Recovery & Repair

Fix bricked devices, enter bootloader mode, and resolve common flashing errors.

Bootloader Mode

How to manually enter bootloader/download mode for each device family:

DeviceMethod
ESP32Hold BOOT → Press RESET → Release BOOT
ESP32-S2Hold BOOT → Connect USB
ESP32-S3Hold BOOT → Press RESET → Release BOOT
ESP32-C3Hold BOOT → Press RESET → Release BOOT
ESP8266Hold GPIO0 LOW → Power cycle
RP2040Hold BOOTSEL → Connect USB

Factory Reset

Erase all flash memory to return device to a blank state:

Erase all flash (ESP32)
esptool.py --chip esp32 --port /dev/ttyUSB0 erase_flash
Erasing flash will delete all firmware, WiFi credentials, and stored data. You'll need to reflash the device after erasing.

Related Guides