Firmware Updates

Keep your Meshtastic radio up to date with the latest firmware for new features, bug fixes, and security improvements.

Checking for Updates

1. Open the connected radio's configuration and, under Advanced, tap Firmware Update. The entry appears only for OTAOTA (Over the Air). Typically used to refer to an OTA update, one that happens over a wireless network.-capable radios.
2. The app checks for available firmware versions.
3. Available updates show the version number and changelog summary.

Update Methods

OTA (Over-The-Air) via Bluetooth

The most common update method for Android users:

⚠️ Warning: Interrupting a firmware update can leave the radio unable to boot. Keep the phone nearby and both devices powered until the update completes.

1. Ensure your radio is connected via Bluetooth.
2. Navigate to the Firmware Update screen.
3. Select the desired firmware version.
4. Tap Update. An Update Warning dialog lists the pre-flight checks — read it, then tap I know what I'm doing. to start. This dialog appears for every update method, including Wi-Fi OTAOTA (Over the Air). Typically used to refer to an OTA update, one that happens over a wireless network., USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial., and a local firmware file.
5. Wait for the update to complete — do not disconnect during the update.

While the update downloads, uploads or verifies, you can tap Play Chirpy Hop to play a short runner game: tap to jump, swipe down to crouch. The update's progress stays visible above the game, and back returns to the update screen. When the update finishes or fails, the game stops and offers Back to update. Your best score is kept on this device.

Erase device during update

Where the app offers it, an Erase device during update checkbox appears next to the update button. It is a per-update opt-in and is never remembered.

Method	What erasing does
BLEBLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). The default wireless connection between a node and a phone client. / Wi-Fi OTAOTA (Over the Air). Typically used to refer to an OTA update, one that happens over a wireless network.	Factory-resets the device once the update is verified. All settings and Bluetooth pairing are removed.
USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial.	Wipes the device's flash completely, then installs the selected firmware from scratch.

It is not offered for a local firmware file, during a recovery update, on USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. devices whose board does not support the erase step, or over USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. in the desktop app — the USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. erase runs the Android-only maintenance sequence below. Afterwards the device needs setting up — and pairing — again.

OTA via Wi-Fi (network-connected ESP32)

When an ESP32ESP32A chipset of microcontroller made/designed by Espressif, used by a number of devices. Higher power usage than nRF52, but often cheaper and supports Wi-Fi if desired. radio is connected over the network rather than Bluetooth, the app offers Wi-Fi OTAOTA (Over the Air). Typically used to refer to an OTA update, one that happens over a wireless network., which pushes the same update over TCPTCP (Transmission Control Protocol). One of the three ways a client reaches a node, alongside serial and Bluetooth. Clients connect over TCP on port 4403.:

1. Connect to the radio over the network (see Connections).
2. Open the Firmware Update screen and pick a version.
3. Tap Update. Keep the radio and phone on the same network for the whole transfer.

Wi-Fi OTAOTA (Over the Air). Typically used to refer to an OTA update, one that happens over a wireless network. takes the ESP32ESP32A chipset of microcontroller made/designed by Espressif, used by a number of devices. Higher power usage than nRF52, but often cheaper and supports Wi-Fi if desired. -update.bin image rather than the .uf2 a USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. update uses; the app selects the right artifact for you.

In-App USB Update

When your radio is connected over USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial./serial (rather than Bluetooth), the Firmware Update screen offers USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. File Transfer. The app reboots the device into DFUDFU (Device Firmware Update). A state in which a device is placed into for it to receive a firmware update. mode, then prompts you to save the .uf2 file to the device's DFUDFU (Device Firmware Update). A state in which a device is placed into for it to receive a firmware update. drive using the system file picker. This option appears only on a USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial./serial connection — it is not available over Bluetooth.

ℹ️ Note: A vendor nRF bootloader supplied as a .zip (e.g. RAK WisBlock RAK4631) has to be flashed with a serial DFUDFU (Device Firmware Update). A state in which a device is placed into for it to receive a firmware update. tool such as adafruit-nrfutil — copying that .zip to the drive won't work. A bootloader supplied as an update-....uf2 can be installed by copying it to the drive; that is how the app's own bootloader upgrade works. The app surfaces a hint when the serial-only route applies.

Factory Erase and Bootloader Upgrade

On a USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial./serial connection, nRF52nRF52A microcontroller chipset made by Nordic, used by several devices such as the RAK Meshtastic Starter Kit and the Lilygo T-Echo. Lower power usage than ESP32. and RP2040rp2040A microcontroller chip developed by Raspberry Pi, featuring dual ARM Cortex-M0+ processors. devices can be wiped as part of an update — that is the Erase device during update opt-in described earlier on this page. nRF52nRF52A microcontroller chipset made by Nordic, used by several devices such as the RAK Meshtastic Starter Kit and the Lilygo T-Echo. Lower power usage than ESP32. devices additionally offer Upgrade bootloader where an upgraded bootloader is published for the board; RP2040rp2040A microcontroller chip developed by Raspberry Pi, featuring dual ARM Cortex-M0+ processors. devices run no Adafruit bootloader, so they never see it.

Both are Android-only. They depend on Android's update-drive checks, so the desktop app does not show them — use the Web Flasher there instead.

