BitBoxGuides - How to setup your BitBox02?

Download the BitBoxApp

In order to set up your BitBox02 and create your first wallet you need to download the BitBoxApp for your computer or your Android smartphone.

Download

Launch the BitBoxApp

Once the download is finished, please install and launch the app.

You should then see a screen that asks you to plug in your BitBox02.

You may either watch the BitBox02 setup video tutorial below, or continue reading this entry.

Insert microSD card & plug in your BitBox02

Before you plug in your BitBox02, please insert the microSD card which will be needed to create a backup of your wallet in a later step.

When done, please plug the BitBox02 into your computer. Optional: If needed, use the included USB-C to USB-A adapter or any USB-C extension cable you may have at hand.

Follow the in-app setup wizard

Once the BitBox02 is plugged in, the setup wizard will automatically start and guide you through the process of setting up your BitBox02.

Step 1: Install BitBox02 firmware

Once you plug in your BitBox02 you will see that it says "BitBox02 bootloader" as all new BitBox02 devices come without the firmware installed to ensure that you always start with the latest firmware.

The BitBoxApp will then recognise your BitBox02 and ask you to upgrade the firmware.

You will see a progress bar during the firmware installation process. Wait until the installation process is finished. The BitBox02 will restart automatically once the process is completed.

Step 2: Choose display orientation

Most laptops have ports on both sides. As we cannot know from which side you will plug your BitBox02, you will first need to select your display orientation.

To do that, just touch the BitBox02 on the side that better suits your current position.

Step 3: Confirm pairing code

All information that is exchanged between your computer and the BitBox02 is encrypted. In order to make sure that there is no man-in-the-middle attack, we need to ask you to confirm that the code on in the BitBoxApp and the code on your BitBox02 are identical.
Please take the time to check each characters.
If both codes match, please confirm on your BitBox02. Then click “Continue” on the BitBoxApp.

Step 4: Create new wallet or restore an existing wallet

Now you are asked to choose if you want to create a new wallet or restore an existing wallet.

If this is the first time you create a wallet, choose "Create Wallet" and continue reading this guide.
If you already used a BitBox02 before and you want to restore your wallet, see: How to restore my BitBox02 wallet from my microSD card?
If you want to restore recovery words from a third-party wallet, see: How to restore a third-party generated wallet on a BitBox02?

Step 5: Create a wallet

First you need to give your wallet a name. This name can be anything, choose a name that you will recognise in the future when you might need to restore from your backup.

If you cannot click the “Continue” button, make sure that you have inserted your microSD card into the BitBox02 correctly, and given the wallet a name as well.

Please confirm the wallet name on your BitBox02.

Step 6: Set your BitBox02 device password

Next, you need to set a device password for your BitBox02 which you will need to input every time you want to use your BitBox02. Make sure that you remember this password. Changing the device password is only possible by resetting the BitBox02.

The setup wizard will show you a video of how to use the touch on your BitBox02 to input your password.

Step 7: Create your wallet backup

After the device password is set, the BitBox02 will create a backup of your wallet and save it on the microSD card. Please check the boxes to confirm that you understand the security considerations, then click “Continue”.
Your BitBox02 will ask you to confirm today’s date as that is needed for the backup file.

The backup file on your microSD card is not password protected. Therefore, if someone has physical access to such microSD card, they can run away with the funds. That is why you should make sure that you store your microSD card backup in a safe location. However, you can protect your backup by using the optional passphrase feature.

You can create multiple backups of your wallet on multiple microSD cards. See: How to create additional wallet backups?
You can check at any point that you still have a valid backup. See: How to verify my wallet backup?

Step 8: Start stacking sats

Great! Your BitBox02 is ready to use. Please make sure that you store your microSD backup in a secure location.

The microSD card is not required to work with your BitBox02 for the day to day usage. It is only needed when you are configuring your BitBox02 for the first time, or when you want to restore your wallet from the microSD backup.