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

A colorful, accessible, and emoji-friendly presentation format to guide users through initial setup, safety tips, and powerful vocabulary for secure hardware wallet onboarding.

Welcome & Overview 🎉

This presentation-style page is a friendly walkthrough for getting started with your Trezor device. It uses vivid background colors, clear headings, approachable language, and emoji cues so readers can scan quickly and get the essentials while still enjoying a lively visual design. Below you will find step-by-step setup instructions, security best practices, advanced tips, troubleshooting, and a glossary of fresh words and phrasing to help teach others successfully.

Design highlights: multi-colored sections to signal different stages, high-contrast text for readability, emoji markers to call attention, and compact cards for quick takeaways.

Quick Start — First-Time Setup 🛠️

  1. Unbox carefully: Keep the packaging and check tamper-evidence. If anything looks altered, stop and contact support. ✅
  2. Charge and connect: Use the official cable to connect to a trusted computer. Avoid public or unknown charging stations. 🔌
  3. Go to: https://trezor.io/start and follow the on-screen installer. Always type the address or use an official bookmark. 🔒
  4. Choose a PIN: Pick a strong numeric PIN and memorize it. Do not store it in plain text. 🧠
  5. Write down your recovery seed: Use the provided card or a metal backup. Keep it offline, offline, offline. ✍️
  6. Verify: Confirm the seed on the device when prompted. This ensures your backup matches the generated seed. ✔️

Each step is designed to minimize risk and maximize control. Think of setup as a ceremony: slow, deliberate, and secure. The following sections expand on each step with options, language to use when teaching others, and colorful callouts.

Detailed Setup Steps 📘

1) Unboxing & Inspection

Look for:

  • Seals intact and consistent with the manufacturer's packaging.
  • No visible signs of use or scratches on connectors.
  • Accessories present: cable, manuals, backup card.

2) Connecting & Installing

Use an updated browser and the official site. If the site shows warnings, do not proceed. The device will ask you to confirm actions physically — that's the designed security check. Physical confirmation on the device ensures no remote command can silently authorize transactions.

3) PIN & Passphrase

Consider a PIN and optional passphrase (also known as "25th word" or "passphrase" depending on UI). If you choose a passphrase, treat it like a password: never share it, and be careful where you type it (prefer typing on the device when possible).

4) Recovery Seed

The recovery seed is the primary backup. Write it plainly on the supplied recovery card or on a metal backup. Do not store it digitally (no photos, no text files, no cloud). Think in terms of redundancy: store at least two geographically separated backups, ideally one in a safe or bank deposit box and one in a secure location you can access.

Teaching tip: When explaining to someone new, use metaphors: the PIN is the lock on a door; the recovery seed is the blueprint to rebuild the house if the lock and the house are gone. Keep metaphors consistent within a lesson to avoid confusion. 🗝️🏠

Security Best Practices 🔐

Security is a mindset. Follow these rules to reduce risk dramatically.

  • Never: Reveal your seed to anyone. No one from support should ever ask for it.
  • Always: Verify the receiving address on the hardware device screen before approving transactions.
  • Use: A passphrase for compartmentalization — it creates distinct wallets from the same seed.
  • Update: Keep firmware and companion apps updated from official sources only.

If you lose access to your device but still have the recovery seed, you can recover all funds. If you lose the seed and device, recovery is impossible. Prioritize physical backups.

Advanced Topics & Options 🧭

For people who want more control: passphrases, hidden wallets, multisig, and coin-specific concerns.

Passphrases and Hidden Wallets

Passphrases let you create hidden wallets — the same 12/24-word seed combined with a secret phrase yields a distinct wallet. Use this for deniability or to separate funds by purpose.

Multisignature (Multisig)

For high-value setups, consider multisig: requiring multiple devices or keys to sign a transaction. Multisig reduces single points of failure and increases resilience against theft.

Coin-specific Concerns

Different coins have different address formats and fees. Always double-check fee recommendations and confirm addresses on the device. Use native apps recommended by the hardware vendor or established third-party wallets with good reputations.

Troubleshooting & Recovery 🩺

  • Device not detected: Try a different cable, port, or computer. Reboot safely; avoid unknown USB hubs.
  • Forgot PIN: Reset the device and restore using your recovery seed. This will wipe the device and require seed restore.
  • Seed mismatch: Re-generate and verify on-device. Contact official support if behavior appears abnormal.
Quick checklist:
  1. Ensure official site used.
  2. Confirm device firmware.
  3. Check backup availability (seed written, metal backup, or safe).

Glossary — Fresh Words & Phrases 📚

This collection introduces new words, simplified definitions, and playful alternatives you can use when teaching others.

Seed (Recovery Seed)
The master backup — a list of 12/24 words that can rebuild your wallet. (Also: "backup blueprint")
Passphrase
An extra secret that modifies the seed to create different wallets. (Also: "hidden-word")
PIN
A numeric lock used to prevent device use by strangers. (Also: "device code")
Cold Storage
Keeping keys offline to protect from online attacks. (Also: "vault mode")
Multisig
A setup that requires multiple approvals (signatures) to move funds. (Also: "team vault")

Try using short, consistent metaphors: vault, blueprint, lock, key. These help build mental models quickly.

Teaching Scripts & Phrases 🗣️

Short scripts you can read aloud to learners. Use plain language, short sentences, and confirm understanding often.

"This device is a small lockbox for your digital coins. The PIN locks the box. The seed is the s