Setup MetaMask extension with Ledger
How To Set Up Metamask To Connect To Ledger
First, get yourself a Ledger hardware wallet to safeguard your private keys. Ledger devices come with a software called Ledger Live (available on mobile & desktop), which is basically the equivalent of the app store to the iPhone, providing you with a safe gateway to all your crypto services and downloadable for free through this link.
From there, you’ll also need to install Metamask. MetaMask is a browser extension compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Brave and Edge, so make sure you’re using a compatible internet browser before you get started. Plus, make sure to find the official Metamask website to download the wallet fake wallet sites are a potential scam you could encounter.
Once you have those elements sorted, you’re ready to begin. Here’s a step by step guide on how to set it up:
Open Ledger Live and Click on “Accounts” on the left hand side.
Create your Ethereum account by clicking ‘add an Ethereum account’
Open Metamask to set up a new wallet. Here you’ll then face an important question: create new wallet, or import existing wallet. Here, opt to create new wallet. We’ll explain why below.
Approve the next page: this relates to sharing data with MetaMask
Create a password when prompted on the page that follows: this will be your login credential for each time you want to use MetaMask going forward.
On the next screen, you’ll receive the recovery phrase words for your MetaMask wallet. Once you’ve confirmed that you’ve seen and recorded this phrase, your MetaMask set-up is complete.
Which Recovery Phrase Do I use?
You might be wondering at this point what the difference is between the MetaMask recovery phrase and the one you received when you first set up your Ledger device.
The answer is pretty simple – each phrase relates to a separate set of addresses on the blockchain. The difference is that the Ledger recovery phrase has never been exposed online, while the MetaMask phrase has. This is an important vulnerability that all software wallets suffer – your keys and seed phrase are all generated online within the interface, and as you know, this leaves them open to hacks and spyware deployed via your connection. This is why it is so essential to use a wallet that generates this data offline and keeps it there.
In this process, we will be showing you how to use your Ledger device as your wallet, while leveraging MetaMask browser extension as an intermediary for interacting with Web3. This means that for you, the relevant words remain your Ledger recovery phrase. Make sure it’s stored safely, you know the drill!
How To Connect Your Ledger To Metamask
With that all clear, let’s walk through the steps of how you can connect Ledger to MetaMask, to enjoy seamless transactions while your keys stay entirely offline.
Step 1. Connect your Ledger device to your computer device using a USB cable. Also, open your MetaMask wallet in full screen on your browser. You can do this by logging in with the password you just set up.
Step 2: Click on the top-right menu of the MetaMask wallet and then find and click on “Connect Hardware Wallet” in the drop-down menu.
Step 3: When you click “Continue,” MetaMask will look for a Ledger device connected to the computer. So, to make sure it discovers your wallet, unlock your Ledger device.
Step 4: Once it discovers your wallet, it will prompt you to choose a Ledger account that you would want to connect to MetaMask. Choose the one you prefer and finish (or create one from Ledger Live if you have none).
Step 5: Some last steps to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Click on the “Ethereum application” on your device display then click on “settings” and turn on “blind signing” (please make sure you’re aware of the risks associated with blind signing). Or else it won’t work properly.
Open the MetaMask window, click on the account logo on the top right corner, scroll down to “settings” and click. Then click “advanced settings”, scroll down and turn on “WebHID”.
Tada, This will enable you to view your Ledger wallet balance on your MetaMask extension. You will also be able to transact across all blockchain applications that support MetaMask. The only thing you will need is to connect your Ledger wallet to your device open Ledger Live, verify and sign the transactions.
Step 6. Enjoy your ride: you can now interact with your favorite dApps from within the security of your hardware wallet, by selecting MetaMask on login.
If you’re having any trouble or feel a bit lost, this support page might be of help.
Metamask and Ledger: Accessible and Secure
Every few days there’s news about the theft of cryptocurrencies. In some instances, the loopholes of centralized platforms are to blame while in others, it’s the fault of the end-users. But you… you do not have to deal with that. You can simply peg together your MetaMask and Ledger device and make sure you give hackers a hard time!
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