official Sources for Each Platform
Each platform has one legitimate route. Anything outside this list should be treated as untrusted.
| Platform | Official source | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | ledger.com | Desktop version, connects to the device by USB |
| macOS | ledger.com | Not offered in the Mac App Store |
| Linux | ledger.com | Desktop version, connects to the device by USB |
| iOS | Apple App Store | Mobile version, Bluetooth with supported devices |
| Android | Google Play | An APK only from ledger.com, never from third-party APK sites |
Check the current system requirements for your computer or phone on ledger.com before installing, because they change over time and this page does not list them.
Desktop: Windows, macOS and Linux
Open ledger.com yourself by typing the address, go to the page for the app and choose your operating system. The desktop app connects to your Ledger device with a USB cable. Bluetooth is not used between a desktop computer and the device.
Mobile: iOS and Android
On a phone, use the Apple App Store or Google Play and check that the listing is published by Ledger. Bluetooth is used only between a Nano X (and, where Ledger supports it, newer devices) and the mobile app. If you are unsure which connection your model supports, check ledger.com.
What You Cannot Download
Several things that sites offer under the same name do not exist as official products. Treat every one of them as a warning sign.
There is no web version of Ledger Live
Ledger Live has no browser, web or online version and no web login. A site that asks you to connect your device or sign in through a browser page to “open your wallet” is phishing.
There is no separate bridge, driver or firmware file
You do not need a “Ledger Live Bridge”, a browser bridge or a third-party USB driver. Device firmware is also not a standalone file. Firmware updates are installed through Ledger Live, in My Ledger, by following the prompts on the screen and on the device. Do not disconnect the device during an update.
There is no installer that needs your recovery phrase
Your 24-word recovery phrase is created on the device during setup. Ledger Live will never ask you to enter your 24-word recovery phrase, and neither will a download page. Anything that asks for it is a scam, and restoring a wallet is done on the device itself.
Mistakes That Lead to Fake Installers
Most problems start before the file is even opened. The same few habits cause them.
Following ads and search results blindly
Paid ads and copied pages can appear above the real site. Type ledger.com directly, or use a bookmark you made yourself, and follow the links from there to the app stores.
Using files from other people
An installer sent in a chat group, a forum post, a video description or an email is not an official source, even if it looks identical. The same applies to APK files on third-party sites and to software catalogues or mirror sites.
Bypassing security warnings
If your system or browser warns you about a file, do not look for a way around the warning and do not switch off your antivirus or other protection to make it run. Delete the file, then get the app again only from ledger.com or the official app store. If the problem continues, contact Ledger Support through ledger.com.
How to Check You Have the Real App
These checks use nothing more than the address bar, the store listing and your device.
- Reach the download page by typing ledger.com or using your own bookmark, not an ad or a message link.
- On a phone, open the store listing and confirm that Ledger is the publisher before installing.
- Open the app and connect your device. A real setup is guided on the device screen, and the device shows your recovery words only on its own screen.
- Stop immediately if the app or any page asks you to type those words anywhere, and delete it.
- Before the first receive or send, compare the address shown in the app with the one on your device screen and confirm only if they match.
If you already installed something from an unofficial source, uninstall it, get the app again from the official source, and do not enter your recovery phrase anywhere. If you typed it into a website or an app, treat that wallet as compromised and move your assets to a new wallet set up on your device with a new phrase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the app for a Ledger wallet the same as Ledger Live?
Usually yes. The companion app for a Ledger hardware wallet is Ledger Live. The name “Ledger app” can also refer to the coin apps installed onto the device through Ledger Live.
Is Ledger Live free?
Yes, the app itself is free. Be careful with any site that asks you to pay for the installer or for an activation key, because that is not how the official app is distributed.
Can I use Ledger Live without a Ledger device?
The app is designed to work with a Ledger hardware wallet. Your keys live on the device, and every outgoing transaction has to be confirmed on it.
Which devices work with the app?
Nano S Plus, Nano X, Ledger Flex and Ledger Stax. The original Nano S is discontinued, although existing devices still work.
Do I need to download firmware separately?
No. Firmware updates are installed through Ledger Live, in My Ledger, by following the prompts on the screen and on the device.
Can I back up my wallet with a file from the app?
No. There is no wallet data file that protects your funds. Your backup is the 24-word recovery phrase written down offline on paper or metal. Ledger Recover is an optional paid service with identity verification, described on ledger.com.