Deprecation and Removal of Standalone Trezor Bridge — What it Means and What to Do
Overview: the standalone Trezor Bridge application has been deprecated and is being removed in favor of integrated transport layers inside Trezor Suite and modern alternatives such as Trezor Connect / nodeBridge. This change is intended to improve security, simplify maintenance, and reduce compatibility issues between the desktop suite, browsers, and devices. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
What was the standalone Trezor Bridge?
Historically, Trezor Bridge was a small background program that facilitated USB communication between your Trezor hardware wallet and desktop applications or web pages (Trezor Suite, web-based wallet integrations). It acted as a transport layer to let browsers and apps talk to the device safely without special drivers.
As the product evolved, Trezor has moved many of these responsibilities into Trezor Suite and newer transport layers to reduce attack surface and streamline the update path. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Why deprecate and remove the standalone Bridge?
There are three practical reasons:
Security & updates: an integrated approach ensures users receive security fixes and feature updates automatically with Suite rather than relying on a separate binary that may fall out-of-date. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Simpler UX: having Bridge functionality built into Trezor Suite reduces installation friction and potential conflicts from multiple Bridge installs. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Maintenance burden: maintaining fewer components means the Trezor team can focus on improving core wallet functionality and transports like nodeBridge / Trezor Connect. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
How this affects you (practical impact)
If you run the standalone Bridge today, keep in mind:
Existing Bridge installations will eventually stop receiving updates and may cause compatibility issues with newer Trezor Suite releases or browser integrations. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Trezor Suite (the official desktop app) now incorporates transport functionality — installing/updating Suite is the recommended path for most users. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Developers and advanced users who integrate wallets into websites should move to supported APIs and transports (Trezor Connect, nodeBridge) per official guidance. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Recommended actions
Follow these practical steps to stay safe and avoid interruptions:
Uninstall standalone Bridge if you have it installed and instead use the latest Trezor Suite. Uninstall instructions for macOS, Windows and Linux are documented by Trezor. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Install or update Trezor Suite to the latest release — the Suite now contains the required transport stack and will receive updates. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Keep firmware current: make sure your Trezor device firmware is up to date so it remains compatible with the new transports. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
Developers: migrate integrations to supported, documented methods (Trezor Connect or nodeBridge) and follow the official migration guides. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Technical note for power users and developers
The transport stack evolution means some older devices or old firmware may require specific handling. If you maintain code that depended on the standalone Bridge API, consult the Trezor developer docs and migration notes for nodeBridge / Trezor Connect to update your integrations. Compatibility details and transitional recommendations are available in official support and developer documentation. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
Frequently Asked Questions (5)
Q1: Is it safe to uninstall the standalone Trezor Bridge?
A1: Yes. The recommended approach is to uninstall the standalone Bridge and use the latest Trezor Suite which contains the integrated transport functionality. Official uninstall steps are provided by Trezor for macOS, Windows and Linux. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
Q2: Will my wallet data or funds be affected if I remove Bridge?
A2: No — your private keys and seed remain on your physical Trezor device. Removing Bridge only affects the local transport software. Always ensure you have your recovery seed stored safely before making system changes. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
Q3: I use a browser-based integration that relied on Bridge. What should I do?
A3: Web integrations should move to supported options such as Trezor Connect or rely on Trezor Suite. Check the integration's documentation and the Trezor developer guides for the recommended migration path. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
Q4: My device isn’t recognized after the change — how to troubleshoot?
A4: Make sure Trezor Suite is updated, confirm your firmware is current, and that no legacy Bridge process is conflicting with Suite. If problems persist, follow Trezor’s troubleshooting guides or open a support ticket. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
Q5: Why didn’t Trezor announce this sooner?
A5: Deprecations are typically communicated via product updates and support guides; Trezor’s product updates and guides cover the rationale and migration steps. Check the official product updates and support pages for the full timeline and details. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}