How do OTA updates work?

[johrs]

Can someone please explain how OTA updates work and if an update will wipe all of the existing settings?

I see you need to set the OTA password in the source also but the recommended install for this firmware is to use the web installer (which is excellent).

I don't have any experience with Arduino, ESP32 or writing firmware so this is all new to me.

Thank you for providing this great repo and sharing it with everone. I'm very excited to get it up and running!

[Sukecz]

Hi, glad you're enjoying the project! 😊
Settings are stored on the ESP32 itself (in flash memory), so a firmware update does not wipe your Wi-Fi credentials or other settings.
About OTA updates: Unfortunately, the web flasher only works over USB, so it can't do wireless OTA. To update wirelessly, you'd need to:
Install Arduino IDE
Download the required libraries
Download and open the source code
Compile and upload via OTA
That process involves a few steps and isn't beginner-friendly. If you'd like help walking through it, I'd suggest asking ChatGPT or another AI assistant — just paste the question and they'll guide you step by step through the whole Arduino IDE setup.
About the OTA password: It's optional — OTA will work without it — but setting one is recommended to prevent anyone on your local network from pushing unauthorized firmware to the device.
For most users, the easiest option is to simply re-flash via USB when a new version is released — just connect the cable, open the web flasher, and click Flash again. Your settings will be preserved.

[johrs]

@Sukecz just for info, I have updated the firmware twice using the website and both times the settings were lost.

After the firmware update I had to re-enter the wifi settings and all other settings were lost and required re-entering.

[Sukecz]

I just tried it and I confirm the problem. It only happens via web flasher. Ota doesn't do it. I will try to fix it, for future updates use OTA. Thanks

[Sukecz]

So I fixed it, it no longer deletes data by default unless you click erase data via Web flasher.

[johrs]

Lovely, thank you