Trezor Bridge — The Secure Gateway to Your Hardware Wallet®

A concise presentation describing what Trezor Bridge is, how it works, how to install and maintain it securely, and where to find official resources and developer guidance.

Overview

Trezor Bridge is the communication layer historically used to connect Trezor hardware wallets to desktop browsers and apps. It acts as a local, secure gateway that translates web or application requests into USB/HID messages the device understands, ensuring user secrets remain on the hardware device and are never exposed to the host application. For many users the functionality of Bridge is now integrated into or replaced by the official Trezor Suite, but Bridge remains relevant for certain legacy workflows and developer tooling. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Why Bridge matters

A hardware wallet’s core security promise is that private keys never leave the device. Bridge provides a minimal, purpose-built conduit so that management apps and browsers can communicate with a Trezor device without directly handling sensitive data. This reduces attack surface by keeping cryptographic operations on-device and delegating only command/response traffic over a local, ephemeral connection.

Installation & current status

How to install

Historically, users downloaded and installed the standalone Bridge package for their OS. Today, Trezor encourages users to use Trezor Suite (desktop or web) which includes recommended connectivity and automatically manages Bridge-like functionality for you. If you still need a standalone Bridge build for a legacy toolchain, official download instructions and verification steps are available on Trezor's site. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Deprecation note

Important: Trezor has announced the deprecation and removal path for the standalone Trezor Bridge in favor of integrated connectivity via Trezor Suite and modern browser APIs. Users are advised to follow the official guidance for uninstalling any standalone Bridge builds and migrating to supported tooling. Follow the notice and migration instructions on the official Trezor guides. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

OS and browser requirements

Supported operating systems and browsers are documented by Trezor; always use an up-to-date browser and follow the OS-specific installation and verification steps to avoid compatibility or security issues. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Security model & best practices

Core principles

Trezor’s design is centered on isolation: the private key operations occur only on the device, user confirmations are required on-device, and software on the host machine is treated as untrusted. Bridge simply conveys requests and responses — it does not grant any application privileged access to keys or PINs. Always update device firmware and host software from official sources and confirm fingerprints and checksums where provided. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Practical tips

For developers

APIs and codebase

The Trezor Bridge daemon and supporting libraries have public repositories and developer documentation. Developers integrating Trezor into external wallets or tools should consult the official developer portal, the Bridge/trezord codebase, and the protobuf command specifications to implement safe, minimal integrations. Example implementations and client libraries are available on GitHub. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

When to use Bridge vs. native integration

Prefer modern direct integrations supported by Trezor Suite and the latest browser interfaces where possible. Use Bridge only for legacy systems or when device access via USB/HID is required and there is no alternative.

Maintenance & release notes

Keep an eye on official release notes and firmware changelogs. Trezor publishes product updates and firmware changelogs which explain fixes, improvements, and compatibility changes—critical reading for anyone managing hardware wallets at scale. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Official resources (10 links)

Below are 10 official, authoritative pages and repositories you can rely on for downloads, documentation, and security guidance. Open any in a new tab.

These links point to official documentation, downloads, and repositories. Use them as the single source of truth for installation, security advisories, and developer references.