Migrate Tokens to the New Polkadot Ledger App

Want to stake Polkadot (DOT) using your Ledger device? This guide explains how to migrate your tokens to the new Polkadot Ledger app and connect it with Nova Wallet.

You do not need to migrate your Polkadot network accounts – the new Polkadot Ledger app automatically works with Polkadot (DOT) accounts.

You need to make sure that your balances are transferrable – for example, you cannot transfer tokens which are currently staked or locked in governance voting. You need to unstake / unlock your tokens from governance votes before you can migrate your tokens.

Follow these steps to migrate your token balances to account addresses generated by the new Polkadot Ledger app – note: this guide assumes that the chain you are interacting with has upgraded its runtime to be compatible with the new Polkadot Ledger app:

1. Open your Ledger Live application and install the Polkadot Migration app and the Polkadot app (version 100.0.5 or above).

First Step – Polkadot Migration App

1. Open the Nova Wallet application and Select Already have a wallet. (Nova Wallet Device).

   • If you are importing an additional wallet, select the identicon at the top right of the Assets screen, then select the settings cogwheel icon at the top right of the screen, select Add wallet, and then select Import existing.

2. Select Hardware Wallet and then select your Ledger model (Legacy) (Nova Wallet Device).

3. Read the on-screen prompt and Select Continue (Nova Wallet Device).

4. Turn on and unlock your Ledger device (Ledger Device).

5. Start the Polkadot Migration application. You should see "Polkadot Migration Ready" on your Ledger screen (Ledger Device).

6. Select the network from the list (Nova Wallet Device).

7. If requested, allow Nova Wallet access to finding nearby devices and enabling Bluetooth. On Android 11 or earlier, please also allow access to your location. Nova Wallet doesn't use your location information, but this permission is required for any app to be able to access Bluetooth devices (Nova Wallet Device).

8. Select your Ledger device on your Nova Wallet (Nova Wallet Device).

9. Review and approve the operation on your Ledger (Ledger Device). The address appearing on your Ledger should match the one shown in Nova Wallet.

10. Input a nickname for your account in Nova Wallet (Nova Wallet Device).

Second Step – New Polkadot App

1. Since you are importing another wallet, select the identicon at the top right of the Assets screen, then select the settings cogwheel icon at the top right of the screen, select Add wallet, and then select Import existing. (Nova Wallet Device).

2. Select Hardware Wallet and then select your Ledger model (Generic Polkadot app) (Nova Wallet Device).

3. Read the on-screen prompt and Select Continue (Nova Wallet Device).

4. Turn on and unlock your Ledger device (Ledger Device).

5. Start the Polkadot application. You should see "Polkadot Ready" on your Ledger screen (Ledger Device).

6. Select your Ledger device in Nova Wallet (Nova Wallet Device).

7. Review and approve the operation on your Ledger (Ledger Device). The address appearing on your Ledger should match the one shown in Nova Wallet.

8. Input a nickname for your account in Nova Wallet (Nova Wallet Device).

Third Step – Migrating Tokens

You should now have imported both your Polkadot Migration app accounts and your new Polkadot Ledger app accounts. Now, you need to move tokens from the account addresses generated by the Polkadot Migration app to the account addresses generated by the new Polkadot Ledger app.

1. Open the Nova Wallet application (Nova Wallet Device).

2. Select Send from the balance widget (Nova Wallet Device).

3. Select the asset you wish to send, or you can search for it in the search bar (Nova Wallet Device).

4. Input the recipient's address – in this case, you should select the Your Wallets dropdown and select the address generated by your new Polkadot Ledger app (Nova Wallet Device).

5. Input the amount of tokens that you wish to send and select Continue (Nova Wallet Device).

6. Turn on and unlock your Ledger device (Ledger Device).

7. Start the Polkadot Migration application. You should see "Polkadot Migration Ready" on your Ledger screen (Ledger Device).

8. Reviewthe contextual information about your transfer and select Confirm (Nova Wallet Device).

9. Select your Ledger device on your Nova Wallet (Nova Wallet Device).

10. Review and approve the operation on your Ledger (Ledger Device).

Can I stake Polkadot using Ledger Live?

Yes, you can use Ledger Live with Polkadot for staking, but you’ll need to install the updated Polkadot Ledger app and migrate your account. Nova Wallet simplifies the process by providing a mobile interface for managing nominations and rewards.

Does Ledger Nano X support Polkadot staking?

Yes, Ledger Nano X supports Polkadot staking. You can use it with Nova Wallet to securely sign staking operations while keeping your private keys offline.

How do I migrate my Polkadot tokens to the new Ledger app?

To migrate, install the Polkadot Ledger app, import your old account, and transfer your tokens to the new address. This guide walks you through each step.

Can I use Nova Wallet and Ledger together?

Absolutely. Nova Wallet + Ledger gives you a seamless, secure way to manage and stake DOT while benefiting from air-gapped signing and a user-friendly interface.