The Stacks Wallet software is installed on your computer, it is not a web application. You should have already [downloaded, verified, and installed the wallet software](wallet-install.html).
* review transaction history associated with an address
To send STX, you need Bitcoin in your wallet. Bitcoin is the "gas" for transactions on the Stacks blockchain. A **_very small_** amount of Bitcoin is required to send STX. The gas price fluctuates like any market and is driven by the price of Bitcoin. Gas is not required to receive STX.
You can use the Stacks Wallet software by itself or together with a hardware wallet. Using with a hardware wallet is recommended but not required.
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<h5>Investers and large token holdings: Hardware devices </h5>
<p>If you are an investor or current Stacks token holder, you should have your relevant STX addresses on a configured hardware device before using the Stacks Wallet software. If you have very large holdings, we recommend and anticipate these are held with a custodial service. In the case of a custodial service, you would work with your service to transfer a portion of your holdings to an appropriate hardware device before using the Stacks Wallet software.</p>
</div>
### A hardware device with the wallet
You can use any of these hardware wallets with the Stacks Wallet:
The private key on your hardware wallet is used by the Stacks Wallet software to sign send transactions. Receive transactions don't require a signature. Please consult the device's manufacturer for support in setting up and configuring your hardware device.
You can use the Stacks Wallet software without a hardware device to create one or more software wallets. Each wallet has its own address which corresponds to a STX address on the Stacks blockchain. You access this address with a unique, **seed phrase**. The software generates a seed phrase for you when create a software-only wallet. The seed phrase consists of 24 words in a sequence. Both the word _and its position the sequence_ are important.
Write down your seed phrase and store it in a secure location such as a safe deposit box. When you write the seed phrase down, include its position, for example,`1-frog, 2-horse, 3-building` and so on until you reach a final position `24-ocean`.
{% include warning.html content="Do not lose your seed phrase. If you lose your seed phrase, you lose any STX tokens in that associated wallet. <strong>No person or organization, including Blockstack, can recover a lost seed phrase</strong>." %}
The **Reset** function is always available regardless of whether you are using a hardware wallet or a software-only. A **Reset** returns a wallet to its original state. It does not change your STX balance, your Stacks addresses, or any connected hardware wallet in any way.
If you used the original, v1, version of the wallet, you should instead begin using the new Stacks Wallet v3. you should have a 24 word seed phrase from that wallet. You can use this same seed phrase to open this new version of the Stacks Wallet Software.
The v2 version of the wallet required a hardware wallet to send and receive. You can connect this same hardware wallet to the v3 version of the Stacks Wallet software. If this is your situation, choose **Use existing wallet** when you first start the Stacks Wallet v3; you don't need to create a new wallet.
When you start the Stacks Wallet it prompts you to create a new or choose an existing wallet. You should create a new wallet if you have not previously connected a hardware device to the Stacks Wallet v3 software or if you do not have an existing 24 word seed phrase.
Initialize and configure your wallet according to the manufacturer's instructions before you use it with the Stacks Wallet software. Some hardware wallets require that you have additional software installed to support the hardware wallets interactions with the Stacks Wallet.
Make sure you have installed any prerequisite software. It is a good idea to connect your hardware wallet to your computer before starting the Stacks Wallet software, but it is not required.
3. Select **Create new wallet** or **Use existing wallet**.
If you connected your hardware device to an old version of the Stacks Wallet software, you choose **Create new wallet**. After you make this initial connection, the *next time* you start the wallet, you can choose **Use existing wallet**.
The system asks if you have a hardware wallet.
4. Choose **Yes, I do**.
The system prompts you to select a hardware wallet.
If you have an existing 24 word seed phrase from this or a previous version of the Stacks Wallet software, you don't need to create a new wallet, you can **Use existing wallet**. This procedure assumes you are creating a wallet for the first time.
1. Double-click on the wallet software to open it.
2. Select **Create new wallet**.
The system asks if you have a hardware wallet.
3. Choose **No, I don't**.
The system prompts cautions you that a hardware wallet is recommended.
The system generates a seed phrase for you and prompts you to write it down.
Don't lose your seed phrase. If you lose your seed phrase, you lose your STX tokens and can never get them back.
5. Write down each word and its position, for example,` 1 - frog`.
6. Store your written seed phrase in a secure location such as a safe deposit box.
7. Click **I've written down my seed phrase**.
The system prompts you to re-enter your seed phrase. The sequence numbers are out of order. For example, `5` may appear in the `1` position. Enter the corresponding `5` and `1` word as appropriate.
8. Select **Done**.
The system displays the balance for the address that corresponds to your seed phrase.
## View balance, allocation, or transaction history
Once the person has sent you STX, you see a **PENDING** transaction which means the transaction is still being recorded by the blockchain.
Blockchain transactions take time. It may be minutes or hours before the transaction is recorded in the blockchain. When the transaction is complete, you can see a receipt for the transaction in your Stacks Wallet. The **PENDING** marker goes away once the funds are recorded on the blockchain.
## Add Bitcoin gas
The Stacks Wallet uses very small amounts of Bitcoin to pay fees for sending transactions. You need very small fractions of Bitcoin (BTC) for gas. The cost of gas you need fluctuates with the market price of Bitcoin.
You can only receive Bitcoin with Stacks Wallet; you cannot send Bitcoin. You need an account with Coinbase or similar exchange to buy Bitcoin and send it to the Stacks Wallet.
Sending stacks is a transaction you must authorize or sign. If you have connected your Stacks Wallet to a hardware wallet. The Stacks Wallet software uses the hardware wallet to sign your send transactions. A software-only wallet asks you for the 24-word key phase you used to create the wallet.
