Concise technical briefing: architecture, security model, developer integrations and operational best practices for Ledger Live.
Ledger Live is the official desktop & mobile companion app for Ledger hardware wallets. It exposes account management, transaction creation, portfolio tracking, and integrations (buy/swap/stake/NFT) while keeping private keys isolated in the hardware device. This document summarizes how Ledger Live is structured, how it protects keys and signing flows, and how third-party teams can integrate services.
Ledger Live is implemented as a monorepository that includes the desktop and mobile applications, platform bridge code, and developer tooling. The app separates UI logic, account management, and the device communication layer (APDU/transport), enabling platform-specific packaging while sharing core logic across clients.
Signing requests flow over an OS-level transport (USB/Bluetooth) to the Ledger device. The device runs a secure OS (BOLOS) that enforces user confirmation and uses screen + buttons to mitigate remote compromise of the host machine. The host cannot extract private keys; it can only send signing requests and receive signatures.
All private keys and seed material remain on-device inside a secure element (SE). Ledger Live acts as a rich client that prepares transactions but requires the device to produce signatures after user approval.
Ledger Live includes update and genuine-check workflows to verify device firmware and app authenticity. Users must download Ledger Live only from official channels and verify upgrade prompts as part of the secure lifecycle.
Third-party blockchain integrations appear in Ledger Live through a controlled submission process: developers build device apps (C/Rust), create plugins (EVM), and submit documentation and binaries for review. The Developer Portal provides the SDKs, submission requirements, and the "Discover" pathway used by services to appear inside Ledger Live.
To add a blockchain to the Accounts tab, developers coordinate with Ledger; certain APIs and signing flows must follow Ledger guidelines to avoid user risk. Ledger maintains a discovery mechanism that maps accounts and supports multiple networks simultaneously.
Key Ledger Live components are hosted publicly (monorepo and desktop repos) so developers can inspect integration points, transport code, and packaging scripts.
Always obtain Ledger Live and firmware updates from ledger.com or official app stores; never share seed phrases—no legitimate flow asks for it. Educate users to avoid fake installers and phishing pages.
// Pseudo: prepare a transaction locally, send APDU via transport to device
const tx = buildTransaction({ to: "0x...", value: "1000000000000000000" });
const apdu = prepareSignAPDU(tx);
const signature = await transport.send(apdu); // user approves on device
applySignature(tx, signature);
USB/Bluetooth problems are usually resolved by updating Ledger Live, restarting the host, trying a different port or cable, and ensuring the device is unlocked. If Ledger Live displays a genuine-check error, follow official guidance rather than entering recovery phrases.
Ledger supplies documentation, community forums, and direct support channels—use official support pages for guided troubleshooting and to file tickets if needed.
Ledger Live combines a locally-run app that prepares transactions with a hardware-secured signing device: this separation is the core security model. For engineers building integrations, follow Ledger’s submission process and review the public repositories to align with expected UX and safety constraints.