Trezor Bridge is a lightweight background application that facilitates secure communication between your Trezor hardware wallet and the web interfaces or desktop applications that manage your crypto assets. Rather than exposing low-level USB protocols to browsers, Bridge provides a stable, permissioned channel: the browser or app talks to Bridge, and Bridge talks to the Trezor device.
Architecturally, Bridge acts as a small local HTTP server with strict origin policies; it is intentionally minimal to reduce the attack surface and to keep cryptographic operations confined to the device itself. This design ensures that private keys never leave the Trezor hardware β Bridge merely relays signed requests and device metadata.
How it works
When you connect a Trezor device, the operating system enumerates it as a USB device. Bridge detects the device and exposes a localhost endpoint that authorized web apps can call. Permission prompts and user interaction are always required on the hardware device to confirm sensitive operations (e.g., signing transactions), which preserves user sovereignty and mitigates remote attacks.
Download Bridge from the official Trezor website, run the installer, and allow the app to run in the background. On macOS and Windows the process is straightforward; on Linux you may need additional udev rules.
Bridge never touches your seed phrase or private keys. All sensitive operations are confirmed on-device. Keep Bridge updated and only use official downloads.
If a browser doesnβt detect your Trezor, restart Bridge, try a different USB cable, or check OS permissions. Clearing browser cache and reloading pages sometimes resolves handshake issues.
Installation notes
For most users the recommended path is to download the platform-specific installer from the official Trezor website and follow the guided steps. On Linux distributions, ensure that your user has the appropriate USB permissions β commonly resolved by adding a udev rule or running a small setup script supplied by SatoshiLabs.
Best practices
Always verify the authenticity of the downloaded Bridge installer by checking checksums or PGP signatures where available. Do not install Bridge from third-party mirrors. Use a dedicated, updated browser for crypto operations and enable hardware confirmations for sensitive tasks.
FAQ β
Q: Is Bridge required to use my Trezor?
A: For many browser-based wallets, yes β Bridge provides the necessary conduit. Some native apps support direct USB communication without Bridge.
Q: Can Bridge access my seed?
A: No β private keys and seed phrases remain on the device; Bridge only forwards requests and responses.
This article is intended to provide a clear, precise explanation of Trezor Bridge for security-conscious users and technical readers. Always follow official documentation and exercise caution with downloads and system permissions.