meshtastic/docs/getting-started/flashing-firmware/nrf52/ota.mdx

---
id: ota
title: nRF52 OTA Firmware Updates
sidebar_label: Over-The-Air
sidebar_position: 2
description: Instructions for using the Over-The-Air(OTA) method to flash Meshtastic firmware to nRF52 chipset devices.
---

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nRF52 devices from RAK are able to accept OTA firmware updates from a mobile device over bluetooth. Older T-Echo bootloaders do not have OTA support.

:::caution

OTA firmware updates come with an increased risk of failure. If the update process fails, your device will be left in a non-working state and require physical access for intervention.

:::

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#### Android

:::info
As of this writing, the current Android release of the nRF DFU app (v2.3.0) is not compatible with Meshtastic firmware updates. Please use the instructions below for updating via OTA with the nRF Connect App.
:::

OTA firmware updates are available for Android using an older release of the more advanced nRF Connect App **version 4.24.3** which is available for download from the [Nordic Semiconductor GitHub page](https://github.com/NordicSemiconductor/Android-nRF-Connect/releases/tag/v4.24.3).

1. Download the firmware release you wish to install from the [Meshtastic Download Page](/downloads) or [Meshtastic GitHub](https://github.com/meshtastic/firmware/releases).
2. Unzip the firmware folder
3. Open the nRF Connect App and select CONNECT on your device from the SCANNER tab
4. If the top right corner of the interface that is shown says DISCONNECT, proceed to step 5, if it says CONNECT, select CONNECT
5. Select the DFU icon from the top-right of the screen
6. Select OK after verifying that "Distribution Packet (ZIP)" is selected
7. Select the correct device firmware file (will end with -ota.zip)
8. The update will start automatically (this will be slow)
9. Once the update is complete, the device will reboot automatically

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#### Apple

OTA firmware updates are available on iOS & iPadOS using the nRF Device Firmware Update App available through the [Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nrf-device-firmware-update/id1624454660)

1. Download the firmware release you wish to install from the [Meshtastic Download Page](/downloads), [Meshtastic GitHub](https://github.com/meshtastic/firmware/releases), or via the iOS or iPadOS app.
2. Unzip the firmware folder
3. Open the nRF DFU App and select the correct device firmware file (will end with -ota.zip)
4. Connect to your device
5. Upload the firmware

If the upload fails, here are some tips based on common issues:

1. **Ensure the correct app is used:** Double-check that you’ve downloaded the **nRF Device Firmware Update (nrF DFU)** app, not the nRF Connect app.
2. **Adjust packet settings:** In the app’s settings, the default number of packets is often set to 23. If you experience upload failures, follow these steps to adjust the packet size:
    1. Enable "**Packets Receipt Notification**" in the app settings. 
    2. After enabling this, the "**Number of Packets**" setting will become active, allowing you to reduce it. Try changing the number of packets to **5**. 
    3. Upload the firmware. Wait patiently. The upload speed is reported to be around 1 kB/s, so the process may take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
    4. If it still fails, reduce the value by one and retry the upload.
3. **Prevent screen timeout during upload**: The iPhone's auto-lock feature is often set to 30 seconds or 1 minute by default. When this happens, the screen will go black, and the phone may go to sleep, potentially interrupting the Bluetooth firmware upload. To avoid this, temporarily set the auto-lock to "Never" during the upload process to ensure that the phone stays awake and the upload completes without interruption.


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