Ledger is one of the most trusted hardware wallet brands, and its companion application, Ledger Live, is the go-to interface for managing your crypto portfolio. It lets users send, receive, swap, and stake assets—all while interacting securely with the Ledger device.
However, in a world where data tracking, IP logging, and surveillance are common, many users ask:
"How can I use Ledger Live without compromising my privacy?"
This guide will walk you through best practices, privacy settings, and tools to protect your personal and financial data while using Ledger Live in 2025.
Ledger Live connects to the internet to:
Sync portfolio data (token balances, values)
Broadcast transactions
Fetch coin apps and firmware updates
Retrieve price feeds, staking rewards, NFT metadata
Ledger uses its own infrastructure and servers to provide much of this data. While this improves performance and reliability, it also raises concerns about:
IP address tracking
Wallet balance exposure
Usage analytics
That’s why being mindful of what’s shared—and how—is essential.
Ledger Live includes a Privacy Mode feature you can activate in settings.
Open Ledger Live.
Go to Settings (gear icon) → General.
Scroll to find “Privacy Mode”.
Toggle it ON.
Hides wallet balances from the UI when idle
Disables telemetry/usage analytics (if opted out)
Prevents screen previews (useful in public/shared environments)
While it doesn’t prevent IP tracking or remote node queries, it’s a good basic layer of privacy—especially for shared computer environments.
By default, Ledger Live may collect anonymous analytics to improve the app. You can opt out during setup or anytime later.
Go to Settings → Help or Experimental Features.
Toggle off:
“Send anonymous usage data”
“Participate in the user experience improvement program”
Usage tracking
Device error logging
Telemetry to Ledger’s servers
Note: Opting out does not disable all network activity—just background analytics.
Your IP address reveals your location and behavior to external servers. Even without KYC, your public wallet addresses can be tied to IPs.
To avoid IP tracking:
Choose a no-log VPN provider (ProtonVPN, Mullvad, NordVPN, etc.)
Always connect before opening Ledger Live
This masks your IP from Ledger and any third-party services (e.g., for price feeds or staking APIs).
Ledger Live doesn’t officially support TOR, but you can route your entire OS through TOR using Tails OS or set up TOR as a proxy for the app.
⚠️ Note: This may impact performance and app connectivity.
Your wallet may be private—but actions can unintentionally reveal identity. Here’s what to avoid:
Buying crypto from exchanges and sending directly to Ledger
Swapping tokens inside Ledger Live using KYC-based services
Using the same wallet for both public and private activity
Use fresh receiving addresses where possible
Use separate wallets/accounts for public vs. private funds
Don’t reuse addresses unless necessary
Ledger Live supports multiple accounts per asset—use this to segregate activity.
Ledger Live regularly checks for updates, which involves pinging Ledger’s servers. While these are legitimate, users who want full privacy may wish to disable or delay this.
On Linux or Mac, you can run Ledger Live in a sandboxed environment and control update behavior.
On Windows, disable auto-launch and restrict update checks via firewall rules or system settings.
⚠️ Warning: This is only for advanced users, as updates often include security patches.
In 2023, Ledger announced Ledger Recover, a subscription-based recovery service that encrypts and shards your seed phrase with external providers (ID-verified).
This sparked controversy due to privacy concerns:
Requires ID verification
Involves third-party custody of key fragments
Optional, but may raise red flags for privacy-focused users
If you’re privacy-conscious, do not enable Ledger Recover.
Stick with manual seed storage (offline, in metal or paper backups).
By default, Ledger Live connects to Ledger's own nodes (for BTC, ETH, etc.). This means your public addresses and transactions are visible to them.
Advanced users can configure custom nodes to reduce reliance on Ledger’s infrastructure.
Data stays on your infrastructure
Avoids centralized node queries
Enhances privacy
For Bitcoin: Use your own Electrum server
For Ethereum: Point Ledger Live to your Infura/Alchemy node—or run a local one via Geth or Erigon
This option is hidden under Developer Settings, and setup varies by asset.
Even if your app shows “safe” public data, screenshots may contain:
Wallet names
Account balances
NFT metadata
Email addresses (for purchases or integrations)
Avoid sharing screenshots of your Ledger Live dashboard publicly—use redaction tools or blur tools if needed.
Never download Ledger Live from unofficial sources. Many fake versions exist online—especially in app stores or APK repositories.
Check hashes of the installer if you're paranoid, and verify digital signatures.
Also: Ledger will never ask for your seed phrase via email, phone, or app.
| Action | Status |
|---|---|
| Use Ledger Live in Privacy Mode | ✅ |
| Disable telemetry and analytics | ✅ |
| Use a VPN or TOR | ✅ |
| Avoid linking exchange accounts | ✅ |
| Don’t enable Ledger Recover | ✅ |
| Use separate wallets for activities | ✅ |
| Consider using your own node | ✅ |
Ledger Live is a powerful, user-friendly wallet management app. While it does trade some privacy for convenience, you can significantly enhance your anonymity and data protection by taking the right precautions.