Select a firmware version before either one: the app hides both until a release is chosen, because the firmware is reinstalled after the device is wiped or the new bootloader is written.

Both a USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. erase and a bootloader upgrade write two files in turn, so you are asked to select the device's update drive twice: once for the erase or bootloader image, then again for the firmware.

The app reads INFO_UF2.TXT from the drive you select to confirm it really is the device's update drive and to identify the board before writing anything.

For a bootloader upgrade, the app also reads the installed bootloader version from INFO_UF2.TXT and shows it next to the latest release before writing anything. The running firmware doesn't report its bootloader, so the installed version appears only once the device has restarted into update mode, never on the firmware screen while connected. If the two match, the bootloader is left as it is and the app moves straight on to reinstalling the firmware. Otherwise choose Upgrade bootloader to write it, or Skip to reinstall the firmware without changing it.

On nRF52nRF52A microcontroller chipset made by Nordic, used by several devices such as the RAK Meshtastic Starter Kit and the Lilygo T-Echo. Lower power usage than ESP32. the app must already know which Bluetooth stack your device uses before it starts, because it can't read the bootloader until the device has rebooted. If it can't confirm the stack, it refuses to erase and points you at the Web Flasher instead. In the Web Flasher, choosing the wrong Bluetooth stack can leave the radio recoverable only with a hardware programmer.

Once the drive is readable, how an nRF52nRF52A microcontroller chipset made by Nordic, used by several devices such as the RAK Meshtastic Starter Kit and the Lilygo T-Echo. Lower power usage than ESP32. device is erased depends on its bootloader:

• Newer bootloaders erase themselves. A bootloader that advertises factory-erase support in INFO_UF2.TXT (newer OTAFIX bootloaders) takes a single, board-agnostic erase file. The bootloader wipes your settings, channels, keys and the stored node list itself, leaves the installed firmware in place, and comes back as an update drive a second or two later for the firmware file. There is no Bluetooth-stack choice to get wrong on this path.
• Older bootloaders need a Bluetooth-stack-specific erase. On these the app writes a small erase program matched to your device's Bluetooth stack, then starts it over the serial port. If the drive reports a different stack than expected, the app refuses rather than guessing.

The app picks the path from what the drive reports; you don't choose it.

Other Flashing Options

For recovery or when neither OTAOTA (Over the Air). Typically used to refer to an OTA update, one that happens over a wireless network. nor in-app USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. is available:

• Use the Meshtastic Web Flasher
• Or the Meshtastic CLI tool on desktop

Version Channels

Channel	Description
Stable	Recommended for most users; tested releases
Alpha	Preview releases; may contain bugs
Local File	Flash a firmware file you select yourself, instead of a downloaded release

Pre-Update Checklist

Before updating:

• Battery > 50%
• Stable Bluetooth connection
• Note your current settings (they may reset on major version changes)
• Check the release notes for breaking changes
• Update the Meshtastic app itself, before or alongside firmware updates, to ensure compatibility

Post-Update

After the firmware is written, the app verifies the update and waits for the device to come back online:

Once the update succeeds:

• The radio reboots automatically
• The Bluetooth connection re-establishes
• Verify your settings are intact
• Confirm the new version under Currently Installed on the Firmware Update screen — it's also shown on the node's detail page and the Connections screen

Troubleshooting

Update Stuck

If the update appears frozen:

• Give it a minute. After writing the image the app waits up to 60 seconds for the radio to come back and report its new version, so a pause at the verify step is expected.
• If it is still stuck after that, power-cycle the radio.
• Attempt the update again.

The message Verification timed out. Device did not reconnect in time. means the image was written but the radio did not come back within that window — power-cycle it and check the version under Currently Installed before re-running the update.

Radio Won't Boot After Update

If the app told you the Bluetooth update could not be finished, follow the instruction it gave: connect the radio to a computer over USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. and re-flash it with the vendor's serial DFUDFU (Device Firmware Update). A state in which a device is placed into for it to receive a firmware update. tool, such as adafruit-nrfutil. A stock nRF bootloader cannot reliably complete an interrupted over-the-air update.

Otherwise, if your radio fails to boot:

1. Try connecting via USBUSB (Universal Serial Bus). The wired connection used to power a device, flash firmware onto it, and communicate with it over serial. to a computer
2. Use the web flasher in recovery/DFUDFU (Device Firmware Update). A state in which a device is placed into for it to receive a firmware update. mode
3. Flash a known-good firmware version
4. Check the Meshtastic Discord for device-specific recovery steps

Compatibility Warnings

On connecting, the app compares the radio's firmware against two thresholds and reacts differently to each:

Firmware version	What you see	What happens
Below 2.3.15	Firmware update required.	The app disconnects from the radio. It does not operate against firmware this old.
2.3.15 up to, but not including, 2.5.14	Firmware Update Recommended.	Advisory only — dismiss it and carry on. The dialog names the latest stable release.
2.5.14 or newer	Nothing	—

A version string the app cannot parse is ignored rather than treated as too old, so a transient read never disconnects a working radio.

Related Topics

• Connections — reconnecting after a firmware update
• Flashing firmware guide — full firmware flashing walkthrough on meshtastic.org
• Supported devices — check firmware compatibility by device
• FAQ — common questions on meshtastic.org