Switching hardware wallets does not require moving your crypto on-chain. You import your existing recovery phrase into the new device. This guide covers the full process, the correct order of steps, and every common setup problem — including the address mismatch issue that catches most people.
Hardware wallets store private keys, not crypto. Your Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other assets live on their respective blockchains. When you "migrate" from a Ledger to a Keystone 3 Pro, you are importing the same private keys (via your recovery phrase) into a new device — not transferring funds.
The result: the Keystone 3 Pro will display the exact same wallet addresses and balances as your Ledger did, without a single on-chain transaction. No gas fees, no confirmations, no waiting.
Gathering these items before you start prevents having to stop mid-setup — which is when mistakes happen.
Your 24-word (or 12-word) BIP39 recovery phrase written on the card that came with your Ledger. You will enter this directly on the Keystone device. Do not photograph or type it on any other device first.
If you configured an optional BIP39 passphrase (sometimes called a 25th word or hidden wallet) on your Ledger, you need it here. Without it, the Keystone will derive different wallet addresses from the same 24-word phrase.
Charge the device to at least 50% before starting. The initial setup process including firmware update and phrase import can take 30–60 minutes. A device shutdown mid-import requires restarting the entire phrase entry process.
The Keystone 3 Pro works with MetaMask (browser extension), Rabby Wallet, and other QR-code-compatible interfaces. Have your preferred wallet software installed and updated before you begin. Keystone also has an optional companion app for Bitcoin and multi-chain management.
Download the latest firmware from Keystone's official GitHub releases page to a microSD card. Always update firmware before importing a recovery phrase — not after. Verify the firmware file's SHA256 hash against the release notes before installing.
Complete this process alone, in a private location, with no cameras or screen-recording software active. The recovery phrase entry screen on the Keystone device should never be visible to others or captured in any image or video.
Power on the Keystone 3 Pro and insert the microSD card containing the downloaded firmware file. Navigate to Settings → Firmware Update and follow the on-screen instructions. The device will verify the file, install the update, and restart automatically. Always complete this step before importing your recovery phrase.
On the setup screen, choose "Import Wallet" (not "Create New Wallet"). This tells the device you will be entering an existing recovery phrase. Choose the correct phrase length — 24 words if that is what your Ledger uses.
Use the Keystone's touchscreen keyboard to enter each word of your recovery phrase in order. The device autocompletes from the BIP39 word list — if your word is not suggested, check the spelling against the official BIP39 word list (2048 words). Enter all 24 words, then tap Confirm. The device will validate the checksum of the phrase.
After phrase entry, the device will ask if you want to add a passphrase. If you used a BIP39 passphrase (hidden wallet / 25th word) on your Ledger, enter it now — character for character, matching case and spacing exactly. If you did not use a passphrase on Ledger, skip this step. An incorrect or missing passphrase is the most common cause of address mismatch between devices.
Create a strong numeric or alphanumeric password to unlock the device. Optionally enroll a fingerprint for quick authentication. This password protects physical access to the device — it is separate from your recovery phrase and does not affect your wallet addresses.
Before doing anything else, verify that the Keystone shows the same wallet addresses as your Ledger. In the Keystone's Accounts section, check the Ethereum address under the EVM account and the first Bitcoin receive address. Compare these against your Ledger Live display. If they match, the migration is complete and successful. If they do not match, do not proceed — see the troubleshooting section below.
In MetaMask (browser extension), go to Account Menu → Add Hardware Wallet → Keystone. The extension will display a QR code. On the Keystone, tap the scan icon in the top right corner and point the camera at the MetaMask QR code. The connection completes in seconds. Your existing Ethereum accounts will appear in MetaMask linked to the Keystone for signing.
