0.13.2: Waveshare AMOLED and M5Stack use internal flash with no SD controls. Matching updates preserve badge, settings and files. GUI tour · Hardware feature comparison.

Flash Dragon Detector

Open the web flasher in desktop Chrome or Edge. HTTPS or localhost is required for Web Serial. Use a USB data cable and close serial monitors first.

1. Check the exact printed model: Spotpear JC3636W518, Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.75C, M5Stack StopWatch C152, Seeed XIAO ESP32-S3 + Round Display, or the non-touch Waveshare ESP32-S3-LCD-1.28 Lite.
2. Select that board. The ESP32-S3 chip check does not distinguish these boards.
3. Choose Update matching Dragon Detector if the exact board already has a compatible Dragon Detector layout (table below). Leave erase unchecked. Choose Fresh install for a new board or migration from unrelated firmware; this replaces saved files. Back up existing firmware, files and settings first.
4. Confirm the board/type checkbox, Connect & install, choose its serial port, and wait for verification. Reset if it stays in the bootloader.
5. Keep USB connected until automatic clock setup and verification finish, then connect from Badge Studio.

The update manifest writes bootloader at 0x0, partition table at 0x8000, OTA selection data at 0xE000, and application at 0x10000; it skips NVS (0x9000) and user filesystems. Leave erase unchecked. Firmware cannot preserve settings if you explicitly erase them.

After installation, open Tools → Utilities on a full board. Waveshare AMOLED needs no SD card: Saved files opens internal-flash captures, and Settings → Capture studio starts a recording. Download captures from the web page's Radio tools → Capture library. Badge Studio uploads directly to internal flash. Screens and controls.

Waveshare AMOLED 1.75C / 0.9.8: the build now uses its full 32 MB flash. The original lower 16 MB partition addresses and sizes stay unchanged. Update also skips the new recon filesystem at 0x1000000; existing badges, settings and saved BLE profiles are preserved. When upgrading older 16 MB firmware, use BLE Lab → Initialize new BLE storage after making a complete backup. This initializes only the upper 16 MB, once. Fresh install writes blank badge and recon filesystems. BLE Lab and migration details.

XIAO Round starts at 0.9.2: use Fresh install when migrating from any other firmware, and Update only for this exact XIAO profile’s 0.9.2-or-newer layout. Its 8 MB flash cannot hold the other board images. XIAO setup.

The factory filesystem is at 0xC10000 on Spotpear/Waveshare, 0x810000 on StopWatch, and 0x610000 on Seeed XIAO Round. A merged factory-0x0.bin writes intervening blank regions too, so it resets NVS and files. Never use a merged factory BIN as a preservation update. Earlier 0.1/0.2 binaries are retained under hardware/ and use their older instructions.

Manual installation

For the M5Stack StopWatch C152 factory package in M5Burner, follow the M5Burner guide, including the required post-burn browser clock setup. The factory image resets saved settings and files; use the web flasher's Update option for compatible installations you want to preserve.

Build/package with python tools/build_release.py --board waveshare (or spotpear / stopwatch / xiao_round / waveshare_lite). Verify the files against web/firmware/<board>/SHA256SUMS.txt.

python -m esptool --chip esp32s3 --port YOUR_PORT write-flash 0x0 web/firmware/waveshare/factory-0x0.bin

Replace the port and board folder with the exact device. This is a factory write. A complete backup can be made with esptool read-flash 0 ALL backup.bin; keep backups private because they may include credentials and previous user data.

Recovery

M5Stack StopWatch: connect USB, hold the power button for about two seconds until its green LED lights, then release to enter download mode. After flashing, a short power-button press restarts it. This differs from boards with separate BOOT/RESET buttons. Official instructions.

Spotpear/Waveshare/XIAO: Hold BOOT, tap RESET, release BOOT, then select the bootloader port. Try a known data cable and another direct USB port. Stop any other program holding the serial port. If the display is blank but USB responds, confirm the board variant before trying another build. For badge storage errors, back up existing flash before reinstalling the correct factory image. The firmware never auto-formats a failed mount.

Hosting

GitHub Settings → Pages → Source must be GitHub Actions. The firmware workflow tests and builds all five profiles. The Pages workflow publishes only a successful main push, taking source and all five build artifacts from that same completed run. Failed builds are never substituted with older binaries. The public website contains release binaries; device dumps and local scan data are excluded.

The web page validates the exact board name, ESP32-S3 family, image filenames, partition offsets and factory/update erase policy before enabling installation. This does not automatically identify connected display wiring; select the printed model carefully.

Automatic local time (0.13.7)

Leave Automatically set and verify my local date, time & timezone enabled. In 0.13.10+, the installer closes automatically after flashing, then copies the computer's current time and UTC offset to that exact detected board. Keep USB connected until verification finishes. Detected hardware RTCs are read directly and checked for ticking; missing expected RTCs or invalid readback fail explicitly. If USB changes ports, choose Finish clock setup and select the running board. A failed clock sync does not mean flashing failed. Lite supports USB clock setup in 0.13.9+. Without a working external RTC, full shutdown requires USB sync or configured saved-Wi-Fi recovery (full boards). The Waveshare 1.75C is in that category on tested hardware; do not confuse it with the non-C model. Clock setup and retention guide.