Trezor Bridge — The Secure Gateway to Your Hardware Wallet®

Executive Summary

Trezor Bridge is (or historically was) the background service that enabled secure, local communication between a Trezor hardware wallet and desktop/browser applications — primarily Trezor Suite and selected browser-based wallet interfaces. It acted as a small host-side gateway, translating USB or WebUSB/HID interactions into a stable API used by wallet software.

Note: Trezor’s official guidance has evolved: the standalone Bridge has been deprecated and users are encouraged to use newer integrations (e.g., the latest Trezor Suite workflows). :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

What Trezor Bridge Provides

1. Secure Communication Channel

Bridge runs on the user's machine and mediates requests between your browser/app and the physically connected Trezor device. By keeping interactions local and explicit (user plugs in the device and approves operations on-device), Bridge helps maintain a strong threat model where private keys never leave the hardware.

2. Cross-browser & cross-platform compatibility

Historically, Bridge helped with inconsistent WebUSB/HID support across browsers and OSes, offering a stable compatibility layer for applications that needed to reach the Trezor over USB. For some configurations and older firmware, Bridge remained the recommended path. The Trezor project now emphasizes suite-level and native integrations to streamline user experience. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Security Considerations

On-device confirmations

Regardless of Bridge or Suite, the security guarantee is anchored in the Trezor device itself. Sensitive actions (seed generation, signing transactions) require explicit confirmation on the device's screen and buttons — an attacker cannot remotely sign without local consent.

Keep software current

Use official installers and keep Trezor Suite / Bridge components up to date. Trezor’s support pages and deprecation notices outline specific steps if you currently have a standalone Bridge installation that should be removed or replaced to avoid compatibility problems. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Operational Guide — Quick Steps

1. Install official Trezor Suite (preferred) or the official Bridge only if specifically required for legacy setups. Follow the official download and install instructions. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
2. Connect your device via USB. Confirm the device shows activity (device screen prompts for PIN or action).
3. Approve actions on-device — every important operation needs your manual confirmation.
4. Troubleshoot with official guides if your device doesn’t appear (USB cable/port, OS drivers, or leftover Bridge installs can interfere). See the troubleshooting and device-visibility articles. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Common Problems & Fixes

Device not detected

Try a different USB cable/port, ensure you are using an up-to-date Trezor Suite build, and uninstall legacy Bridge installations if advised by the official deprecation guide. If you rely on web-based connections, Chrome with WebUSB is supported; otherwise use the desktop Suite. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Browser warnings about Bridge

Only install Bridge from official sources. Beware of phishing pages or third-party downloads — official links above are provided for safety.

Developer & Advanced Notes

Open-source background services

The Trezor communication daemon(s) (e.g., trezord / trezord-go) are open-source and available on the Trezor GitHub organization — useful if you are auditing or packaging Bridge-like components for distributions. Always match runtime versions with supported Suite releases and OS packaging guidelines. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

API and transport

The transport layer historically supported USB interfaces and abstracted them into RPC-style endpoints used by Suite/web apps. For modern integrations, follow the Trezor developer documentation and the Suite release notes.