Hello Raspberry Pi: Install/Update MicroPython firmware to Raspberry Pi Pico using Thonny Python IDE

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Install/Update MicroPython firmware to Raspberry Pi Pico using Thonny Python IDE

MicroPython 1.14 released

This release of MicroPython sees the addition of a new "rp2" port for the new Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, a dual-core Cortex-M0+ MCU with programmable IO. This port is built on the pico-sdk and MicroPython sits very close to the bare metal. The programmable IO is supported via the @rp2.asm_pio decorator which allows writing inline assembler to be run on the PIO state machines.

~ GitHub - MicroPython: 1.14 release note

Check it how to Install/Update MicroPython firmware to Raspberry Pi Pico using Thonny Python IDE:

To install or update firmware:

Menu -> Run -> Select interpreter

Select "MicroPython (Raspberry Pi Pico)" from the interpreter drop-down box

Click "Install or update firmware"

Version to be installed is 20210202-v1.14 (2021-02-02), newer than current installed version v1.13.

To enter BOOTSEL mode:

method 1:

Holding the BOOTSEL button when powering up (plug in USB) your Pico.

method 2 (shown in this video):

Holding the BOOTSEL button, short/open RUN (pin 30) and GND.

In BOOTSEL mode:

Pico it appears as a USB Mass Storage Device.

Target device location and Target device model is shown.

Click "Install".

MicroPython v1.14 on 2021-02-02 installed.

Without Thonny:

If you have no Thonny installed, you can also install MicroPython on Pico by "Drag and drop MicroPython". ~ read the official Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Pico, scroll down to select "Getting started with MicroPython" tab. It have a detail steps to install MicroPython to Raspberry Pi Pico.

But if you click the "Download UF2 file" button, the file to be downloaded is named "pico_micropython_20210121.uf2". It should be not the newest version (I guess).