Unboxing Your Ledger Flex:  a Step-by-step Guide to Secure Digital Ownership

For over a decade, Ledger has set the standard for building physical devices that secure your digital assets safely offline and put you in full control. We’ve sold over 8million, without a single hack, and the Ledger Flex is one of our latest models. So if you want to know how to take control of your crypto, this step-by-step guide to unboxing and setting up a Ledger Flex will show you how

We’ll walk you through everything from your first security check of the packaging to setting up your signer and leveraging its next-generation features.

Your journey to true ownership starts now.

Your Ledger Flex Journey Begins

Your Ledger Flex, in combination with the Ledger Wallet app, transforms your experience by putting you in control of your digital life. This powerful duo is your gateway to the decentralized world, and it all begins with establishing hardware-level security. 

Your private keys—the only things that grant access to your crypto—are generated and stored entirely offline within your device’s Secure Element chip, protecting them from the countless threats that can affect internet-connected devices. From there, you will be prompted to create your master backup: a unique 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase. This phrase ensures your assets are recoverable even if you lose your device. 

Once set up, you can seamlessly manage your assets through Ledger Wallet to securely buy, sell, swap, and stake your crypto. Every transaction is verified on your Ledger Flex’s secure touchscreen, ensuring that what you see is what you sign.

In the past, the fear of managing complex transactions has kept users from embracing secure self-custody. Ledger understands that a new era of blockchains, token ecosystems, and dApps needs hardware that complements it seamlessly. That’s why Ledger Flex combines institutional-grade security with an intuitive, user-friendly design. 

You don’t need to be a technical expert—the signer and Ledger Wallet guide you through every step, making secure self-custody feels seamless, whether you’re new to crypto or a seasoned pro.

Understanding the Tech Behind Your Ledger Flex

As with all devices in the ecosystem, Ledger Flex is built on Ledger’s proven security model, a combination of hardware and software so robust that no Ledger device has ever been hacked. This security doesn’t come from a single feature, but from several core elements working in concert.

It begins with keeping your private keys completely offline within a Secure Element chip, the same tamper-proof chip used in passports and credit cards. This chip runs Ledger’s custom operating system, which isolates your apps and protects your device from malicious attacks. Finally, the Secure E Ink® Touchscreen is driven directly by the Secure Element, making it impossible for malware to alter the details you see. This enables Clear Signing, ensuring what you see is what you sign.

For a full breakdown of how these components make Ledger reliably secure, explore our in-depth article on Ledger’s Security Model. 

Receiving Your Ledger Flex: The First Security Check

Your security journey begins the moment your boxed Ledger Flex arrives. Ledger deliberately chooses not to use anti-tamper seals on its packaging, as these stickers are easy to counterfeit and can provide a false sense of security.

While your Ledger Flex box is affixed with two strips of tape, these are for packaging purposes only. Instead, security is built into the device itself, with a Genuine Check process as part of setting up your signer, which we explain below. But before then, let’s see what’s in the box.

Once you are ready, you can open the box. Inside, you’ll find: 

• A Ledger Flex 
• A USB-C to USB-C cable for charging and connection via a laptop 
• Important accessories for your backup.
  • Three blank Recovery Sheets to write down your 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase, along with a getting-started leaflet.
  • Ledger Recovery Key, a PIN-protected physical card that stores your phrase in its own Secure Element chip, offering a durable and convenient complement to your paper backup.

Setting Up Your Ledger Flex: A Step-by-Step Guide

Using Ledger Wallet During Setup

Ledger Wallet is an all-in-one wallet application designed to be your central hub for digital assets. It pairs perfectly with your Ledger Flex: Ledger Live is the gateway to buy, sell, stake, and swap assets with confidence, while your Ledger Flex allows you to verify each transaction, keeping you in full control.

To help make the process of setting up your Ledger Flex as smooth as possible, you will need to use Ledger Wallet throughout.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Getting started is a straightforward process guided by both the device itself and the Ledger Wallet app. 

