Trezor Bridge — Secure Connection for Your Trezor

What is Trezor Bridge?

Trezor Bridge is a small helper application that runs on your computer and enables secure communication between your Trezor hardware wallet and web applications (or the Trezor Suite desktop app). It acts as a bridge between your browser and the USB-attached Trezor device so that signing transactions and confirming addresses happens safely on the device itself.

Think of Trezor Bridge as a translator: your browser speaks web protocols, your Trezor speaks USB — Bridge lets them talk without exposing private keys to the web.

Why you need Trezor Bridge

• Secure device communication: ensures that transaction requests come from the application you opened, and signatures are confirmed on your Trezor.
• Browser compatibility: modern browsers restrict direct USB access; Bridge provides a supported, secure path.
• Stable connections: reduces flaky device detection and simplifies recovery from temporary USB disconnects.

System requirements & compatibility

Trezor Bridge supports major desktop platforms. Before installing, make sure you meet these basic requirements:

• Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.14+ (or later), or a recent Linux distribution.
• A USB port and the original USB cable (avoid cheap adapters that may disrupt data).
• Administrator privileges to install system components.

Installing Trezor Bridge — step by step

1. Open your browser and go to the official Trezor download/start page (look for trezor.io/start or the official Trezor site).
2. Download the Bridge installer for your operating system.
3. Run the installer and follow on-screen prompts. On macOS you may need to give permission in System Preferences → Security & Privacy.
4. After installation, restart your browser and reconnect your Trezor device.

When Trezor Bridge is running, web applications will prompt you to allow access to the device — always confirm the prompt and verify the address on the Trezor display before signing anything.

Keeping Bridge and your Trezor up-to-date

Security updates are important. Check for two kinds of updates regularly:

• Trezor Bridge updates: install newer Bridge versions when released — the installer will replace the previous version safely.
• Device firmware updates: firmware updates to your Trezor are performed via the official interface and are signed by Trezor. Always follow the device's on-screen instructions during a firmware upgrade.

Never install Bridge packages from third-party sites — always use Trezor's official download page.

Security best practices

• Only download Trezor Bridge from the official Trezor site and verify HTTPS in the browser bar.
• Confirm all transaction details on your Trezor device screen before approving — your device is the single source of truth.
• Keep your OS and browser updated; unpatched browsers may introduce vulnerabilities.
• Use a dedicated, trusted computer for large or frequent transactions where possible.
• Never enter your recovery seed into a computer or website. Recovery is done on-device or using an approved offline method.

Troubleshooting common issues

Bridge not detected / device not found

• Replug the USB cable and try another USB port — prefer direct motherboard ports over hubs.
• Restart Bridge (or your computer) and the browser.
• Temporarily disable browser extensions that might interfere (privacy blockers or USB-manager extensions).

Browser prompts missing

Make sure you've restarted the browser after installation. If prompts still don't appear, try an alternative supported browser (Chrome or Firefox are commonly recommended).

Permissions or driver problems on Windows

Run the Bridge installer as administrator. If drivers were not properly installed, re-run the installer and reboot the machine.

Trezor Bridge vs Trezor Suite

Trezor Bridge is the lightweight connectivity layer for browsers. Trezor Suite is the full desktop application that includes a built-in connection method and a more integrated experience (it bundles everything you need). If you prefer a standalone app rather than using web-based wallets, consider Trezor Suite for a consolidated environment.

FAQ — quick answers

• Do I always need Bridge? — If you use web wallets, yes. If you only use Trezor Suite desktop, Bridge may not be required.
• Is Bridge safe? — Yes — Bridge is a local application that does not transmit your private keys. Signatures always occur on-device.
• Can I use Bridge on Linux? — Yes; official installers or package instructions exist for major distributions.
• What if Bridge fails repeatedly? — Try reinstalling, test on another computer, and consult the official Trezor support resources if the issue persists.