Trezör® Brïdge® — Secure Gateway to Your Hardware Wallet

What is Trezör Bridge?

Trezör Bridge is a small background application that runs on your computer and exposes a secure, local API that compatible web apps use to detect and communicate with connected Trezor devices. Unlike browser plugins that have broad access, Bridge is scoped to local, authenticated communication and always requires device confirmation for sensitive actions like signing transactions.

Why you should use it

Web browsers are powerful but can be risky places for cryptographic operations. Bridge provides a clean separation: transaction composition and broadcasting can happen in the browser, while private keys and signing remain on the hardware device. This reduces attack surface because a compromised website or browser cannot silently sign transactions without your physical approval on the Trezor device.

Key features

• Secure, mutually authenticated local communication (TLS) between browser and Bridge.
• Origin binding so the device displays which website requested the action.
• Cross-platform installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux (AppImage / DEB).
• Minimal permissions and session controls — grant, revoke, and manage site access easily.
• Developer-friendly modes for localhost testing, verbose logging, and testnets.

Installation — quick start

Installing Bridge is straightforward. Download the official package from the Trezor website for your operating system, verify the checksum if possible, and run the installer. On first run Bridge will create a secure local certificate so your browser can authenticate the connection. On Windows you may be asked for administrator privileges to set up TLS bindings; on macOS and Linux you may need to grant network or socket permissions.

How it works — the typical flow

When a dApp wants to use your Trezor, it follows a simple flow: the app detects Bridge, lists connected devices, and asks you to choose one. After you select and grant permission, the dApp sends a signing request to Bridge. Bridge forwards this to the device, which shows the origin and details for you to verify and approve. Only after you approve on-device will the signing occur and the result return to the dApp.

Security best practices

Bridge is secure by design, but your habits also matter. Always download Bridge from the official Trezor domain and verify checksums where available. Before approving any action, check the origin displayed on your device. Avoid authorizing requests from unfamiliar websites and disable Bridge auto-start on shared or public machines. Keep both Bridge and device firmware updated to receive security patches and feature improvements.

Privacy & telemetry

Bridge collects minimal telemetry to help diagnose crashes and improve reliability. No seeds, private keys, or transaction payloads are sent to remote servers. Telemetry can be disabled in Bridge settings if you prefer zero reporting.

Troubleshooting common problems

• Bridge not detected: Ensure Bridge is running (system tray/status area), restart your browser, and check for conflicting apps that may block local sockets.
• Device not found: Try another USB cable or port, avoid unpowered hubs, and ensure your device is unlocked with your PIN.
• Origin mismatch: If you see an origin mismatch, close the dApp and open it from the correct domain. Never approve requests from suspicious origins.

Advanced & developer notes

Developers should provide clear UI explaining what will be signed before calling Bridge. Use testnets and localhost modes during development and make sure to implement proper error handling for device disconnects, origin mismatches, and user rejections. For multisig or air-gapped workflows, Bridge supports PSBT export so you can sign offline and coordinate securely.

Enterprise & managed deployments

Organizations can deploy Bridge with preconfigured settings and whitelisted origins, simplifying large-scale rollouts. Policy-managed installs can lock down allowed sites and provide logging for audit purposes. For high-security environments prefer PSBT and air-gapped signing rather than allowing broad browser-based signing.

Closing thoughts

Trezör Bridge gives you the best of both worlds: the convenience of modern Web3 interfaces and the uncompromised security of hardware signing. Treat the device screen as your final authority, install Bridge only from official sources, and follow basic hygiene to keep your crypto safe. With Bridge running on your trusted machine, you can interact with the Web3 ecosystem confidently—without ever exposing your private keys.