Pico Reader
Pico Reader is community reading firmware designed for Read Pico, with EPUB and TXT support, saved reading progress, and book transfers over Wi-Fi, a device hotspot, or USB.
Before you start
Prepare the following:
- A Read Pico with sufficient charge
- A computer running desktop Chrome or Edge
- A USB-C cable that supports data transfer. A charge-only cable cannot flash the device.
Open the flashing page
Open the Pico Reader website in Chrome or Edge on your computer and find 连接 Pico，开始刷机 (Connect Pico and start flashing). The website installs the firmware version supplied by the project. Check the page for the exact version number.
Connect the device and select its serial port
Connect Read Pico to your computer with the USB data cable, then click 连接 Pico，开始刷机.
In the browser's serial port picker, select the port for Read Pico and click Connect. If you are unsure which entry to use, cancel the picker, unplug and reconnect the device, and look for the newly added port.
Confirm installation
Device data
On first installation, the confirmation dialog states All data on the device will be erased. Installation erases the device's internal data, including the previous system's settings and reading records. Back up any data you want to keep before confirming installation. Book files on the microSD card are not deleted by flashing.
Once connected, click Install 小纸 Pico 阅读固件 (install the Read Pico reading firmware) in the installer dialog. On the Confirm Installation screen, read the data erasure warning, then click Install to begin.
Wait for installation to finish
Progress is shown during installation. Keep USB connected and the page open. Do not unplug the cable or let your computer go to sleep.
Wait for Installation complete!, then click Next to finish. The device restarts. If it does not start, unplug and reconnect USB, then turn it on with the power key.
Start reading
No books are included with the firmware. When the microSD card is first mounted, the firmware creates the books, fonts, and pictures folders as needed.
Put EPUB or TXT books in books, then open them from the device's bookshelf. You can also manage files using the firmware's Wi-Fi, device hotspot, or USB book transfer features.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| No SD card detected | Insert a separately purchased microSD card, up to 512 GB. The card must be formatted as FAT32. |
| Serial port missing | Try another data cable or USB port, and close other flashing tools using the port. |
| Device cannot connect | On a device already running Pico Reader, use 设置 → Pico 设备卡片 → 升级 → 进入 BOOT 模式 (Settings → Pico device card → Upgrade → Enter BOOT mode) to enter download mode. Wait for the computer to detect the serial port again, then retry. For a first installation, connect the device directly using the steps above. |
| Browser cannot flash | Use desktop Chrome or Edge. These steps do not work in mobile browsers or WeChat's in-app browser. |
| No books in the bookshelf | No books are included with the firmware. Put EPUB or TXT files in the microSD card's books folder. |
| Installation interrupted or failed | Check the data cable and USB connection, then follow the installer dialog's instructions to reconnect and retry. |
To restore the official demo firmware, see DIY Your System.
Other installation options
You can also follow the repository's instructions to build and flash the firmware, or fork the project for further development.
wegooo-cell/read-pico-reader
5
Did this solve your problem?
Join our community
CrossMuxNew
CrossMux preserves the original CrossPoint reading experience, with first-class Chinese support at its core. It combines the best features of the major branches and adds exclusive playful extensions.
Demo Firmware
Explore the official Read Pico demo firmware to check the display, touch input, sensors, and power management.