Start by Deciding Whether Device Recovery Is Needed
Ledger Live restore from recovery phrase describes a device-recovery task followed by account discovery in the app. Ledger Wallet is the present application name. If your existing hardware still unlocks and controls the intended accounts, reconnect it; restoring its keys is not required merely because you changed computers or reinstalled the software.
If the device is new, erased, or being replaced, a valid backup can restore its wallet configuration. Keep that process on the physical device. A computer page that asks for all recovery words is not the normal Ledger restoration interface.
Assemble the Original Wallet Information
Use your complete offline backup and the official instructions for the exact replacement model. Work in private without screen sharing or cameras. Check the phrase’s recorded length and ordering before beginning rather than improvising missing information while the device waits.
Determine whether the original accounts also used an additional passphrase. That is separate from the hardware PIN and local app password. Restoring the recorded words without a required additional passphrase can produce a valid wallet that does not contain the expected accounts.
Recover on the Hardware Controls
Select the device’s existing-phrase restoration option, not new-wallet creation. Follow its supported word-count choice and enter the recorded words using its buttons or touchscreen. Read the device confirmation screens and establish the device PIN according to that model’s instructions.
Do not change the words to make a wallet appear. A backup must reproduce the original key material, not merely pass a format check. If the device rejects it, use Ledger’s official validation guidance and preserve any other working device while investigating.
Previously configured recovery alternatives, such as a compatible Recovery Key or eligible completed Recover backup, have their own supported procedures. Ledger’s restoration help discusses those options. A new subscription cannot retroactively back up keys that were already lost.
Reconnect the Recovered Wallet to the App
Install the appropriate supported client from Ledger’s official distribution page. Choose onboarding for the device you have initialized through restoration. Install necessary coin apps through My Ledger and discover the supported blockchain accounts you used before.
Account discovery can require selecting the right asset, chain, and account format. A restored app may not remember your custom names or all prior account selections. Compare the public records instead of concluding that a default label indicates a new wallet.
Confirm the Result Before Using the Wallet
Compare an Existing Address or History
Use trusted non-secret records to establish that the intended accounts returned. A familiar balance by itself is weaker evidence than a matching account and relevant transaction history, especially when similarly named assets exist on several networks.
Verify a Receiving Destination
Follow the app’s current Receive workflow and check the address on the hardware. Do not accept a destination supplied by someone claiming to confirm the recovery remotely.
Review the Backup’s Privacy
If the phrase was exposed to an untrusted computer or person during earlier attempts, successful restoration does not make it secret again. Consult official incident guidance for that separate issue rather than relying on a new app password.
Device-Recovery Questions
Can I choose a different replacement PIN?
The PIN protects physical device access. The phrase and additional passphrase determine the keys, so a different PIN is not the same as a different wallet.
Why are saved account names missing?
Names can belong to the old local installation. Restore them after identifying the actual accounts through public information.
Can support verify the phrase if I send it privately?
Do not send it. Provide the device model, error, selected word count, and recovery stage. Support can explain the procedure without receiving control of the wallet.