What you need
The device new and sealed, its cable, an up-to-date smartphone or computer, and above all a durable medium on which to write the seed phrase. A steel plate is better than the cardboard card supplied in the box.
Guides & tutorials
Set up your wallet without a misstep
The first start-up is the most critical moment in the life of a hardware wallet: this is when the keys are born and when the backup is decided. Every guide follows the manufacturer's official procedure, step by step, with the points of caution that the manuals leave unsaid.
- ⚡ Tangem
- 🛡️ Ellipal
- 🔑 Keystone
- 💳 CoolWallet
- 🔐 SafePal
5
brands coveredby complete guides
10
models detailed,from the NFC card to air-gapped
18
documented steps,56 checkpoints
5-12
minutes per setup,no technical prerequisites
Preparation
Three minutes of preparation, zero regrets
Initialisation creates keys that nobody can regenerate on your behalf. Meet these three conditions before unboxing the device: they prevent the vast majority of unpleasant surprises.
Where to do it
Alone, in a closed room, out of view of any camera — including the one on your own phone and home security cameras. No screen sharing, no video call running in the background.
How long it takes
Between 5 and 12 minutes depending on the model, but do not put yourself under pressure. An initialisation interrupted at the wrong moment has to be started again from scratch — a quiet quarter of an hour is better.
The library
Choose your model
Every guide follows the manufacturer's official procedure. Filter by brand or search directly for the name of your device.
What next?
The three actions that complete the setup
An initialised wallet is not yet a reliable wallet. These three checks turn a configuration that “looks like it works” into a device you can count on.
01
Test the restore before putting anything on it
Reset the device and restore it from your paper or steel backup. It is the only way to know whether you wrote the words down correctly, in the right order. A backup that has never been tested is not a backup, it is an assumption.
02
Send a token amount, then send it back
A few euros are enough. The round trip validates the whole chain: receiving an address, checking that address on the device screen, signing, broadcasting. You will know exactly what a normal transaction looks like — so you will spot an anomaly.
03
Put the backup somewhere safe, in two places
Copy the phrase onto a durable medium and split it between two physically separate locations. Destroy every intermediate draft. If you have enabled a passphrase, it belongs somewhere other than the seed phrase — otherwise the two fall together.
Frequently asked questions
Before you get started
My model does not have a guide yet, what should I do?
Procedures within the same brand are very similar: the guide for a neighbouring model will take you a long way. For the rest, refer to the manufacturer's official documentation — and to that alone. Write to us at contact@neowalt.com stating your model: we prioritise guides according to the requests we receive.
The device is showing a seed phrase that is already written. Is that normal?
No, and you must stop immediately. A new hardware wallet generates its seed phrase itself, in front of you, at the moment of initialisation. A pre-filled phrase — on the screen, on a card slipped into the box, in an email — means that somebody else already knows it. Do not transfer anything to it and contact the seller. See the Security page.
Can I carry out the setup from my phone?
Yes for most models, and it is even the only option for NFC cards such as Tangem. Simply make sure the system is up to date and that the app comes from the official store — check the publisher's exact name, clones are common and rank well in search results.
How much time should you really allow?
From 5 minutes (Tangem, everything happens over NFC) to about twelve (Ellipal, entirely offline via QR codes). Add ten minutes or so to write the backup down carefully and run the restore test. It is the best invested time of the whole process.
Not chosen your model yet?
Certification, connection type, battery life, compatibility, backup method: the comparison tool puts these criteria side by side across the whole range, so that your choice starts from how you will actually use it.
Self-custody calls for rigour: follow these guides closely and always check the procedures against the manufacturer's official documentation. Never share your seed phrase, with anyone.