Recovery Mode
đź’ˇ This page applies to the reMarkable Paper Pro, reMarkable Paper Pro Move and reMarkable Paper Pure only. Hereafter referred to as Paper Tablets when not explicitly referenced.
Recovery mode explained
Recovery mode is part of the boot sequence of the reMarkable Paper Tablets.
The first stage of the boot process after power-on is the initial program loader, IPL, running ROM code in the NXP SoC. It will check some hardware input signals to determine whether it should enter recovery mode.
Another reason why it may enter the recovery mode would be if software signature checks of the software we provide for subsequent parts of the boot process fail.
In recovery mode the NXP IPL will allow communication over USB according to the serial download protocol, SDP. Relevant reference manual for further reading can be found here.
Enter recovery mode
- Start by making sure the Paper Tablet is powered on
- Connect the Paper Tablet’s USB port to a source that can charge it
- Press the power button for 25-30 seconds
- Release the power button for a second or two
- Do a single press for a second or two
- Release the button again
You should now be in the IPL where it waits for communication via SDP.
If you have the Paper Tablet connected to a PC you may verify this by inspecting its USB vendor and product IDs. While in recovery mode, these will be:
| Paper Tablet | USB VID:PID |
|---|---|
| reMarkable Paper Pro | 1fc9:0134 |
| reMarkable Paper Pro Move | 2edd:0140 |
| reMarkable Paper Pure | 2edd:0150 |
| reMarkable Paper Pure, early production batch | 1fc9:0x014e |
Pressing the power button seven to ten seconds will turn the device off and exit recovery mode. You can then turn it on again with a short button press.
Why is recovery mode needed
Recovery mode is needed to leave developer mode.
Recovery mode is also required in order to be able to recover a device which fails to start, be it due to bugs or modifications through the use of developer mode, without depending on the state of the software already present on the device.
Recovery tool
To use recovery mode to recover your device or leave developer mode you will need to use our desktop application on Windows or the reMarkable recovery command line tool. Please refer to our support page Software recovery for reMarkable Paper Pro for details on the desktop application and the command line tools for MacOS.
For Linux hosts see reMarkable recovery command line tool for linux hosts.
Disclaimer
Please note that you will be solely responsible for any changes or modifications you make to our software, including by using Developer Mode. We reserve the right to not provide support to software that has been subject to such changes or modifications. Errors or defects resulting from changes or modifications made by you will not be covered by our Limited Warranty or Protection Plan, or any legal warranty you might have (to the extent permitted under applicable law). reMarkable disclaims all liability in that regard.