# Configure devices and quorums

Ripple Custody (Wallet) uses Multi-Party Computation (MPC) to protect wallet private keys. Instead of storing a complete key in one place, MPC splits the key into shards distributed across multiple devices. To sign a transaction, a minimum number of those devices must participate.

Before you can create a wallet, you must:

1. Add and pair at least 2 devices.
2. Create an MPC quorum from those devices.


HSM wallets in sandbox
Sandbox environments also support HSM-based wallets, which don't require devices or quorums. If you want to skip this step and test basic platform features in sandbox first, you can select HSM when you [create your first wallet](/pt-br/products/wallet/get-started/console/create-your-first-wallet). For production, MPC is required.

## Understand device types

Ripple Custody (Wallet) supports two types of signing device. You can use either type or a mix of both.

|  | Mobile (Ripple Custody (Wallet) Mobile) | CloudSign |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| **How it signs** | Manual — you review and approve each transaction on your phone | Automatic — signs programmatically without manual review |
| **Best for** | Low-volume wallets that need human oversight per transaction | High-volume or API-driven wallets that need fast throughput |
| **Can approve transactions?** | Yes | No (signing only) |
| **Platform** | iOS (Android coming soon) | Any cloud instance (AWS, GCP, Azure, on-premises) |


See [Types of devices](/pt-br/products/wallet/signing-and-key-management/devices) for a full comparison.

Recommendation for sandbox
For sandbox testing, a CloudSign-only quorum is the fastest path to your first transaction. You can set up mobile devices later when you move to production.

## Step 1: Add devices

**Required role:** Owner, Administrator, Proposer, or Approver.

Add at least 2 devices to your organization. You can mix mobile and CloudSign devices.

Internal and External devices
The Devices page has two tabs: **Internal** for devices owned by your organization, and **External** for devices shared with you by other organizations.

1. Navigate to the **Devices** section in the Ripple Custody (Wallet) console.
2. Click **Add new device**.
3. Select the device type (**Mobile** or **Cloud**).
4. In the **Name this device** field, enter a name that identifies the device (for example, "CFO Mobile" or "CloudSign Node 1").
5. Click **Save and continue**.
6. Repeat until you have at least 2 devices.


![The Add a device page with the Mobile and Cloud device types and the Name this device field](../../images/get-started-add-device.png)

## Step 2: Pair each device

New devices start in an **Unpaired** state. You must pair each device before it can join a quorum.

### Pair a mobile device

1. After you add the mobile device, the console displays a QR code.
2. Open the Ripple Custody (Wallet) Mobile app on your phone.
3. Scan the QR code.
4. The device status changes to **Waiting for approval**.
5. An owner or administrator approves the device pairing in the console.
6. The device status changes to **Paired**.


Sandbox mobile app
The sandbox console uses a separate sandbox version of the app, distributed through Apple TestFlight. The production app is on the App Store. See [Install the mobile app](/pt-br/products/wallet/signing-and-key-management/devices/add-a-device#install-the-mobile-app) for both links.

### Pair a CloudSign device

1. After you add the CloudSign device, the console displays a **pairing key**.
2. Copy the pairing key.
3. [Set up and run your CloudSign node](/pt-br/products/wallet/signing-and-key-management/devices/set-up-cloudsign) and enter the pairing key when prompted.
4. The device status changes to **Waiting for approval**.
5. An owner or administrator approves the device pairing in the console.
6. The device status changes to **Paired**.


![A new Cloud device with the Unpaired status and its pairing key](../../images/get-started-device-unpaired.png)

Complete all pairings before proceeding
You need at least 2 fully paired devices to create a quorum. Make sure all devices show a **Paired** status before you continue to Step 3.

## Step 3: Create an MPC quorum

Owner or Administrator role required
Only users with the **Owner** or **Administrator** role can create an MPC quorum. Other roles don't see **Create quorum**. If you don't see it, ask an owner or administrator in your organization.

An MPC quorum defines which devices hold key shards and how many must participate to sign a transaction.

1. Navigate to **Controls** > **MPC Quorums**.
2. Click **Create quorum**.
3. Select the quorum type:
  - **Mobile** — all devices are mobile.
  - **Cloud** — all devices are CloudSign.
  - **Mixed** — a combination of mobile and CloudSign devices.
4. Enter a **Name** for the quorum and, optionally, a **Description**.
5. Under **Key shard holders**, select at least 2 devices. Only paired devices appear in the list.
6. Set the number of **Required signatures**. This field appears after you select key shard holders.
7. (Optional) Select a **Backup and recovery kit**. You can't add a backup and recovery kit to a quorum after you create it, and a quorum without one, and all of its wallets, isn't backed up.


Avoid requiring all devices to sign
Always set the required signatures to at least one fewer than the total number of devices. If you require all devices (for example, 2 of 2), losing or decommissioning a single device means you permanently lose the ability to sign transactions from wallets using that quorum. For example, if your quorum has 3 devices, set the required signatures to 2. This gives you fault tolerance — you can still sign even if one device is unavailable, lost, or compromised.

1. Click **Create**.
2. In the **Confirm quorum** dialog, review the quorum details and click **Create quorum**.
3. Each device in the quorum receives a notification to approve. All devices must approve within 60 minutes.
4. After all devices approve, the quorum status changes to **Confirmed**.


60-minute approval window
If any device rejects the notification or the 60-minute window expires, the quorum is not created and you must start over. Coordinate with all device owners before you create the quorum so they're ready to approve promptly.

## Common quorum configurations

### CloudSign-only (recommended for high-volume wallets)

Use 3 or more CloudSign devices. Transactions sign automatically within seconds. Pair this configuration with [approval groups](/pt-br/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/approvals) to add human oversight without slowing down signing.

### Mobile-only (recommended for high-value wallets)

Use 3 or more mobile devices. Every transaction requires manual review and approval on each signer's phone. This provides maximum oversight but limits throughput.

Signing timeout
Mobile devices must sign within 5 minutes of receiving a transaction notification. If too few devices respond in time, the transaction fails.

See [MPC quorums](/pt-br/products/wallet/signing-and-key-management/mpc-quorums) for advanced configuration, [key resharing](/pt-br/products/wallet/signing-and-key-management/mpc-quorums/key-resharing), and [key restructuring](/pt-br/products/wallet/signing-and-key-management/mpc-quorums/key-restructuring).

## Next step

Create a vault to organize your wallets:

- [Create your first vault](/pt-br/products/wallet/get-started/console/create-your-first-vault)