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Firmware updates

The firmware is the software that runs inside Busy Tag. Updates add features and fix problems, so keep it current. Updates are installed by the Busy Tag app on Windows or macOS over USB.

Firmware versions​

FirmwareDevicesWhat it adds
2.xBusy Tag (hardware 1.0, ESP32-S3-MINI), no Wi-FiScreen, LEDs, file storage and the USB AT command set.
3.xBusy Tag 2 (hardware 2.0, ESP32-S3-WROOM), with Wi-FiEverything in 2.x plus Wi-Fi, cloud control from the phone app, device sharing without a computer, the on-screen setup QR code, the status toolbar and the local network API. See the 3.x command manual.

A device cannot move between these lines: each one matches its hardware, so the original Busy Tag cannot be upgraded to firmware 3.x.

Check your version​

Open Settings → your device. Under Device firmware the app shows the Current firmware version and the Newest firmware version. If a newer version exists, the app also tells you so when you open the device settings.

Over USB you can also ask the device itself with the AT command AT+GFV.

Update the firmware​

  1. Connect Busy Tag to a Windows or macOS computer with a USB-C data cable.
  2. Open the Busy Tag app, go to Settings and select the device.
  3. Under Device firmware click Upgrade firmware (or Update in the "new firmware version is available" message).
  4. Wait. The device shows an update screen while the app uploads the firmware, then installs it and restarts. Do not unplug it.
  5. When the app reports that the firmware was updated, let the device restart. It reconnects by itself.
Keep it plugged in

Unplugging the device or closing the app during the update interrupts it. If that happens, wait for the device to restart and run the update again. If it no longer starts at all, use device recovery.

Phones and the Mac App Store version

Firmware updates over Wi-Fi are not supported yet, so the phone apps cannot install firmware. The Mac App Store version uploads firmware slowly; if an update fails there, use the direct installer from busytag.com/software.

Recover a device that does not start​

If an update was interrupted and the device no longer starts, the desktop app can erase it and install the firmware again. This deletes everything stored on the device.

  1. Unplug the USB cable.
  2. Press and hold the BOOT/RESET button on the device.
  3. Plug the USB cable in while you keep holding the button, then release it. The device is now in boot mode; its screen stays dark.
  4. In the app open Settings → Device recovery. The device appears in the list.
  5. Click Recover Device and confirm. The app detects the hardware, erases the flash and installs the firmware.
  6. When it reports success, unplug the cable and plug it in again.

Device recovery uses the esptool utility. If the app cannot find it, it asks you to install Python (with pip) or Homebrew so it can install esptool itself.

The Busy Tag CLI can do the same with busytag-cli recover.