---
title: Recovering a Bricked Notecard
description: Instructions for recovering a bricked Notecard using Notecarrier A or Notecarrier F.
source_url: https://dev.blues.io/support/recovering-a-bricked-notecard/
canonical_url: https://dev.blues.io/support/recovering-a-bricked-notecard/
markdown_url: https://dev.blues.io/support/recovering-a-bricked-notecard.md
---

# Recovering a Bricked Notecard

In the event the wrong type of firmware was inadvertently uploaded to your Notecard, you may need to manually recover the "bricked" Notecard using a Notecarrier.

Every recovery procedure below works the same way: it forces the Notecard into its bootloader by holding the Notecard's `BOOT` (pin 65) at `VIO` while the Notecard is reset. Most Blues Notecarriers expose the `BOOT` pin for this exact purpose.

- [Recovering a Notecard with Notecarrier A](#recovering-a-notecard-with-notecarrier-a)
- [Recovering a Notecard with Notecarrier F](#recovering-a-notecard-with-notecarrier-f)
- [Recovering a Notecard with Other Carrier Boards](#recovering-a-notecard-with-other-carrier-boards)

## Recovering a Notecard with Notecarrier A

1. Download the [appropriate firmware binary](https://dev.blues.io/notecard/notecard-firmware-releases.md) for your specific Notecard.
2. Plug the Notecarrier A into your PC via a micro USB cable.
3. Add a jumper wire between the unmarked `BOOT` pin and `VIO` on the Notecarrier A (see image below for location of `BOOT`).
4. Add another jumper wire between `RST` and `GND`.
5. Remove the `RST/GND` jumper.
6. Remove the `BOOT/VIO` jumper.
7. The Notecard will now be in its bootloader, so you can follow instructions provided to [manually update the firmware](https://dev.blues.io/notecard/notecard-walkthrough/updating-notecard-firmware.md#dfu-with-in-browser-terminal).

![recovering notecard with notecarrier a](https://dev.blues.io/images/application-notes/recovering-bricked-notecard/carr-a-unbrick.jpg?v=744f152a)

## Recovering a Notecard with Notecarrier F

1. If there is a host MCU in the Feather socket, remove it.
2. Download the [appropriate firmware binary](https://dev.blues.io/notecard/notecard-firmware-releases.md) for your specific Notecard.
3. Plug the Notecarrier F into your PC via a micro USB cable.
4. Add a jumper wire between `N_BOOT` and `N_VIO`.
5. Press the small reset button next to the Notecard (see image below).
6. Remove the `N_BOOT/N_VIO` jumper.
7. The Notecard will now be in its bootloader, so you can follow instructions provided to [manually update the firmware](https://dev.blues.io/notecard/notecard-walkthrough/updating-notecard-firmware.md#dfu-with-in-browser-terminal).

![recovering notecard with notecarrier f](https://dev.blues.io/images/application-notes/recovering-bricked-notecard/carr-f-unbrick.jpg?v=cdacd0fe)

## Recovering a Notecard with Other Carrier Boards

If using another Blues Notecarrier (or your custom carrier board routes `BOOT` (pin 65), `NRST` (pin 67), and the USB signals to accessible test points) you can recover a Notecard as well.

Notecarrier X, XI, XM, and XS expose `BOOT` on pin 5 of their 16-pin header. Notecarrier CX and Notecarrier Pi do not route this pin at all, so a Notecard must be moved to another Notecarrier to be recovered.

> **Warning:**
>
> The `BOOT` pin on Notecarrier CX is **not** the Notecard's `BOOT` pin — it selects the bootloader of the Notecarrier CX's own host MCU.

1. Download the [appropriate firmware binary](https://dev.blues.io/notecard/notecard-firmware-releases.md) for your specific Notecard.
2. Connect your carrier board to your PC so the Notecard enumerates over USB.
3. Connect `BOOT` to `VIO`.
4. Momentarily connect `NRST` to `GND`, then disconnect it.
5. Disconnect `BOOT` from `VIO`.
6. The Notecard will now be in its bootloader, so you can follow instructions provided to [manually update the firmware](https://dev.blues.io/notecard/notecard-walkthrough/updating-notecard-firmware.md#dfu-with-in-browser-terminal).