Secure Connection for Your Hardware Wallet — A complete technical and educational guide explaining how Trezor® Bridge works, why it exists, and how it protects your digital assets through a secure communication layer.
Trezor® Bridge is a dedicated background service designed to establish a secure, encrypted communication channel between a Trezor hardware wallet and your web browser. It removes the limitations imposed by browser security sandboxes and ensures your hardware device can safely interact with supported wallet interfaces.
Unlike browser extensions, Trezor® Bridge operates independently of the browser, reducing exposure to malicious scripts, phishing injections, and unauthorized data interception.
Modern browsers intentionally restrict direct USB access. This improves safety but prevents reliable hardware communication. Trezor® Bridge bypasses this limitation through a trusted local service.
Bridge eliminates the need for risky browser plugins. The hardware wallet never exposes private keys, and all signing operations remain inside the device.
It supports multiple browsers and operating systems, providing a consistent experience regardless of your setup.
Trezor® Bridge functions as a local HTTP service. When a compatible web wallet loads, it sends a request to the Bridge running on your computer. The Bridge then forwards that request to the hardware wallet using secure USB protocols.
All sensitive operations such as transaction signing, address confirmation, and seed protection remain isolated within the Trezor hardware environment.
Trezor® Bridge automatically detects your operating system and installs the correct background service without requiring manual configuration.
Once installed, Bridge runs silently in the background. You do not need to manually start or manage it.
Updates ensure compatibility with new browsers and firmware while maintaining security integrity.
Bridge listens exclusively on localhost. No external connections are allowed, preventing remote exploitation attempts.
Communication between browser and device uses encrypted channels, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality.
All sensitive confirmations must be approved on the hardware screen, protecting against malware-driven attacks.
If your browser fails to detect the hardware wallet, ensure that Trezor® Bridge is installed and running. Firewall or antivirus software may occasionally block local services and should be reviewed.
Regular updates protect against vulnerabilities and improve protocol support.
Only interact with official wallet interfaces and confirm addresses on the hardware screen.
Avoid public or shared computers when accessing hardware wallets.