Creating your wallet is the most important step in the entire Trezor setup process. This is where your private keys are born — generated entirely on the secure hardware inside your device, never exposed to your computer or the internet. Take your time here, work in a private space, and follow each step carefully. Rushing through wallet creation is the single most common cause of lost funds.
Before you begin, make sure you are alone and no cameras — including laptop webcams, phone cameras, or security cameras — can see your Trezor screen. Your recovery seed words will appear on the device display. Anyone who photographs or records these words can steal every coin in your wallet, now or years from now.
New Wallet or Recovery?
Trezor supports two paths at wallet creation time. Choose the one that fits your situation.
Create New Wallet
Recover Existing Wallet
Use this option when you are setting up your Trezor for the first time and have no existing seed to restore. Trezor generates a brand-new set of private keys using hardware-based randomness, then presents your recovery seed words on the device screen for you to record.Select 'Create new wallet' in Trezor Suite
With your Trezor connected and firmware installed, Trezor Suite displays the wallet creation screen. Click Create new wallet and confirm the selection on the Trezor device itself by pressing the appropriate button.
Choose your seed length
Select either a 12-word or 24-word recovery seed. A 24-word seed provides a higher level of entropy and is recommended for larger holdings or long-term storage. A 12-word seed offers the same elliptic-curve security as most modern wallets and is compatible with the majority of BIP-39 compliant apps. Confirm your choice on the device. Generate entropy on the device
Trezor prompts you to add additional randomness by shaking or touching the device (model-dependent). This step mixes your physical input with the hardware random-number generator to produce a seed that no one — not even Trezor — can predict. Follow the on-screen instructions until the entropy bar fills completely.
Write down your recovery seed words
Your seed words appear on the Trezor screen one at a time. Write each word, in exact order, on the recovery seed card included in your box. Use a pen — not a pencil. Write clearly. Double-check each word before pressing the button to advance to the next one. Your Trezor will never show you these words again after this step.
Confirm your seed words on the device
Trezor asks you to re-enter a selection of your seed words using the device’s interface to confirm you wrote them down correctly. Enter each requested word in the correct position. If you pass, your wallet is created. If you fail, Trezor repeats the seed display process — check your card carefully and try again.
1234 or repeated digits. Use this option if you previously owned a hardware or software wallet and want to restore access to those funds using an existing BIP-39 recovery seed. This works with seeds generated by any BIP-39 compatible wallet — not just Trezor.Select 'Recover wallet' in Trezor Suite
On the wallet creation screen, click Recover wallet. Confirm the action on the Trezor device by pressing the appropriate button.
Choose your seed length
Select the number of words in your existing recovery seed — 12, 18, or 24. This must match the seed you are restoring. Confirm on the device.
Enter your seed words on the device
Trezor prompts you to enter each seed word directly on the device using its input interface. Never type your seed words into Trezor Suite, a browser, or any computer application. The device input is the only safe entry point. Enter each word in the correct order as prompted.
Verify the recovered wallet
Once all words are entered, Trezor Suite derives your accounts and displays your portfolio. Check that the Bitcoin or Ethereum addresses shown match those from your previous wallet to confirm the recovery was successful.
Set a new PIN
Create a PIN for this device. Your PIN is device-specific — it is not part of your seed and does not travel with your backup. Choose something you will remember but others cannot guess.
If your original wallet used a passphrase (sometimes called the 25th word), you must re-enter that passphrase in Trezor Suite after recovery to access the correct wallet. Without the passphrase, Trezor opens the base wallet — a different set of addresses with a different balance.
After Wallet Creation
Your wallet is now live and protected by your device and PIN. As a next step, review Back Up Your Recovery Seed to ensure your seed card is stored in a location that protects it from fire, flood, theft, and accidental loss. Your seed is the ultimate backup — without it, no one, including Trezor, can recover your funds.
Consider enabling a passphrase for an additional layer of security. A passphrase creates a completely separate hidden wallet that is inaccessible without both the seed and the passphrase. Read more in the Advanced Features section. 