Overview
This page gathers the documentation links, status checks, and troubleshooting steps users need when a companion app, API, or app manager shows errors. Short answer: check the official status page first. Then isolate whether the issue is remote, local, or device-level. I learned this after months of hands-on testing and repeated troubleshooting across desktop and mobile setups.
Why read this? Because companion tooling is more than a convenience — it is the bridge between your computer or phone and the hardware wallet. What happens when that bridge looks broken? This guide explains where to look and what to collect before escalating.
Official documentation & where to look
Always start with official references. They give authoritative status and troubleshooting steps:
I also watch the project's GitHub (https://github.com/LedgerHQ) for new issues and patches; community threads sometimes reveal transient problems before a status page is updated. (Yes, I pull logs and timestamps from those issues when composing a bug report.)
Related internal guides: ledger-live, firmware-updates, add-accounts-apps.
How to check API & tool status — Step by step
Step-by-step checklist (actionable):
- Visit the official status page and search for API or Live service incidents.
- Reproduce the error on another machine or phone to rule out local issues.
- Capture logs: companion app logs, console output, and timestamps.
- Check GitHub issues for recent similar reports.
- If remote outage is suspected, wait 10–30 minutes and retry, then open a support ticket with logs.
Why these steps? Because outages typically belong to one of three buckets: remote service outage, client-side issue, or device firmware mismatch. Which one you find determines the fix.
App Manager vs Manager app: what they do
The app manager (usually a section inside the companion app) installs and updates the small apps that run on the hardware wallet. The manager app is the utility that interacts with the distribution servers and your device.
| Feature |
Desktop App Manager |
Mobile App Manager |
| Installs device apps |
Yes |
Yes |
| Triggers firmware updates |
Yes |
Limited |
| Requires network/API access |
Yes |
Yes |
| Useful for debug |
Full logs |
Limited logs |
In my experience desktop managers provide richer diagnostic output. But mobile managers are handy on the go. And using both can help isolate whether the problem is network-related or device-related.
See connecting-desktop-mobile for cross-platform tips and chrome-extension-issues if you run legacy extensions.
Mobile apps (Android & Apple): permissions and pitfalls
Mobile apps require Bluetooth (and sometimes location on Android), background permissions, and access to system Bluetooth stacks. That raises two frequent questions: is Bluetooth safe? and why won't my phone detect the device?
Bluetooth increases attack surface compared with USB. For routine checks and low-value actions it’s an acceptable trade-off if both the phone and the companion app are updated. For large transfers or seed maintenance I prefer a wired connection or air-gapped signing workflows where possible. What I've found: many pairing failures are caused by OS power-saving features; disabling battery optimizers usually fixes discovery.
See detailed mobile troubleshooting: mobile-wallets and connectivity-usb-bluetooth-nfc.
Firmware and app updates: verifying authenticity
Devices verify firmware and app packages before installing them. The device's secure element checks signatures and requires a physical confirmation on the device screen, which prevents silent or remote installs. Do updates through the official companion app and follow the steps in firmware-updates and verify-firmware.
High-level steps:
- Open the companion app and go to the Manager or Firmware section.
- The app downloads signed packages and asks the device to confirm the fingerprint on its screen.
- Confirm the operation on the device itself.
Never install firmware from third-party packages or unverified sources.
Common errors and troubleshooting checklist
- Device not detected (USB): swap cables and ports; try a different OS.
- App install fails: check free app space on the device and the companion app logs.
- API 500 or timeout: consult the official status page and GitHub issues; collect logs and retry after waiting.
- Bluetooth pairing unstable: re-pair from system settings and disable battery optimizations.
But often the simplest action fixes the issue: reboot the host, restart the companion app, and try again.
Related internal pages: troubleshooting-connection, os-compatibility, forgot-pin.
Third-party APIs, integrations & risks
Third-party wallets and services use documented APIs or community SDKs. They can add convenience but also risk. Never paste your seed phrase into a third-party app. Treat third-party integrations as potentially untrusted until you verify code and signing practices.
For integration how-tos see: third-party-wallets, metamask-setup, myetherwallet-guide.
I believe multi-signature setups or distributed backups reduce vendor single points of failure. (Worth planning if you store significant funds.)
Monitoring options and community resources
Where to watch status:
- Official status page (subscribe for alerts).
- Developer GitHub issues and release notes.
- Community forums and dedicated threads.
If you run an automated check from a controlled environment you can rule out client-side failures and gather precise evidence (timestamps, request traces) to include in a support ticket, which accelerates resolution.
FAQ
Q: Can I recover my crypto if the device breaks?
A: Yes, with your seed phrase and any passphrase (25th word) you can restore on compatible hardware or recovery tools. See backup-and-recovery and passphrase-25th-word.
Q: What happens if the company goes bankrupt?
A: Your private keys remain under your control if you have backups. Multi-signature arrangements and geographic distribution of backups reduce reliance on a single vendor. See company-failure-recovery and cold-storage-strategies.
Q: Is Bluetooth safe for a hardware wallet?
A: Reasonably safe for routine use if both device firmware and companion apps are up to date; USB is lower risk for high-value operations. See connectivity-usb-bluetooth-nfc.
Conclusion & next steps
When you hit an app-manager or API error, check the official status page, collect logs, and test across devices. Start with documentation (developer and support pages), try the simple fixes, and then escalate with clear evidence. But do collect logs first — support teams resolve incidents faster with timestamps and traces. If you want step-by-step help for a specific model or recovery path, check the model guides: ledger-models, nano-s-guide, nano-s-plus-guide, and nano-x-guide.
Further reading & resources
