Flashing the firmware installs the base software onto your MinimalPad’s microcontroller. You need to do this when setting up a new device, recovering from broken or incompatible firmware, or updating to a newer firmware version. The process takes only a few minutes and does not require any programming tools.
You need a data-capable USB-C cable for firmware flashing. A charge-only cable will not expose the bootloader drive. If the drive doesn’t appear after double-clicking reset, try a different cable first.
The Right Firmware Build
The firmware repository produces two builds. You want minimalpad_with_studio — this is the only build that includes the Studio communication layer. Without it, MinimalPad Studio cannot connect to your device.
Steps
Troubleshooting
If the bootloader drive does not appear after double-clicking reset, check the following:
- Make sure you are using a data-capable USB-C cable, not a charge-only cable.
- Try varying the speed of the double-click — some controllers respond to a specific timing.
- Try a different USB port or a different cable.
If the drive still does not appear, see Recovery for additional steps. 
