What is Trezor Bridge?
Trezor Bridge was a small background application that enabled secure communication between your Trezor hardware wallet and web browsers or desktop apps. It acted as a local communication layer so browser-based wallets and tools could detect a connected Trezor device, request signatures, and exchange information without exposing private keys. Bridge replaced older browser plugins and made connecting a hardware wallet more reliable across different operating systems.
How it worked (brief)
When you connected your Trezor via USB, the Bridge app would register a local endpoint on your machine. Browser pages or companion apps could call that endpoint to enumerate devices and forward requests. Crucially, Bridge never touched your private keys — it simply forwarded requests to the device; every sensitive action still required you to confirm on the hardware wallet itself.
History & current status
Trezor introduced Bridge as part of a move away from browser extensions and Chrome apps back in 2018. Over time the Trezor team evolved toward integrating communication directly in the official Trezor Suite app and modern browser APIs. As of recent official guidance, the standalone Trezor Bridge has been deprecated and users are encouraged to use Trezor Suite (or other officially supported workflows) instead; standalone Bridge installations may interfere with newer releases and should be removed if you are migrating to Suite. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Is it safe?
Downloading and installing Trezor Bridge from the official Trezor website or Suite installers is safe. Beware of third-party mirrors or search results that look like official pages — always prefer trezor.io or wallet.trezor.io for downloads. Remember: signing any transaction requires a physical confirmation on your Trezor device, which is the ultimate safety control. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Practical advice — what to do now
- New users: Install Trezor Suite and follow the “Get started” flow rather than hunting for a separate Bridge installer. Suite bundles the functionality you need and provides clearer upgrade paths. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Existing Bridge users: If you have an old standalone Bridge installed, follow Trezor’s official instructions to uninstall it before switching to Suite to avoid conflicts. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- Third-party wallets: Many wallet apps and browser extensions now support connecting to Trezor via Suite or WebUSB workflows; consult the wallet’s docs for exact steps.
Troubleshooting tips
- Try a different USB cable or port (power-only cables won’t work).
- Ensure your device firmware is up to date via Trezor Suite.
- If your OS shows a driver prompt, accept it — Bridge used system-level permissions to talk to the device.
- If something breaks after installing standalone Bridge, follow the official uninstall instructions and reinstall Trezor Suite. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}