Losing access to your Ledger device can be a heart-stopping moment. Maybe it fell into the ocean during a vacation, got chewed by a dog, or simply stopped working after years of use. The good news is that as long as you have your 24-word seed phrase written down and stored securely, your cryptocurrency is never truly lost.
In this guide, we will walk through the exact process of recovering your Ledger wallet onto a new device using your seed phrase. This process works for both the Ledger Nano X and Nano S Plus.
Before starting, if you want to check live crypto prices during recovery, our Price Tracker at Coin Advice gives you real-time market data.
What You Need Before Starting
- Your 24-word seed phrase (in the correct order)
- A new Ledger device (Nano X or Nano S Plus)
- Ledger Live software installed on your computer or phone
- A calm, quiet environment (no distractions)
- About 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted time
When Would You Need to Recover?
Common scenarios:
- Lost device: You misplaced your Ledger and cannot find it
- Stolen device: Someone stole your Ledger
- Damaged device: Your Ledger broke, got wet, or stopped working
- Reset device: You forgot your PIN and reset the device
- Upgrading: You bought a new Ledger and want to move your portfolio
In all these cases, your crypto is safe on the blockchain. The Ledger is just a key to access it. As long as you have the seed phrase, you can restore access on a new device.
Step 1: Buy a New Ledger Device
If you do not have a spare Ledger, you need to buy a new one. Only buy from the official Ledger website or authorized resellers. Never buy a used Ledger from eBay or Amazon third-party sellers, as they could be tampered with.
If you previously had a Nano S or Nano X, you can restore to any current Ledger model (Nano X, Nano S Plus, or even Ledger Stax).
Step 2: Initialize the New Device for Recovery
Unbox your new Ledger and connect it to your computer via USB-C.
- The device will power on and show "Welcome"
- Press both buttons simultaneously to navigate
- Continue until you see "Set up as new device" or "Restore device from recovery phrase"
- Select "Restore device from recovery phrase" by pressing both buttons
Step 3: Choose the Number of Words
The device will ask how many words are in your recovery phrase.
- Use the buttons to select "24 words" (most common)
- If you have a 12-word phrase (older setups), select "12 words"
- Press both buttons to confirm
Step 4: Enter Your Seed Phrase
This is the most critical and nerve-wracking part. You will enter each word one by one using the device buttons.
- The device will ask for word #1. Use the right button to cycle through letters, and both buttons to select a letter.
- Once you complete the word, the device will show a list of matching words. Select your word from the list.
- Repeat for word #2, #3, all the way to #24.
Step 5: Set a New PIN Code
After entering all 24 words, the device will ask you to set a new PIN code.
- Choose a 4-8 digit PIN using the buttons
- Confirm the PIN by entering it again
- Do not reuse your old PIN if someone might have stolen your device
Step 6: Your Device is Restored!
Once the PIN is set, your Ledger will display "Your device is now ready." All your cryptocurrency accounts are now accessible through this device.
The seed phrase you entered generated the exact same private keys as your old device, meaning you now have access to all the same addresses and funds.
Step 7: Connect to Ledger Live
Now open Ledger Live on your computer or phone.
- Click "Get started" or "Add account"
- Connect your restored Ledger and enter your PIN
- Ledger Live should detect the device
- Add your accounts (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.) by clicking "Add account"
- Your balances should appear once the accounts sync
Step 8: Verify Your Balances
Check that your account balances match what you expected. You can also verify your addresses on block explorers:
- Bitcoin: Search your address on blockchain.com or blockchair.com
- Ethereum: Search on etherscan.io
- Solana: Search on solscan.io
- Other chains: Use the appropriate block explorer
If the balances do not appear immediately in Ledger Live, try refreshing or clearing the cache in settings.
What If You Entered a Word Wrong?
If you realize you made a mistake while entering your seed phrase:
- Reset the device: Enter wrong PIN three times to factory reset
- Start over: Begin the recovery process again
- Go slower: Take your time entering each word
If you enter the wrong seed phrase, the device will generate different addresses, and you will not see your funds. In that case, reset and try again with the correct words.
If you are exploring new tokens after recovery, use our Token Checker to assess risks before interacting with unfamiliar projects.
Security After Recovery
If Your Old Device Was Stolen:
- Your funds are safe as long as the thief does not know your PIN
- After restoring to a new device, consider moving funds to fresh addresses for extra security
- The old device can be reset by entering wrong PINs, wiping it
If You Lost the Device:
- No action needed if no one finds it (they need your PIN)
- For peace of mind, you can restore to a new device and move funds to new addresses
Using Your Restored Ledger with DeFi
Just like before, you can connect your restored Ledger to MetaMask for DeFi interactions. This allows you to use Uniswap, Aave, and other protocols while keeping keys secure.
For finding the best DEX prices, 1inch aggregates liquidity across multiple exchanges. And our DEX Scanner helps you spot hot trading pairs before moving funds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Never type seed phrase on a computer - Only enter on the Ledger device
- Do not restore on software wallets - Use a hardware wallet for security
- Do not rush - Take your time entering each word
- Verify word order - The order matters as much as the words themselves
- Keep the new device secure - Store it safely like the original
Buying a New Ledger After Recovery
If you need to buy a replacement device, these are your options:
- Ledger Nano S Plus (~$79) - Best value, no Bluetooth
- Ledger Nano X (~$149) - Premium with Bluetooth
- Ledger Stax (~$399) - Premium touchscreen model
Buy directly from the official Ledger website to avoid tampered devices.
Final Thoughts
Losing your Ledger device is stressful, but the beauty of the seed phrase system is that your crypto is never truly lost. As long as you have those 24 words written down in the correct order, you can restore access on any compatible device.
The key is to stay calm, take your time entering the words, and only enter the seed phrase on the Ledger device itself. Never trust anyone or any website claiming they can "recover" your wallet by asking for your seed phrase.
Once your wallet is restored, you can buy more crypto on platforms like Coinbase, Binance, or Bybit and withdraw to your restored Ledger address.
For tracking your portfolio's performance over time, our Profit Calculator can help you calculate returns, and our Global Stats page provides live market data while your assets sit securely in cold storage.