How to Set Up and Use BitBox02 Nova on iPhone
BitBox02 Nova connects to iPhone and iPad over Bluetooth, because iOS does not let this kind of device send data through a cable. On Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, the Nova connects over USB as normal. This guide walks through the iPhone path only, screen by screen, from installing the app to a wallet ready to use.
Before you start: what you need
- A BitBox02 Nova with the microSD card from the box
- An iPhone or iPad updated to a supported version of iOS
- BitBoxApp from the App Store. The publisher must be Shift Crypto AG, nothing else.
- About 20 minutes somewhere no one can see your screen
Before you set it up Check that the box and packaging show no signs of being opened. A new device must always take you to the create wallet screen. If you open it and find a wallet already set up, or recovery words written down for you in the box, stop at once, do not send any assets to it, and contact SIAMBC.
Install the app and pair over Bluetooth
1. Install BitBoxApp from the App Store
Search for BitBoxApp in the App Store and check the publisher name carefully. It must be Shift Crypto AG, nothing else. There are apps with similar names from other publishers that are not the real one and are risky.
2. Open the app and plug in the device
Open BitBoxApp and you will see a screen waiting for a connection. Plug the Nova into the iPhone. The device turns on by itself and asks you to choose the screen orientation. If it will not connect or keeps dropping, try taking off your phone case first, because some cases stop the connector from going all the way in.
3. Choose your device's Bluetooth code
After you confirm the screen orientation, the device shows its own four-character Bluetooth code. In the app, under Select your BitBox, tap that same code, not the code of someone else's device nearby.
4. Check that the pairing codes match
iOS shows a Bluetooth pairing request with a code. Check that it matches the code on the Nova's screen, every digit, then tap Pair on the phone and confirm on the device. You only need to pair once.
The pairing code must match exactly If the code on the app screen does not match the code on the device, do not confirm and do not continue. Close the app, check that you downloaded it from the official source, then plug the device in again and compare the codes once more.
Install the firmware
5. Tap Install firmware
A new device that has never been set up asks you to install the firmware first. Tap Install firmware to begin.
A new device has no firmware yet, and that is normal BitBox02 leaves the factory without firmware installed. The app installs it for you during first-time setup. This is by design, to make sure the device you receive has never been set up by anyone before. If you see a message asking you to install firmware, there is no need to worry.
6. Wait until the installation finishes
While this runs, do not close the app and do not unplug the device. Wait until the progress bar has run all the way to the end.
7. Check that the app can see the device
When the installation is done, the app returns to the Welcome screen and shows your device under Select your BitBox as ready to use.
Create the wallet
8. Tap Create wallet
The Set up your wallet screen has two sides. The Create side creates a new wallet, and the Restore side recovers an existing one. For your first device, tap Create wallet. The standard setup gives you 24 recovery words, with a backup file on the microSD card.
9. To change the backup method, go to Advanced
The Advanced menu has a switch to skip the card backup and write down the recovery words instead, and a switch to change to 12 words. Unless you have a specific reason, skip this screen and use the standard settings.
The number of words cannot be changed later The default is 24 words. The Advanced screen has a switch to change it to 12 words. Both are equally secure in practice, but once chosen it cannot be changed, except by wiping the device and creating a new wallet. Unless you have a specific reason, leave it at 24 words.
10. Name the wallet
On the Choose BitBox device name screen, type the name you want to call this wallet. If you have several, giving them distinct names makes them easier to find.
11. Confirm the name on the device
The Nova's screen shows Confirm name on BitBox with the name you typed. Check that it matches, then confirm on the device.
12. Set a password on the device
When the app shows Set BitBox password, enter the password on the Nova's own touch strips, not on the phone screen. While you enter it, the bottom of the display shows the keys in use and the top shows the next set of keys. When you have set it, enter it again to confirm.
Create the backup and start using it
13. Read the warning, then create the backup
The Create backup screen explains how to store your backup. Read it all and tick the acknowledgment boxes, then confirm the date on the device. The device writes the backup file to the card.
14. Remove the card and store it
When You are ready to go! appears, you are done. Remove the microSD card from the device and store it somewhere hidden. You do not need to keep the card inserted for everyday use.
The backup file on the microSD card is NOT encrypted Anyone who gets this card can recover your wallet immediately, without knowing the device password. The card is worth as much as the money itself. Store it as carefully as you would a sheet of written recovery words, and keep it apart from the device.
15. Go to your portfolio
Tap Get started to open My portfolio, which shows the balance of all your assets. From now on you can receive and send with BitBoxApp on your iPhone.
What to do after setup
- Remove the microSD card from the device after setup and keep it apart from the device.
- Never plug this card into a computer, phone or camera. Use it only with the BitBox.
- Receive a small amount first and check that the balance shows correctly before sending a larger amount.
- The same device also works with a computer over USB, with no need to set it up again.
Frequently asked questions
Why does iPhone need Bluetooth? Can't I use a cable?
iOS does not let this type of device send and receive data through the cable port, so Bluetooth is the only way on iPhone and iPad. On Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, the same device connects over USB as normal.
Is this Bluetooth connection safe?
Bluetooth is only used to send unsigned transactions into the device and bring the signatures back out. The keys are never sent out. Every transaction must be confirmed on the device first, and pairing requires the codes on both sides to match.
It will not connect or keeps dropping. What should I do?
Take off your phone case first, then plug the device in again. Many cases stop the connector from going all the way in, so the device is not detected or disconnects partway through. If that does not fix it, contact SIAMBC.
Can I use the same device with a computer too?
Yes. The same wallet can be used from any supported device: over a USB cable on a computer, and over Bluetooth on an iPhone. You only need to confirm the connection again the first time on each device.
What if I forget the device password?
The BitBox02 password cannot be recovered. You need to wipe the device and restore the wallet from your backup, either the microSD card or the recovery words you wrote down. Your assets are all still there, but without both the card and the words, you can never access that wallet again.
Will SIAMBC or BitBox ask for my recovery words?
Neither of them will, ever, for any reason, and no one has any reason to know your recovery words. Anyone who asks is a scammer, no exceptions, whether they claim to be from the SIAMBC team, use the BitBox name, or say it is for a warranty claim or account recovery.
Summary
On iPhone, the Nova adds Bluetooth pairing and firmware installation before you create the wallet. After that, the security rules are the same: check that the pairing code matches, enter your password on the device, and keep the backup apart from the device.
If you get stuck or the device has a problem, contact SIAMBC directly for help with using it, warranty and exchanges in Thailand. There is no need to open a case overseas yourself.
See the product at BitBox02 Nova or compare it with other brands in the Hardware Wallet comparison table
Last checked: 29 August 2026. On-screen text may change with new versions of the firmware and BitBoxApp.
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