Charge the Device
Though it may seem silly, the best starting point is to make sure the device is fully charged: Plugged in until the green light on the back (TRMNL OG) turns off.
It's also a good practice to slide it into the OFF position during this charging cycle.
Slide the power switch to ON once it is charged.
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Only Works When Plugged In
If the device is responsive when plugged in, but it either:
fails to respond to button presses when unplugged
the green light never turns off
This indicates a problem with the internal battery. If you recently opened the unit, please double-check it is properly plugged into the PCB. If not, look for any signs of battery swelling or burn marks on the battery itself.
Do not keep a faulty battery plugged in continuously! Contact support for further follow-up.
Performing a Soft Reset
An unresponsive device may require a soft reset. There are two ways to trigger the reset:
WiFi Captive Portal Button
Hold the button on the back for 5-7 seconds, then release. This should enter the WiFi Captive Portal mode, like during initial setup, broadcasting a network
TRMNLto connect to via WiFi.Sign-in to the
TRMNLSSID Network to display the captive portal.Press the Soft Reset button.
Long Press to Soft Reset
Hold the button down on the back for 15-20 seconds to perform the soft reset.
Reflashing the Device's Firmware
Reflashing the device overwrites the existing firmware via a USB-C cable and our web flashing utility, which contains the necessary instructions.
Start with the most current firmware, and then step backwards and retest device responsiveness.
If your device was purchased before August 2025 and was working properly before suddenly becoming unresponsive after an update or charging, please refer to our fw1.6.2 troubleshooting guide and follow up with support.
Contact Support
If the unit continues to be unresponsive, please contact support using the online chat icon in the bottom-right of any page on usetrmnl.com or by emailing support@usetrmnl.com.