Trezor Bridge: Your Gateway to Secure Cryptocurrency Management

What is Trezor Bridge?

Trezor Bridge is a small background application that runs locally on your computer and exposes a secure, local-only API for browsers and wallet applications to communicate with your Trezor® hardware wallet. Because many browsers lack direct low-level USB or HID access, Bridge acts as the safe translator that enables interactions (device detection, firmware updates, transaction signing) while ensuring critical cryptographic operations remain inside the Trezor device itself.

Why Bridge matters for security

Bridge minimizes the attack surface by avoiding remote access to your hardware. It listens only on the local loopback (localhost), requires explicit app-level permission, and forces on-device confirmation for every sensitive action (like signing a transaction or approving firmware). That means even if your computer is compromised, an attacker cannot sign transactions without the physical device and your confirmation.

Security tip: always verify the recipient address and amount on your Trezor device screen — never trust only the host application's preview.

Install & update: quick steps

Download Trezor Bridge from the official Trezor website — never from third-party mirrors.
Run the installer for your OS (Windows, macOS, Linux) and allow the service to run in the background.
Restart your browser if instructed, then open your wallet app or the Trezor start page to detect the device.
When Bridge updates are available, install them promptly — updates often include security and compatibility fixes.

If you're using a web-based wallet, the Bridge service enables the page to request a connection to your device; you'll still need to confirm actions physically on the Trezor screen.

Troubleshooting common issues

Connection issues are usually simple to resolve:

Confirm Bridge is running (check system tray / background services).
Try a different USB cable or port and avoid unpowered USB hubs.
Restart your browser or clear cache if the web wallet doesn't detect the device.
Ensure Bridge and device firmware are up to date; follow on-device prompts to confirm updates.

Warning: if any site or software asks you to disable Bridge's security checks or to type your recovery seed into the browser, stop immediately — that is a scam.

Privacy & permissions

Bridge communicates over localhost and does not expose your Trezor to the internet. It requires local applications to request permission, and all sensitive operations require on-device user confirmation. Bridge itself does not collect user funds, seeds, or telemetry beyond what the official installer may include — always check the Trezor privacy policy if you need specifics.

Advanced notes for power users

Developers building integrations should follow the official Trezor developer documentation and avoid bypassing the on-device confirmation model. Bridge provides a stable local endpoint for testing and production integrations; use signed firmware and verified protocols to maintain trustworthiness in your integration.