Enabling the developer mode

To activate the Developer mode in Ledger Live, go to the Settings/About section, and click ten times on the Ledger Live version.

This will make the Developer tab appear.

Note : this feature is available only for Ledger Live version 2.32 and above.

This new section will give you access to the following content :

• Allow debug apps : Display and allow opening debug tagged platform apps.
• Allow experimental apps : Display and allow opening experimental tagged platform apps.
• Set the catalog provider : Switch between multiple platform apps sources (Production of Staging).
• Enable platform dev tools : Enable opening platform apps dev tools window.
• Add a local app : Browse local files and add a local app using a local manifest.

We’ll dive into each section to describe how they work.

Allow debug apps

This setting, when enabled, will display and allow opening “debug” tagged platform apps. The first debug tagged platform app you will now see appear in the Discover section will be the Debugger. This app has been designed by Ledger to specifically allow you to test the API and understand how it works.

Allow experimental apps

This setting, when enabled, will display and allow opening “experimental” tagged platform apps. As long as an application hasn’t been reviewed and approved by Ledger, it can only remain experimental.

Set the catalog provider

The catalog provider is a variable used to define the list of applications being displayed in the discover section. Ledger uses two lists of applications, those in staging (currently being tested), and those in production (validated already, and usually available to all our users).

Enable Platform dev tools

This setting will enable opening the platform apps dev tools window, which can become handy when debugging your application.

Adding a Local App to Ledger Live

You can add a local app to Ledger Live by importing a local manifest file. This allows you to independently test your application before it’s officially available. Follow these steps to enable Developer Mode and import your manifest:

1. Install Ledger Live Desktop

Ensure that Ledger Live Desktop is installed on your computer. If you haven’t installed it yet, download it from the official Ledger website. You will also need a Ledger device (Nano S or X) to access Ledger Live.

2. Enable Developer Mode

To enable Developer Mode in Ledger Live, follow the steps described in the section above in this document.

Once activated, a Developer section will appear in the settings menu.

3. Enable Developer Tools

In the Developer section, turn on Enable platform dev tools. This will provide access to developer tools, allowing you to inspect and debug your app.

4. Import Your Manifest File

• In the Developer section, locate the Add a local app option.
• Click Browse and select the manifest file you created earlier.

After importing, your app will appear in the menu under its designated name.

Loading manifest on mobile phone with localhost

To successfully load a manifest on a mobile phone using localhost, follow the steps below:

Method 1:

Step 1: Retrieve Your Local IP Address To access your local IP address, open your terminal and run the following command:

• If you have a UNIX-based development machine, run:

  ifconfig | grep "inet " | grep -Fv 127.0.0.1 | awk '{print $2}'
• If you have a Windows machine, run:

  ipconfig

Step 2: Update the Manifest Locate your manifest file and replace all occurrences of localhost with the IP address retrieved in Step 1. This step ensures that your mobile phone can resolve the correct endpoint when accessing the manifest.

Step 3: Network Configuration Ensure that both your mobile phone (e.g., your phone) and your development machine (e.g., your laptop) are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Note the following:

• Devices must be on the same frequency band. For example, if you have a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network, both devices must connect to the same frequency.

Step 4: Load the Manifest With the updated manifest and correct network configuration:

1. Open your mobile phone’s browser or app that loads the manifest.

2. Navigate to the manifest’s URL, replacing localhost with the IP address you used in the manifest file.

   Example: If your IP address is 192.168.1.10 and the manifest URL was http://localhost:3000, update it to http://192.168.1.10:3000.

Make sure your domains field includes http:// otherwise the connection will fail

If you encounter issues, verify the devices’ network connection and ensure no firewall or router settings are blocking access.

Some tools may cache previous configurations. Restart your development environment or mobile phone if changes do not take effect immediately.

Method 2:

1. Use a service such as NGROK or LocalTunnel.
2. Obtain a URL from your service of choice.
3. Replace all occurrences of localhost in the manifest file with the obtained URL from the service of your choice.
4. Load the manifest.

Disabling the developer mode

If you want to disable the developer mode, you will need to uninstall and reinstall Ledger Live.