Welcome — Why security first
Starting in crypto is exciting, but the most important habit for long-term success is protecting your keys and learning how your tools work. This presentation gives you a complete, non-technical guide to set up a hardware wallet, understand backups, manage everyday transactions, and avoid common mistakes. It’s created to be read as a short live presentation or printed as speaker notes.
1. Prepare
Decide on a dedicated device (phone or computer) for setup. Never use a shared or public machine. Ensure you have pen and paper for seed words and two small, secure storage places.
2. Purchase
Buy hardware wallets only from official stores or authorized resellers. Unopened packaging reduces risk of tampering — inspect the box for seals and authenticity markers.
3. Initialize
Follow on-device instructions. Generate a new seed phrase on the device itself — never on a connected computer. Create a PIN and enable a passphrase if you want an additional hidden account layer.
4. Backup
Write your recovery seed exactly in order on paper or steel backup. Store copies in separate safe places. Treat your seed like the key to your bank vault — if lost, funds are gone.
Practical tips
- Use a short, memorable name for the device and keep firmware up to date from the official site only.
- Test a small transaction first to confirm everything works before moving larger amounts.
- Avoid cloud-based screenshots of QR codes or seeds. Physical backups are superior.
- Consider a metal seed backup if you plan to hold funds for many years.
Suggested slide — 'How a hardware wallet works'
A hardware wallet stores private keys offline and signs transactions inside the device. When you approve an action on the device, it returns a signed transaction to the app — your private key never leaves the hardware wallet. Think of it as a secure co-location that performs signing but never exposes your secret.