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Connect your Xteink X4 to TRMNL

David avatar
Written by David
Updated today

The Xteink X4 is a palm-sized, lightweight e-reader with a magnetic back.

Thanks to the community it may also be used as a passive, personal dashboard with hundreds of official and community plugins.

Flashing your X4

  1. With a USB-C cable, plug your device into your computer.

  2. Visit our Flash Assistant.

  3. Select "Xteink X4" as your device and the latest firmware.

  4. Click the Connect button, select "USB JTAG/serial..." from the list, and select "Install" from the popup menu.

  5. Wait for the device to install the firmware (this may take a minute or two). Avoid disconnecting your device or closing the tab until the operation is complete. You should see a confirmation message within the popup menu.

  6. Restart your device by pressing and releasing the small Reset button near the bottom right, followed quickly by pressing and holding of the main power button for about 3 seconds.

(If your X4 is brand new, you may be able to simply click the power button after unplugging it in Step 5.)

Connecting to a server

To see content on your X4, you can either create a self-hosted server ($0) or purchase a BYOD license (one-time fee) to use trmnl.com as your server. The BYOD license grants you lifetime access to hundreds of native and community plugins, 1;1 support with our team, Discord access, and more.

Option A - Set up a self-hosted server

You are welcome to Bring Your Own Server (BYOS), no license required, for any TRMNL compatible device.

If you decide on Terminus, refer to our Terminus setup guide. Even more live Terminus demonstrations are available on our YouTube channel.

Option B - Get a BYOD license

Buy it here:
​https://shop.trmnl.com/products/byod

After purchasing your license:

  1. Claim your Device by entering your TRMNL order number for the BYOD license, this will give you the device's Friendly ID.

  2. If you don't have an account yet, follow the instructions to sign up now.

    If you already own an account, hover over your existing device in the top-right of trmnl.com and click "Add new device".

  3. Then, hover over your BYOD device and click on the gear icon. You are now in the device settings.

  4. Here, set your Device Model to the X4:

  5. Now, click Developer Perks, then enter your MAC address for your device and save. Learn how to find your MAC address.

  6. Finally, power your physical device off and on by holding the power button for a few seconds, and you'll be good to go!

Flashing to another firmware (stock, CrossPoint)

We are actively working on enabling you to use the same X4 device both as an e-reader and a TRMNL dashboard. Stay tuned.

For now, if you want to go back to the stock firmware or use a custom firmware like CrossPoint, use the excellent Xteink Flash Tools.

Don't forget to press the reset button and afterwards the power button for several seconds to reset the device's firmware completely.

Get stuck?

If something is not working as expected or your X4 fails to flash, you can always go back to the stock firmware (and then re-add TRMNL) by flashing a full dump from the command line like this (PORT would be something like COM3 and FILENAME the name of the full dump like flash.bin):

esptool --chip esp32c3 --port [PORT] --baud 460800 write-flash -z --flash-mode dio --flash-size 16MB 0x0 [FILENAME].bin

FAQ

If I decide I don't like my BYOD license and prefer to self-host, can I get a refund?
Yes, we offer a 2 week full return for BYOD licenses.

Can I transfer my BYOD license to another X4 or another device entirely?
Yes, your BYOD license can be pointed to any hardware at any time. Just visit your device settings and update the model + MAC address.

Is any coding required to use TRMNL with the X4?
Nope, but it is encouraged! Learn how to build your own plugins.

How long does the battery last?
With TRMNL running full-time your X4 should last 1-2 weeks between charges. We're working closely with the community to figure out how we can improve the efficiency of X4's sleep mode.

Can I run TRMNL and Crosspoint Reader at the same time?
We're working on it! TRMNL's team is in touch with the Crosspoint Reader lead maintainers and increasingly involved in the Xteink Discord community. Stay tuned.

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