Windows · macOS · Linux desktop companion

Every balance, every send, confirmed on your device.

Ledger Live Desktop is the control room for a self-custodied portfolio: accounts in one view, prices in your own currency, and each outgoing transaction approved on the hardware wallet itself before it ever reaches the network.

Start with setup Read the guide

Recovery phrase never leaves the device
Address and amount verified on screen
Signed, checked firmware updates

Ledger Live Desktop Device connected

Portfolio value

$48,912.40

+3.24%24h

B Bitcoin0.4218 BTC $27,140+1.8%
E Ethereum3.964 ETH $13,884+4.6%
S Solana42.50 SOL $7,888−0.9%

Send requested · review on device Verify

Hold to confirmbc1q…7f4k · 0.0125 BTC

1 appAccounts, prices, transfers

3 desktopsWindows, macOS, Linux

On-deviceEvery transaction verified

Offline firstKeys never leave the wallet

What the desktop app does

A quieter way to hold digital assets

Six habits built into one window: see everything, verify everything, and keep the sensitive parts away from the internet.

Hardware wallet connectivity

Plug the device in with the cable, unlock it, and the app recognises it. Accounts are derived from the wallet, so nothing sensitive is typed into your computer.

Portfolio tracking

Balances update together across accounts and networks, with charts by asset and by account and prices shown in your local currency.

Transaction verification

Address and amount appear on the hardware screen before signing. Malware that rewrites a destination on your monitor can’t rewrite the device.

Security practices

A strong device PIN, a recovery phrase written on paper, and firmware installed only from inside the app — the three habits that carry the most weight.

Privacy awareness

Public blockchains are permanent and readable. Rotating addresses, avoiding balance screenshots, and skipping “wallet support” messages keeps less of your activity on display.

Responsible ownership

Self-custody means the responsibility is yours: plan for backups, test a small transfer first, and never share a phrase with anyone or any website.

Starting up your device

Four steps from box to first balance

Fifteen calm minutes, and no step requires you to type a recovery phrase anywhere.

01
Install the desktop app

Download Ledger Live Desktop for Windows, macOS or Linux and let the installer finish. Open it once, then check for updates before adding accounts.
02
Initialise the hardware wallet

Choose a new PIN on the device and write the recovery phrase onto the supplied sheet. Keep that sheet offline and out of every photo and cloud folder.
03
Connect and add accounts

Connect the wallet, unlock it, and add the accounts you need. The app builds each address from the device — you never paste one in.
04
Verify a small transfer

Receive a small amount first, then send it back. You’ll see exactly how confirmation on the device feels before the amounts get serious.

From the guide

Ledger Live Desktop: a practical guide to your crypto workspace

Reading time: 2 minutesUpdated for desktop app users

Ledger Live Desktop is the companion application that turns a hardware wallet from a key store into a full digital asset workspace. Install it on Windows, macOS or Linux, connect the device, and it is recognised immediately — no browser extension, no middleman.

Inside the dashboard you can add accounts for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and thousands of other networks, then watch balances update together. Portfolio charts break value down by asset and by account, so concentration is visible at a glance. Prices display in your local currency, and history helps you review rather than react.

Security is where the desktop app earns its place. Every send is confirmed on the hardware screen: address and amount appear on the device, not only the monitor, so malware on the computer cannot quietly rewrite a destination. Firmware arrives signed, and the recovery phrase never leaves the wallet.

Privacy deserves the same attention. Blockchains are transparent, so reusing one address or posting balance screenshots exposes more than intended. Use fresh addresses, and keep the recovery phrase offline — written down, never in a chat or cloud note.

Used carefully, Ledger Live Desktop is a calm control room for long-term ownership: one place to track, verify and act, with the keys staying where they belong.

“The screen you trust is the one attached to the key.”
A rule worth keeping in self-custody

Key takeaways

Install the app first, then update it before adding accounts.
Confirm every address on the hardware screen, not on the monitor.
Keep the recovery phrase offline, on paper, in one safe place.
Send a small test transaction before a large one.
Treat any request for your phrase as an attack, whoever sent it.

Quick answers

Does the app hold my coins?: No. Balances live on the blockchain; the wallet holds the keys.
Can I use it without a device?: You can watch accounts, but signing always needs the hardware wallet.
What if I lose the device?: A replacement plus your written recovery phrase restores access.

Questions

Common things people ask

Is the desktop app different from the mobile app?

Both connect to the same hardware wallet and the same accounts. The desktop version adds a wider dashboard, larger charts, and easier firmware handling — useful when you manage several networks at once.

Do I ever need to enter my recovery phrase in the app?

No. The phrase restores a wallet onto a device; the desktop app never asks for it. Any page, email or chat that requests those 24 words is attempting a theft, regardless of how official it looks.

Why is the address shown twice?

Once on your monitor and once on the device screen. The device version is the one that matters: confirming it there proves the address you are sending to is the one your wallet signed for.

How often should firmware be updated?

When the app offers it and you are not in a hurry. Updates are signed, and doing them through the app — with the device connected directly — is the safest route.

Can I track accounts without connecting the device?

Yes. Watch-only accounts let you follow balances and prices. Moving funds still requires the wallet, which is exactly the point of the split.

See the whole portfolio in one window

Track balances, check prices, and confirm every transfer on the device that holds the keys.

Setup in four steps Re-read the guide

Every balance, every send, confirmed on your device.

Hardware wallet connectivity

Portfolio tracking

Transaction verification

Security practices

Privacy awareness

Responsible ownership

Install the desktop app

Initialise the hardware wallet

Connect and add accounts

Verify a small transfer

Ledger Live Desktop: a practical guide to your crypto workspace

See the whole portfolio in one window