1. First, power on your Ledger Flex by pressing and holding the lock (the button on the right side) for one second.
2. Next, download Ledger Wallet, making sure to get it only from the official website to avoid malicious software.
   • Once you have the app on your desktop or mobile, you will pair it with your signer. And perform a cryptographic “Genuine Check” to verify your device is authentic through Ledger Wallet.
3. Once you’ve verified your signer, you’ll use the intuitive E Ink touchscreen to configure it.
   • You’ll be prompted to give your device a unique name and then set a strong, 4-8 digit PIN code, which protects it from unauthorized physical access. 
   • As a security measure, the device wipes itself after three incorrect PIN attempts. Of course, you can always restore it using your backup options (more on that below)
4. From there, you’ll choose your setup path.
   1. If you’re setting up your Ledger Flex as a brand new wallet, select “Set it up as a new Ledger” to generate a new 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase.
      • This 24-word mnemonic phrase is the human-readable version of your private keys, and is the fundamental way to access your assets on the blockchain. It is essential that you write this phrase down on your recovery sheets in a private, offline setting and then confirm (when prompted) the words on your signer to ensure you’ve transcribed them correctly.
   2. If you’re upgrading from a previous Ledger or any other BIP-39 supported wallet, you can select “Restore with your Secret Recovery Phrase” and enter your phrase manually from your Paper Recovery Sheet or by simply tapping your Ledger Recovery Key on the back of the signer and entering its PIN.
5. Finally, Ledger Wallet will guide you through any necessary firmware updates and prompt you to install apps from the App Catalog.
   • Before you can begin transferring funds to Ledger, you must first install an app for each cryptocurrency you wish to manage, such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), or Solana (SOL).

Your First Crypto Transaction

With your Ledger Flex secured, it’s time to fund it. There are two primary ways to do this: buying crypto for the first time or transferring assets you already own.

Buying Your First Crypto

The easiest way to start is by purchasing crypto directly through Ledger Wallet with our partners like Noah, MoonPay or Coinify. This process is seamless and secure, as your newly purchased assets are sent directly to the accounts secured by your Ledger Flex. You never have to worry about the risks of leaving your assets on an exchange.

Transferring from an Exchange

If you already own crypto on a centralized exchange (CEX), you can securely transfer it to your Ledger Flex. First, create an account for the asset you want to receive in Ledger Wallet (e.g., a Bitcoin account). Next, click “Receive” and follow the prompts. Ledger Wallet will generate a new receiving address, which you must verify on your Ledger Flex’s secure screen. This step is crucial to ensure malware hasn’t swapped the address on your computer. 

Once verified, copy that address and paste it into the withdrawal field on your exchange or show the QR Code if you’re sending via a mobile app. As a best practice, always send a small test amount first to confirm everything is working correctly before transferring larger sums.

Leveraging Ledger Flex: Advanced Features and Best Practices

Once set up, Ledger Wallet becomes your secure gateway to your digital assets, with your Ledger signer securing your transactions and allowing you to sign with confidence. It’s your all-in-one hub for managing your portfolio, tracking your transaction history, and accessing a universe of integrated apps for buying, selling, staking, swapping, and more.

Your signer also extends its security model to protect your digital identity, a concept we call Proof of You. As AI makes the digital world harder to trust, proving your identity becomes essential. You can transform your Ledger Flex into a Passkey using the Ledger Security Key app. This allows you to tap your device on your phone via NFC for passwordless logins and secure two-factor authentication (2FA) on major platforms like Google and Coinbase, eliminating phishing as a risk factor. 

For added convenience, you can use Ledger Sync to securely and privately synchronize your Ledger Wallet account data across your desktop and mobile devices. And for those who want an additional layer of backup, Ledger Recover is an optional subscription service that provides a secure, distributed backup of your Secret Recovery Phrase.

Ledger Flex is designed for a premium user experience. You can personalize your device by displaying your favorite NFT or image on the always-on E Ink lock screen. With USB-C, Bluetooth, and NFC, you have versatile connectivity options, and the energy-efficient display delivers weeks of use on a single charge.

To maintain your security long-term, always follow best practices. Safeguard your Secret Recovery Phrase by never sharing it, storing it digitally, or photographing it. Always verify every transaction detail on your Ledger Flex screen before confirming. When sending to a new address, start with a small test amount. Finally, be vigilant against scams and take proper care of your device by keeping it dry and charging the battery every three months.

Ledger Flex: Welcome to the World of True Ownership

Congratulations on setting up your Ledger Flex. You’ve just established a new standard of security for your digital life, taking an important step toward financial sovereignty. Your Ledger signer, combined with Ledger Wallet, is your gateway to the decentralized world, empowering you with the uncompromising security and intuitive control that only Ledger can provide.

Now that you’re set up, your journey is just beginning. With your private keys secured offline, you can confidently explore everything the Ledger ecosystem has to offer. Manage your portfolio, interact with your favorite dApps, and embrace the future of digital identity. 

Welcome to the world of true ownership.