| Issue | Most Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Addresses on Keystone do not match Ledger | BIP39 passphrase missing or incorrect, or wrong account type selected (Legacy vs SegWit vs Native SegWit) | Re-enter phrase with the exact passphrase used on Ledger. Ensure Bitcoin account type matches (check Ledger Live under Account Settings → Advanced) |
| Recovery phrase word not accepted by Keystone | Word is misspelled or not in the BIP39 English word list | Check the exact spelling against the official BIP39 word list (2048 words). Common confusions: "actor" vs "action", "glad" vs "blade". Ledger's word list is standard BIP39 English. |
| QR code not scanning in MetaMask | Screen brightness too low, camera permission not granted, or outdated MetaMask version | Set Keystone screen brightness to maximum. Grant camera access to the MetaMask extension in browser settings. Update MetaMask to version 10.25 or later. Use Chrome or Firefox — Safari has known QR camera restrictions with extensions. |
| Keystone shows "Invalid Checksum" after phrase entry | One or more words entered in the wrong order, or a word is incorrect | The BIP39 standard includes a checksum in the last word. An invalid checksum means at least one word is wrong or out of order. Re-enter the phrase carefully, word by word, against your physical recovery card. |
| Transaction signing QR code is too complex for MetaMask camera to read | Complex transaction (many token approvals or DeFi interactions) generates a dense, multi-frame animated QR code | Hold the camera steady and let the Keystone loop through all QR frames. MetaMask assembles multi-frame QR codes automatically — do not tap until MetaMask confirms the full scan. Increase ambient lighting. |
| Keystone 3 Pro not showing ERC-20 tokens | Keystone's on-device display only shows native coins (ETH, BTC, etc.) — ERC-20 tokens are managed in the connected wallet app | This is by design. ERC-20 tokens appear in MetaMask once your Keystone account is connected. Add the token contract address in MetaMask → Import Tokens if the token is not displayed automatically. |
Understanding the architecture difference helps you use the Keystone 3 Pro correctly — particularly the air-gapped signing model.
The Keystone 3 Pro never connects to a computer via USB or Bluetooth. Every transaction is signed via QR code — the device displays a signed QR that MetaMask or another wallet reads. The private key never leaves the device and the device never touches the internet.
Keystone's firmware is fully open source on GitHub. Security researchers can audit the signing code directly. This is a meaningful transparency advantage over partially open-source alternatives — you can verify what the device is doing with your keys.
The 4-inch touchscreen displays full transaction details before signing — including the destination address, token amount, and gas parameters. This makes blind signing nearly impossible. On Ledger's smaller screen, verifying complex DeFi transactions requires multiple button presses to scroll through data.
No. Your crypto is not stored on the hardware wallet — it lives on the blockchain. The wallet stores only the private keys. When you import your 24-word recovery phrase into the Keystone 3 Pro, you will see the exact same wallet addresses and balances as your Ledger. No on-chain transaction is needed to switch devices.
Yes. Both Ledger and Keystone 3 Pro use the BIP39 standard for recovery phrases. Any valid 12-word or 24-word BIP39 phrase from a Ledger device can be imported into the Keystone 3 Pro. The Keystone will derive the same wallet addresses from the same phrase.
The most common cause is a BIP39 passphrase (25th word). If you used one on your Ledger, you must enter the same passphrase on the Keystone 3 Pro. Without it, the device derives different addresses. The second cause is a derivation path or account type mismatch — confirm the Bitcoin account type (Legacy, SegWit, Native SegWit) matches what your Ledger account used.
QR scan failures are usually caused by screen brightness set too low on the Keystone (increase to maximum in Settings), camera permission not granted to the MetaMask browser extension, or using an outdated MetaMask version. Update MetaMask to version 10.25 or later, which includes the Keystone QR connector. Use Chrome or Firefox rather than Safari.
Yes — always update the Keystone 3 Pro firmware before importing a recovery phrase. Firmware updates applied after phrase import can require re-entering the phrase during the update process. Updating first avoids this extra step. Download firmware only from Keystone's official GitHub releases page and verify the SHA256 hash before installing.
Hardware wallet migration issues often come down to a single detail — a passphrase character, a wrong account type, or a firmware version. Our specialists can diagnose your specific situation using only your public wallet addresses, with no access to your private keys or recovery phrase.
Independent third-party service. Not affiliated with Ledger SAS or Keystone. We never ask for your recovery phrase or private keys — ever.