Distinguish Power, Recognition, and Application Access

Ledger Live device not detected is a broad symptom across several connection boundaries. The application is now Ledger Wallet, formerly Ledger Live. A powered screen, a host recognizing USB hardware, and the application completing a device action are separate results. Determine which boundary lacks evidence before reinstalling software or altering wallet configuration.

Identify the Supported Host and Transport

Record the hardware model, application edition, and host platform. The dedicated desktop app normally uses USB data communication. Supported mobile Bluetooth and browser hardware integrations have their own requirements; success in one does not establish an identical path for another. Check Ledger’s connection guidance for the actual combination.

Nano S Plus has no Bluetooth discovery path. Android’s supported wired arrangement also should not be projected onto an iPhone because a connector fits. Confirm capabilities before changing phone permissions or buying accessories for a workflow the application does not provide.

Run a Physical Comparison Without Active Maintenance

For an ordinary idle session, simplify the route to a known data cable and compatible direct host port where possible. Change only one cable, port, or adapter at a time and note the result. A charging-only cable can power the screen while supplying no usable conversation. Optional docks introduce another component worth testing separately.

Do not use this unplug-and-compare sequence during a progressing Ledger OS installation. Preserve that active operation and consult its model-specific continuation if an explicit failure occurs. The hardware screen determines whether ordinary detection tests are currently appropriate.

Inspect What the Host Can See

Use normal operating-system device tools to establish whether hardware appears after connection. If it never appears, investigate the physical route and platform recognition. If it appears but the application cannot access it, examine the relevant access prompt, user rules, security event, or managed-computer policy.

Apply a targeted supported correction rather than generic driver bundles or broad permissions across all USB devices. Close other wallet interfaces holding the hardware before one controlled app test. An operating-system listing proves recognition, not that every application session already owns the needed interface.

Read the Ledger’s Present Instruction

Unlock the device using its controls and follow the selected operation’s prompt. Account signing may need a blockchain app while management expects another state or confirmation. Approve only the request you initiated. If the next result is a genuine-check error, do not call detection repaired by bypassing verification; the authenticity stage has its own security meaning.

Once the device-dependent action works, test the task you originally needed. A later component warning may require device-app maintenance, while stale history may require online synchronization checks. A visible balance alone is not proof of a live signing connection.

Detection Questions

Should I reset the Ledger so the computer treats it as new?

Hardware initialization changes wallet configuration and is not a routine way to repair data transport. Keep the existing keys and backup protected during diagnosis.

What should I report if recognition remains unreliable?

Provide the first failed boundary, model, host and app versions, screen message, and controlled comparisons. Share only relevant diagnostics, excluding recovery words, PINs, and unnecessary financial records.