Trezor.io/Start® — Starting Up Your Device

Why Trezor.io/Start® matters

Trezor.io/Start® is the official onboarding experience designed to help you initialize your hardware wallet correctly and securely. The Trezor security model places private keys on the device itself and requires physical confirmation on the device for any sensitive operation. Trezor.io/Start® is your guided route to creating a secure PIN, generating the recovery seed, installing firmware, and connecting to Trezor Suite or compatible wallets.

Important: Your recovery seed is the ultimate backup. If it is lost or exposed, access to funds can be lost or stolen. Do not photograph, scan, or store the seed on the internet or cloud services.

Throughout this guide you will see practical, actionable steps as well as background explanations that explain the 'why' — not just the 'how'. That knowledge helps you make informed decisions about passphrases, seed backups, device rotation, and plugin use for advanced workflows or enterprise needs.

Preparation — what to have ready

Before you start, gather these items and choices to avoid interruptions and mistakes:

• Your sealed Trezor® device (Model One or Model T).
• The USB cable included with the device (or a high-quality cable that fits snugly).
• A trusted computer for initial setup (prefer a personal machine, updated OS, no suspicious software).
• Paper and a pen for writing your recovery seed; for long-term durability consider a metal seed backup plate.
• 15–30 minutes of uninterrupted time — firmware updates take extra care and connection stability.

Choose a private location where others cannot see your seed. If you plan to enable an additional passphrase (hidden wallet), decide whether you'll memorize it or store it in an extremely secure place. Remember: losing a passphrase may render funds inaccessible if used as part of a hidden wallet configuration.

Install software — Trezor Suite & Bridge (overview)

The primary components you may need during setup are:

• Trezor Suite — the official desktop/web app to manage accounts and firmware.
• Trezor Bridge — a local bridge app for environments where direct device access isn't available from a browser.

Install the desktop Suite for a full-featured, self-contained experience. The Suite will walk you through device initialization, firmware verification, and account creation. If your browser or OS cannot access the device directly, a local Bridge may be required; install Bridge only from trusted sources and follow checksum verification steps if provided.

Initialize your device: PIN, seed, and passphrase

Initialization creates the cryptographic root (your private keys) and sets protective measures that guard access.

1) Create a PIN

The PIN prevents unauthorized use if someone has physical possession of your device. Choose a PIN that you can remember but that’s not trivially guessable. Trezor uses on-device entry so the PIN is never transmitted to your computer.

2) Generate & record your recovery seed

Your device will generate a 12- or 24-word recovery seed depending on the model and chosen options. The Suite will instruct you to write each word in order. Use the recovery card included or a durable medium for long-term storage.

Tips for seed safety:

• Write each word clearly in order — do not use abbreviations.
• Make at least two independent backups stored in different secure physical locations.
• Do not save the seed electronically or share it with anyone.

3) Optional: add a passphrase

An additional passphrase creates a hidden wallet. It increases privacy and security but adds complexity: losing the passphrase means losing access to the hidden funds. Use passphrases only if you fully understand how they work.

Firmware updates and device attestation

Firmware updates fix bugs and improve security. Trezor Suite checks firmware signatures before installing. Never install firmware from unknown sources. During the update process, keep the device connected and do not interrupt power or USB; interrupting an update may require a recovery process that uses your recovery seed.

Device attestation is a check that confirms your device is genuine and running authentic firmware. Trezor Suite performs attestation checks; follow the prompts and cancel if anything appears suspicious.

Adding accounts and managing assets

Inside Trezor Suite, add accounts for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other supported coins. The Suite may ask to install per-coin modules onto the device; these modules live on the device and enable coin-specific operations. After adding accounts you can receive funds (generate addresses) and send funds (create transactions that must be confirmed on-device).

Always verify the receiving address both in the Suite and on the device display before sharing it. This ensures the host has not been tampered with to substitute an attacker address.

Plugin & Template: Extend Trezor.io/Start® for custom workflows

For teams or advanced users, a local plugin or connector can extend Trezor Suite with organization-specific workflows — for example, accounting exports, approval policies, or custom market data displays. Plugins must respect the security model: they should never request or store recovery seeds or private keys. Keep plugins local, signed, and auditable.

<div class="tz-quick-start">
  <h3>Start with Trezor.io/Start®</h3>
  <p>Unbox your device, install the Suite, and record your seed. Follow secure practices.</p>
  <button class="btn" onclick="openQuickStart()">Open Quick Start</button>
</div>

Safe plugin skeleton (local connector example)

The following is a minimal, safe skeleton for a local plugin that communicates with a host Suite instance over an authenticated local channel. This example is intentionally high-level and pseudocode-like — adapt using secure IPC (domain sockets) or a signed native messaging host for production.

// plugin-skeleton.js (illustrative, pseudocode)

// 1) Start a local, authenticated IPC server (domain socket / named pipe recommended)
// 2) Register with Suite using a handshake that confirms user intent
// 3) Provide watch-only data or policy decisions; never request or store private keys

const net = require('net'); // pseudocode; in production use a secure IPC mechanism

const socketPath = '/tmp/trezor-suite-plugin.sock'; // example only

function startPlugin() {
  const server = net.createServer((conn) => {
    conn.on('data', (chunk) => {
      const msg = JSON.parse(chunk.toString());
      if (msg.type === 'suite.register') {
        conn.write(JSON.stringify({ type: 'plugin.ack', name: 'org-acct-exporter' }));
      }
      if (msg.type === 'suite.request_accounts') {
        // respond with watch-only export or account metadata (no private keys)
        conn.write(JSON.stringify({ type: 'accounts.response', accounts: [] }));
      }
    });
  });

  server.listen(socketPath, () => {
    console.log('Plugin listening on', socketPath);
  });
}

startPlugin();

Key plugin security rules: sign your plugin binary, limit privileges, require local user consent before registering, and keep plugin code auditable. For browser integration, use Native Messaging hosts or browser-approved extension APIs backed by signed binaries.

Troubleshooting & common issues

The top issues users encounter relate to device detection, firmware updates, and permission errors. Use this checklist to resolve most problems:

Frequently Asked Questions

Security best practices

Your device and seed are the critical elements of custody. Follow these practices:

• Buy devices only from authorized sellers and verify packaging on receipt.
• Record seeds by hand and store backups offline in multiple secure locations.
• Use a PIN and consider a passphrase only if you understand the consequences.
• Verify firmware updates and use only official Suite / Bridge installers (or signed plugin binaries).
• For large holdings, adopt multi-signature or multi-device custody models and operational controls across teams.

Remember that software and documentation may change over time; always verify current procedures from official vendor channels before making major changes to your custody model.

Final checklist — quick summary

1. Unbox and inspect your Trezor device.
2. Install Trezor Suite or prepare an offline workflow.
3. Generate the PIN and recovery seed; record seed offline.
4. Install firmware only if recommended; verify signatures where possible.
5. Add accounts, test with a small transaction, then migrate larger balances.
6. Use plugins only if signed and audited; never expose seeds to plugins.
7. Keep a recovery plan and periodically test restoration on a spare device.