It’s also responsible for delivering the latest security updates to your crypto wallet and verifying its authenticity. Every app within Ledger Live comes with a clear signing plugin that allows you to read each transaction in human-readable language—ensuring you don’t sign away your assets without knowing it. Simply, Ledger Live is the perfect companion crypto wallet app for your Ledger device: secure, accessible, and easy to use.

Example of How Ledger Crypto Wallets Work

So now you understand how Ledger wallets are unique, let’s see how these pieces work in practice

1. You initialize the transaction via the Ledger Live App

Ledger Live is the companion crypto wallet app for Ledger devices that allows you to initialize transactions. From this single app, you can also access countless blockchain apps and services. You can only initiate transactions if you connect your device securely. The added security feature of a PIN code guarantees that even someone with physical access to your device cannot access your funds.

2. Ledger Live provides you with the intent, which you can then confirm or reject

3. When you confirm the transaction via Ledger Live it will prompt you to approve the action physically on your Ledger device

At this point, the destination address is also shown on your Ledger’s secure screen. This allows you to double-check that the destination address on your hardware wallet matches your host device. This way, no one can trick you with malware on the latter. 

To clarify, your Ledger device (including its secure screen) is practically un-hackable, so you can trust the transaction details it shows.

Confirming the transaction physically on the device guarantees that only someone with physical access to your device can confirm a transaction. Only you can unlock your device with the PINcode, so no one can access your funds remotely.

The transaction is signed using your private key stored in the secure element.

4. The transaction is signed in the Secure Element chip, a completely offline environment. This guarantees that your private keys stay safe from potential onlookers via spyware on your internet-connected device. Plus, the secure element is also tamper-proof, serving as another layer of security against physical hacks.

Your Ledger crypto wallet sends the signed transaction to your internet-connected device via Bluetooth or USB-C cable, which then broadcasts it to the blockchain.

5. Ledger Live also checks the authenticity of your crypto wallet, meaning that if your device has been tampered with, you will be able to tell. That means you can send transactions from your Ledger crypto wallet to the blockchain with confidence.