👛 Monero Wallet Setup

Download the official Monero GUI Wallet from getmonero.org — always verify you are on the real website by checking the URL and SSL certificate. Verify the download file hash against the published hash on the website. For Tails OS users, use the Monero CLI wallet which works in the terminal. For mobile, Cake Wallet (iOS/Android) or Monerujo (Android) are trusted options. Never download Monero wallets from third-party sources or app stores — use only official releases.

On first launch, select Simple Mode (bootstrap) for easiest setup — this connects to remote nodes while still keeping your keys local. For maximum privacy, choose Advanced Mode and connect to your own full node or a trusted remote node over Tor. Set a strong wallet password that differs from all your other passwords. The wallet will generate a 25-word mnemonic seed phrase — write this on paper immediately and store it in a physically secure location. This seed is the master key to your funds.

To receive Monero, generate a subaddress for each transaction (Receive tab → Create new address) rather than sharing your primary address — subaddresses are unlinkable, improving privacy. To send XMR, paste the recipient address, enter the amount, and set the transaction priority (default is fine for most transactions). Verify the address carefully — Monero transactions are irreversible. Transactions typically confirm in 2 minutes with full finality after 10 confirmations (~20 minutes).