firmware

Update the bat dongle

Latest firmware: 0.9.3, released 5 October 2026. Fixes updating from Windows: Chrome and Edge on Windows can now switch the dongle into update mode without any extra setup. Audio is unchanged from 0.9.2.

firmware version

0.9.3 recommended5 October 2026Fixes updating from Windows: Chrome and Edge on Windows can now switch the dongle into update mode without any extra setup. Audio is unchanged from 0.9.2.0.9.2 previous version3 October 2026Keeps the audio quality and quieter ultrasonic background of 0.9.1 while running the processor at half its previous clock speed and a lower voltage. More efficient audio processing and shorter processing batches keep USB streaming responsive.0.9.1 previous version3 October 2026Lower background hiss above 60 kHz (about 8 to 9 dB quieter), so faint and distant bats stand out more. Very loud sounds no longer leave vertical lines across the spectrogram, and the volume control now tops out at +12 dB.0.8.0 previous version17 September 2026The dongle now appears as a standard USB Audio Class 1 microphone named "Alauda bat-dongle 384kHz", so Bat Recorder on Android recognises it alongside BatGizmo, OpenBat and Bat Detector on iOS.

Fetching and checking firmware 0.9.3…

If the update will not go through

The bootloader lives in read-only memory on the chip, so an interrupted update cannot damage the dongle. A dongle that was unplugged part way through simply stays in update mode: plug it back in and press Connect again, choosing RP2350 Boot. Or do it by hand:

Download batcheck 0.9.3 (a 83 KB .uf2 file).
A drive called RP2350 is showing while the dongle is in update mode. Drag the .uf2 file onto it.
The drive vanishes and the dongle restarts on the new firmware.

If the dongle does not appear as a microphone or as an RP2350 drive at all, email hello@alaudaaudio.co.uk with what you see and we will sort it out.