Risks

Firmware Hero links; it doesn't make or host the projects

Every project here is made by other people and lives on their own sites and repositories. Firmware Hero lists them, links to them and collects what owners report. We never host firmware, and we don't test projects ourselves.

You use any project at your own risk. Firmware Hero, its moderators and the projects' makers aren't responsible for damage to your device, lost data or a voided warranty. What we show about a project can be incomplete or out of date, even when it was right when it was written.

Can it break my device?

Each project's page answers this from what the project and its owners tell us:

• Very unlikely to break anything: low risk. Things can still go wrong, but recovering is usually simple.
• Small chance of trouble, with a way to recover: medium risk. Something can fail along the way, and there's a known way back, which may take some work.
• Could leave your device unusable: high risk. A mistake, or bad luck, can “brick” the device, and recovering may need special tools or not be possible at all.
• The project doesn't say: we don't know. Treat it as high risk until you've read the project's own warnings.

Can I undo it?

• Yes: you can go back to the maker's official software, usually by following the project's instructions.
• Not easily: treat it as permanent.
• The project doesn't say: we treat that as no. Assume you can't.

Your warranty

Changing the firmware, or opening the case, can void the maker's warranty, and makers can usually tell. A project that says “It may void your warranty” does. When a project doesn't say, assume it might.

The rest of the risk details

• Requires opening the device: you'll need to take the case apart, which can damage clips, cables or seals and usually voids the warranty on its own.
• Recovery: how to get the device working again if something fails, as the project describes it. Read it before you start, not after.
• How hard is it? Easy: copy a file or use a web page. No extra software. Medium: install an app on your computer and follow its steps. Hard: uses the command line or developer tools. Expert: means opening the device, soldering or special hardware.

Before you start

1. Back up anything on the device you want to keep: settings, patches, presets, photos.
2. Charge it, or keep it plugged in, so it can't lose power halfway through.
3. Check the project supports your exact model and firmware version. The device's Compatibility tab shows what owners report.
4. Follow the project's own instructions, not a summary of them, and stop if anything doesn't match.
5. If you're unsure, ask in the project's own community before you start.

Something's wrong on a page

If a project's risks are missing or wrong, tell us at legal@firmwarehero.com. If it's your project, the details come from your repository's README, so fixing them there fixes them here.