What is Trezor Bridge?
Trezor Bridge is a piece of software designed to facilitate communication between your Trezor hardware wallet and your internet browser. In the past, this communication was handled by browser extensions, but as browser technologies evolved and security standards tightened, a more robust, standalone solution became necessary.
Unlike browser extensions, Trezor Bridge runs as a background process on your operating system. It creates a local web server that listens only to local connections, allowing web applications (like Trezor Suite for Web or third-party wallets like MetaMask) to interact with your device securely without needing direct access to your USB ports.
This architecture provides a significant security advantage: it isolates the hardware communication layer from the browser's complex and potentially vulnerable environment. By using Trezor Bridge, you ensure that your private keys never leave your device, while still enjoying the convenience of managing your assets via a web interface.
Key Features
Why Trezor Bridge is the industry standard for hardware wallet communication.
Secure Protocol
Uses a localized communication protocol that ensures data is only transmitted between your device and the authorized browser tab. No data is ever sent to external servers.
Cross-Browser Support
Works seamlessly with Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers without requiring specific extensions for each one.
Multi-Platform
Fully compatible with major operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux (deb/rpm), ensuring a consistent experience across all your devices.
Background Updates
Once installed, the bridge runs quietly in the background. It is lightweight and optimized to have minimal impact on your system resources.
Open Source
The code is fully open-source and available for audit on GitHub. This transparency allows the community to verify the security and integrity of the software.
Privacy Focused
Trezor Bridge does not collect personal data, track your usage, or report back to SatoshiLabs. It is purely a communication conduit.
How It Works
Understanding the mechanics of Trezor Bridge helps users appreciate the security it provides. When you install the Bridge, it sets up a local server on your machine, typically listening on port 21325.
The Communication Flow
- Connection: You plug your Trezor device into a USB port.
- Detection: The Trezor Bridge daemon (running in the background) detects the USB device insertion.
- Request: When you visit a compatible website (like wallet.trezor.io), the site sends a request to
http://127.0.0.1:21325. - Handshake: The Bridge verifies the request origin and establishes a session.
- Interaction: The website sends commands (like "Get Public Key") to the Bridge, which forwards them to the Trezor device via USB.
- Confirmation: You confirm the action physically on your Trezor device.
- Response: The device sends the signed data back to the Bridge, which returns it to the browser.
This entire process happens locally. The "web server" created by Trezor Bridge is not accessible from the internet; it is bound strictly to your local loopback interface (localhost), making it invisible to outside attackers.
System Requirements
Ensure your system meets these requirements for optimal performance.
Operating System
- Windows 10 or newer
- macOS 10.14 or newer
- Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian)
Hardware
- Intel or AMD Processor (x64)
- Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) supported
- USB 2.0 or 3.0 port
Browsers
- Google Chrome (Recommended)
- Mozilla Firefox
- Brave, Edge, Opera
Installation Guide
Troubleshooting
Common issues and how to resolve them quickly.
Security & Privacy
Security is the cornerstone of the Trezor ecosystem. Trezor Bridge is built with a "security-first" mindset. It acts as a dumb pipe, meaning it blindly passes encrypted messages back and forth without understanding the content. This design ensures that even if the Bridge software were compromised, your private keys would remain safe because they never leave the hardware device.
No Data Collection: We believe in absolute privacy. Trezor Bridge does not have any analytics tracking, does not report your IP address, and does not log your transaction history. All communication is strictly local between your USB port and your browser.
Code Signing: All official binaries of Trezor Bridge are digitally signed by SatoshiLabs. Your operating system will verify this signature during installation, ensuring that the software hasn't been tampered with by a third party. Always verify that the publisher is listed as "SatoshiLabs" when installing.