Trezor® Start — Official Setup & Quickstart Guide

Overview

This guide walks you through unboxing, initial setup, firmware verification, creating a wallet, securing your recovery seed, and doing your first receive/send. It is written as a practical quickstart — follow every security note carefully. This content is intended for the Trezor Model T and Trezor One families; minor UI differences may exist between models.

Before you begin:

Only use the official website trezor.io/start or the official Trezor Suite app. Beware of phishing sites and impostor downloads.
Never share your recovery seed, PIN, or passphrase with anyone — Trezor staff will never ask for these.

Quickstart — Step by step

Step 1 — Verify package & device

Inspect the box and tamper-evident stickers (if present). If anything looks tampered with, stop and contact Trezor support. Power on the device by connecting it to your computer with the included USB cable.

Step 2 — Visit the official start page

Open a browser and go to trezor.io/start. Follow the on-screen prompts. The website will guide you to either install Trezor Suite (recommended) or use the web interface depending on your preference.

Step 3 — Install Trezor Suite (recommended)

Download the official Trezor Suite for your OS from the start page or install from the vendor's verified source.
Open the app and follow the "Setup new device" flow.

Step 4 — Firmware check & update

Trezor will check firmware authenticity. If the device requires a firmware update, install it using the official Suite. Firmware updates are signed and verified by Trezor: allow only updates initiated from official channels.

Security note: Do not use third-party firmware. Only accept firmware installations through Trezor Suite or the official start page.

Step 5 — Create a new wallet

Choose Create new wallet in the Suite or web interface.
Set a device PIN when prompted. The PIN protects the device against physical access — you'll enter it on the device for each use.
The device will generate a recovery seed (12/18/24 words depending on model/settings). Write the words down on the provided recovery card — don’t photograph them or store them digitally.

Do not: take photos of the seed, store it on cloud services, or type it into a computer. Keep it offline in multiple secure locations if possible.

Step 6 — Record & verify recovery seed

Carefully write the recovery words in the exact order provided. The device will ask you to confirm a few words to verify you recorded them correctly. If you make a mistake, start seed generation again.

Step 7 — Optional: Add a passphrase (advanced)

A passphrase is an additional optional secret word/phrase that acts as a 25th word to create a hidden wallet. Use this only if you understand the implications: losing the passphrase means losing access to the wallet; using a passphrase creates plausible-deniability but increases responsibility for secret management.

Step 8 — Finish setup & explore the Suite

After confirming seed and PIN, your wallet is ready. Trezor Suite shows balances, transaction history, and allows managing multiple cryptocurrencies, receiving and sending, coin-control, and integrations with third-party apps (e.g., exchanges or DeFi interfaces) — always verify addresses on the device screen before sending.

Receiving and sending crypto — basics

Receive

Open Trezor Suite → Accounts → Select the asset (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.).
Click Receive and generate an address with your device connected.
Always verify the address shown in the Suite with the address displayed on your Trezor device screen. Only copy/send to addresses that match.

Send

Open the asset account → Send.
Paste the destination address and confirm amount and fees in Suite.
Verify all transaction details on the Trezor device screen and confirm on the device. The physical device confirmation ensures a compromised computer cannot silently change addresses or amounts.

Security best practices (must read)

Never share your recovery seed or PIN. Trezor staff will never ask for them.
Keep your recovery seed offline on paper or metal backup; consider a fire/water resistant metal plate for long-term storage.
Use a PIN and consider a passphrase only if you are comfortable managing it securely.
Verify addresses physically on the device screen before sending crypto.
Only download software from trezor.io or official app stores and verify checksums if provided.
Keep firmware up to date, but only via official channels.
Consider multisig setups or splitting holdings across devices for larger balances.

Troubleshooting — common problems

Device not recognized

Use the supplied USB cable and try different USB ports. Avoid USB hubs.
Try reinstalling Trezor Suite or the browser extension (if used) and restarting your computer.

Forgot PIN

If you forget the device PIN, you must perform a factory reset and recover your wallet using your recovery seed. If you cannot find your recovery seed, funds are likely irrecoverable — the seed is the only way to reconstruct private keys.

Lost or damaged device

Buy a new Trezor (from an official seller), then use the recovery seed to restore your wallet on the new device. Never restore a recovery seed on a device from an untrusted seller or unknown firmware.

Phishing & suspicious emails/sites

Do not click links in emails claiming to be support. Always navigate to trezor.io manually. If in doubt, check support resources on the official website.

FAQ — quick answers

Question	Answer
Can I install Trezor Suite on multiple machines?	Yes — your wallet is on the device. Suite can be installed on any trusted computer to manage your device.
Is the recovery seed replaceable?	You can generate a new seed by resetting the device and creating a new wallet; this invalidates the old seed.
Can someone access my coins if they have the seed?	Yes — whoever has your seed controls your funds. Treat it like cash.
Do I need internet to use Trezor?	The device signs transactions offline, but you need internet access to broadcast transactions and to use Suite for balances and account data.