Trezor.io/Start® — Starting® Up Your Device

Welcome — Unbox & Prepare 📦

Congratulations 🎉 — you’re about to start your Trezor® hardware wallet. This guide covers everything from unboxing to first secure transaction. Read each step carefully, and keep your recovery seed stored offline 🔑.

💡 Tip: Keep phone, laptop, and Trezor® on the same clean desk. Avoid public Wi‑Fi during setup.

Unboxing & Physical Check 🔎

1. Inspect packaging 📦

Verify the seal and the included items: device, USB cable, recovery card(s), and quick start leaflet. The package should contain no software USB drive or unsolicited accessories 🚫.

2. Physical integrity 🛡

Look for damage, tamper evidence, or mismatched serial numbers. If anything looks unusual, stop and contact official support — do not proceed ⚠️.

Connect, Install & Initialize 🔗

3. Connect to a computer 💻

Use the supplied USB cable. When the device powers on, follow on‑screen prompts. Trezor® displays its own interface; never trust a browser prompt that shows a different device screen.

4. Visit Trezor.io/Start 🌐

Open your system browser and go to Trezor.io/Start. Always verify the URL, the SSL (🔒) lock, and the official site certificate before proceeding.

5. Install Bridge or Trezor Suite 📥

Follow the official prompts to install Trezor Bridge or download the Trezor Suite app. Launch the application and choose Set up new device.

✨ Special characters: when entering labels or notes in Trezor Suite, you may use common emoji/unicode — e.g. ✓, ✦, ✪, 🚀 — but never include your recovery words in any digital field.

Create PIN & Recovery Seed 🔑

6. Choose a PIN 🔢

Pick a PIN you’ll remember; the device will require it for each session. A strong PIN is long and non‑trivial. Avoid patterns like 1234 or repeated digits.

7. Write down your Recovery Seed 📝

The device will present 12, 18, or 24 words (depending on model/options). Write them on the provided recovery card or another offline surface. Do not photograph or store the words digitally 📵.

🚨 Security reminder: Your recovery seed is the ultimate key to your funds. If someone obtains it, they can steal your assets. Keep multiple secure copies stored in separate physical locations if you wish, but never online.

Verify & Finalize ✅

8. Confirm the seed on‑device 📲

Trezor® will ask you to confirm a subset of words to ensure you recorded them correctly. Do this on the device only — the words should not appear on your computer screen.

9. Install apps & add accounts ➕

Open Trezor Suite, install supported coin apps (if applicable), and add accounts. Always download firmware and apps only from official sources.

Best Practices & Safety Checklist 🛡

❌ Never enter your recovery seed into a computer, phone, or website.
🔄 Keep firmware up to date but verify release notes on the official site.
🔑 Use a passphrase only if you understand the risks — it acts as an extra word appended to the seed (BIP39 passphrase).
📦 Store at least one physical copy of your seed in a secure place (e.g., safe deposit box).

FAQ & Troubleshooting ❓

Q: What if I lose my device? 💔: A: If you have your recovery seed, recover on a new Trezor or compatible wallet. If you lose both device and seed, funds are irrecoverable.
Q: Can I use emoji in account labels? 😀: A: Yes — Unicode such as ©, ®, ✓, and emoji (🔥🚀✨) are supported in many labels. Avoid using characters that may be misinterpreted by third‑party tools.
Q: Is the recovery seed case‑sensitive? 🔠: A: No — recovery words are lowercase and separated by spaces. Treat them exactly as shown.

Common Issues & Fixes 🛠

Device not recognized 🖥

Try a different USB port or cable. Reinstall Trezor Bridge or use Trezor Suite. Check OS permissions (macOS: Security & Privacy; Windows: drivers).

Forgot PIN ❓

If you forget the PIN, you must perform a factory reset and restore from your recovery seed. This will erase the device and then let you recover funds with your seed and optional passphrase.