Trezor® Bridge

The Secure Connection for Your Hardware Your Official Trezor® Bridge Guide

The Trezor Bridge is an essential piece of software that facilitates a secure and reliable connection between your Trezor hardware wallet and the Trezor Suite web application. It is a lightweight, background program that ensures your device can communicate with your browser safely, without needing to install any additional browser extensions. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the Trezor Bridge, from its purpose to its installation and troubleshooting.

Download Trezor Bridge Learn More

What is Trezor Bridge and Why is it Necessary?

Trezor Bridge is a small, standalone application that runs in the background on your computer. Its sole purpose is to act as an intermediary, enabling a secure communication channel between your physical Trezor device and the Trezor Suite web application, which runs in your browser. Without the Bridge, your browser would not be able to "see" and communicate with the Trezor device. This communication layer is crucial because it ensures that all sensitive data, such as transaction details and PIN entries, are routed directly and securely to your device without being intercepted by malicious browser extensions or websites.

The reason we use a dedicated Bridge instead of a browser extension is for enhanced security. While browser extensions can be convenient, they can also be susceptible to vulnerabilities or malicious code. By keeping the communication protocol isolated in a separate, trusted application, we eliminate a significant attack vector. The Trezor Bridge adheres to strict security standards, and because it's a closed-source, signed application, you can be confident that it has not been tampered with. It acts as a trusted guardian, only allowing legitimate communication between the Trezor Suite and your device, rejecting any attempts from third-party applications to interact with your hardware wallet without your explicit permission.

This design choice is a core part of Trezor's commitment to creating an "air-gapped" experience, where your private keys and seed words never touch the internet. The Bridge is the final piece of the puzzle that allows you to manage your offline wallet in an online environment without compromising its security. It is the invisible backbone of a secure and seamless user experience, making sure that your hardware wallet is always ready and connected when you need it, while remaining impervious to the threats of the web.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

  1. Step 1: Download the Installer. The first step is to download the correct Trezor Bridge installer for your operating system. Go to the official Trezor website or the Trezor Suite application and find the download link for the Bridge. There are separate versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is absolutely crucial that you only download the installer from the official source. Phishing websites might offer fake versions of the Bridge that are designed to steal your funds, so always double-check the URL before you download.
  2. Step 2: Run the Installer. Once the download is complete, locate the file and run it. The installation process is straightforward and will guide you through a few simple steps. On Windows, you will likely see a standard installer wizard. On macOS, you will drag the application into your Applications folder. For Linux, the process might involve running a command line script. Follow the on-screen instructions carefully. The installation is typically very fast, as the software is lightweight.
  3. Step 3: Connect Your Trezor Device. After the installation is complete, you should physically connect your Trezor device to your computer using the USB cable. The Trezor Bridge will automatically detect your device. You may need to wait a few seconds for the device to be recognized. On some systems, the operating system might prompt you to allow the device to connect, in which case you should grant the necessary permissions.
  4. Step 4: Launch Trezor Suite. Finally, open the Trezor Suite application, either the desktop version or the web version (suite.trezor.io). The application will now be able to communicate with your Trezor device through the Bridge. You should see a prompt to unlock your device by entering your PIN. This confirms that the Bridge is working correctly and a secure connection has been established. If you do not see this prompt, it may be an indication of a connection issue, which we will cover in the next section.

Troubleshooting Common Trezor Bridge Issues

Issue: Device Not Found

If Trezor Suite or the web application says "Trezor device not found," there are a few things you can check. First, ensure your Trezor Bridge is running. It's a background process, so check your task manager (Windows) or activity monitor (macOS) to confirm it is active. Second, try using a different USB port on your computer, or even a different USB cable. A faulty cable or port is a common cause of connection issues. Finally, try restarting your computer. A simple restart can often resolve minor software conflicts that prevent the Bridge from functioning correctly.

Issue: Trezor Bridge is not installing

Installation issues are often caused by antivirus software or firewall settings blocking the installation. Temporarily disabling your antivirus or adjusting your firewall settings might be necessary. It is also possible that a previous installation of the Bridge was not completely uninstalled. In this case, you should manually remove all files related to the Trezor Bridge and then try to install it again. Make sure you are running the installer as an administrator (on Windows) to ensure it has the necessary permissions.

Issue: Trezor Bridge says "Connection Refused"

This error typically indicates that the Trezor Bridge is running, but something is preventing the Trezor Suite from communicating with it. This is often a firewall or network issue. Ensure that your firewall is not blocking communication between Trezor Suite and the Bridge. You may need to create a specific rule to allow this communication. If you are on a corporate or public network, there may be network restrictions in place that prevent the connection. In this case, trying a different network or using a VPN might help resolve the issue.

FAQs: Securely Connecting to Your Trezor

Is the Trezor Bridge an open-source application?

No, the Trezor Bridge is a closed-source application, which might seem counterintuitive for a security-focused company. However, this is a deliberate security choice. By keeping the Bridge closed-source, we can guarantee its integrity and ensure that it has not been modified by any third party. The closed-source nature makes it much harder for malicious actors to introduce vulnerabilities. The most critical security components—the Trezor device's firmware and the Trezor Suite's core code—are, and will always be, open-source, allowing them to be audited by the community.

Why do I have to install software on my computer to use a hardware wallet?

The need for the Trezor Bridge stems from the security architecture of modern browsers. To prevent malicious websites from directly communicating with connected USB devices, browsers limit this functionality. The Trezor Bridge serves as a secure work-around. It is a signed, verified program that has the necessary permissions to communicate with the USB device, and it exposes a minimal, secure API that the Trezor Suite can use. This provides a clean separation of concerns and a much more secure user experience than a browser extension could offer, which would have access to all your browser activity.

Does the Trezor Bridge save my sensitive information?

Absolutely not. The Trezor Bridge does not store any sensitive information, such as your PIN, passphrase, or private keys. It is a stateless relay. Its only job is to route secure messages between your Trezor device and the Trezor Suite application. This ensures that even if your computer is compromised, the Bridge itself does not contain any information that an attacker could use to steal your funds. Your private keys and recovery seed are always safe and securely stored on your hardware device.