Trezor Bridge

The secure gateway to your Trezor Hardware Wallet®

What is Trezor Bridge?

Trezor Bridge is a lightweight native application that creates a secure communication channel between your web browser and your Trezor Hardware Wallet®. While web browsers restrict direct access to local USB devices for safety, Bridge allows your browser to discover and securely interact with your Trezor device without exposing your private keys.

Why Bridge exists

Modern browsers prioritize security and sandboxing. Without a helper application, web apps cannot talk directly to USB devices. Trezor Bridge acts as a small, trusted intermediary that listens on your machine and forwards encrypted commands from the official Trezor web apps to your hardware wallet. This design keeps crucial cryptographic operations on the device itself — the only place your private keys should ever reside.

Hardware isolation
Private keys never leave your Trezor device.
Signed firmware checks
Bridge verifies firmware integrity before interacting.
Cross-platform
Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Open-source roots
See the project's public repositories and audits.

How it works (briefly)

  1. Your browser loads the official Trezor web interface from the secure domain.
  2. The web app requests to communicate with a Trezor device; the request is routed to Bridge running locally on your machine.
  3. Bridge forwards encrypted JSON-structured commands to the device over USB, the device displays and signs operations on-screen, and only signed responses are returned.

Security guarantees

Trezor Bridge is designed to minimize the attack surface. It performs strict origin checks so that only web pages served from the official Trezor domains can trigger device interactions. All sensitive operations — key derivation, transaction signing, seed generation — happen on the hardware itself. Bridge facilitates communication but never learns your secret seed or private keys.

Installation & recommended setup

For most users the simplest path is:

  • Download Bridge from the official Trezor site and install it on your computer. Download Trezor Bridge.
  • Visit the Trezor web wallet to initialize your device or connect an existing wallet. Open Trezor Start.
  • Keep your firmware updated via the official upgrade flow to ensure latest security fixes. Firmware updates.

Troubleshooting common issues

If your browser cannot detect the device:

  • Confirm Bridge is running in your system tray. Re-open it from the start page if needed.
  • Try a different USB cable or port — many problems come from faulty cables.
  • Update Bridge to the latest version or reinstall from the official download page. Bridge download.
  • Check the comprehensive support guides on the official support center. Support center.

Privacy considerations

Because Bridge is a local application, it does not transmit your private keys or seed to any external server. Network interaction normally happens between the web interface and public block explorers or your chosen backend provider. You can use Bridge while pairing it with different software wallets or applications, but always prefer official or well-reviewed third-party integrations and verify domain origins before authorizing operations.

Advanced usage & developer notes

Developers building integrations can find SDKs, API references, and device protocol documentation in the public developer resources and repositories. Explore the code and contribute via the official project repositories on GitHub.

Learn more — Developer docs GitHub

FAQ

Q: Is Bridge safe to install?
A: Yes — provided you download it from the official Trezor domain and verify the installer checksums when available. See the official security page for best practices. Security practices.

Q: Can I use Bridge with other wallets?
A: Many wallets support Trezor devices via Bridge; always consult compatibility docs to confirm supported features. Compatibility list.

Why choose a hardware wallet + Bridge?

Combining hardware isolation with a modern web UX gives you the best of both worlds: the highest cryptographic protection for your keys and a simple interface for everyday crypto tasks. Bridge stays out of the critical path for security — it only transports commands and responses, while the device itself enforces confirmation of every sensitive action via its screen and buttons.

This article is a concise guide to the purpose and safe use of Trezor Bridge. Always consult official resources for step-by-step instructions and the latest downloads.