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Update and recover

For an ordinary upgrade, use the matching app-only .bin in either phone's firmware updater or the local Wi-Fi page. Both phones can check the Pages release catalogue and download a matching image for review, or import a local file. The release ZIP also contains the app image and checksums.

  1. Match the image family, chip and flash layout to the device. A v2 8 MB image and a v2 16 MB image are different families.
  2. Keep the device powered and stay in range. Keep the app foreground unless using Android's explicit notification-backed background update mode.
  3. Select/download the app image and review the version, family and size before installing.
  4. Wait for confirmed transfer completion and reboot, then reconnect and check the running version. A completed upload alone doesn't prove a healthy boot.

OTA writes the inactive normal slot and preserves settings. It cannot replace a bootloader, change partition layouts or provision model data. Use the USB installer for an intentional layout migration and read its plan carefully. Never upload a merged USB image or recovery image as a normal app.

Retry a failed update

After BLE cancellation or failure, the device may remain in OTA mode with normal controls disabled. Reconnect if necessary and explicitly start a fresh transfer, or reset the device. Don't assume that a lost final reply means the new image was not selected. Check the running version after reconnecting.

Enter S3 recovery

On the public recovery bootstraps, hold the primary user button across reset or power-up for five seconds: GPIO41 on AtomS3 Lite and the v2 layouts. This is the user button, not necessarily the board's ROM BOOT button. Release and reboot to return to the selected normal app. A custom bootstrap can use another configured button; check its build.

Recovery runs without the wearable's sensors or LED services. Pair and upload the matching normal app from the phone, or use protected Wi-Fi after provisioning it over BLE. Atom Matrix has no dedicated recovery partition; use USB if its normal app cannot start.

Recovery details covers sparse plans, storage repair and the explicit USB NVS reset. That reset deletes settings, AP credentials and Bluetooth bonds; it is a last-resort deliberate action, not an upgrade step.