Installation Guide

Flash GhostESP firmware to your ESP32 board using the web flasher, manual USB tool, or Flipper Zero app. Choose the method that works best for your setup.

Prerequisites

• A compatible ESP32 board (see Supported Hardware)
• A USB cable (Micro USB or USB-C; must be a data cable, not charge-only)
• A modern web browser (Chrome, Brave, or Edge; Firefox doesn’t support WebSerial)
• 7-Zip or similar tool to extract firmware files
• VPN/firewall disabled (some configurations interfere with the web flasher)

Flashing Methods

Choose one:

Web Flasher Method (Recommended)

1. Open the flasher

   • Go to flasher.ghostesp.net in Chrome, Brave, or Edge.
   • Close any apps using the serial port.

2. Enter bootloader mode

   • Hold BOOT, plug in USB, then release BOOT.
   • If that doesn’t work: hold BOOT, tap RESET, keep BOOT held for 1–2 seconds, then release.

3. Flash the firmware

   • Select your ESP32 variant from the dropdown.
   • Click Connect and follow the on-screen prompts.

4. Restart the device

   • Unplug and replug the USB cable.
   • If the flasher times out, try again.

Note: If the flasher site glitches, clear your browser cache and reload.

USB Connection Method

Use this method if you prefer manual control or the web flasher doesn’t work.

1. Download the firmware

   • Go to GhostESP Releases.
   • Download the .zip file for your board.
   • Extract it with 7-Zip or your preferred tool.

2. Enter bootloader mode

   • Hold BOOT, plug in USB, then release BOOT.
   • If that doesn’t work: hold BOOT, tap RESET, keep BOOT held for 1–2 seconds, then release.

3. Flash using ESP Huhn Tool

   • Open ESP Huhn Tool in your browser.
   • Click Connect and select your device’s COM port.
   • Load the three binary files with the correct offsets:

   Chip	bootloader.bin	partitions.bin	firmware.bin
   ESP32-S2	0x1000	0x8000	0x10000
   ESP32-S3 / C3 / C6	0x0	0x8000	0x10000

   • Click Flash and wait for completion.

4. Verify the flash

   • Unplug and replug the USB cable.
   • Open a serial console to see device logs.

Flipper Zero Method

Flash GhostESP using your Flipper Zero as the programmer. No PC required.

1. Install the GhostESP app

   • Download from the Flipper app store or releases.
   • Copy the .fap file to your Flipper’s SD card.

2. Download the firmware

   • Go to GhostESP Releases.
   • Download the .zip file that matches your ESP32 chip (e.g., esp32-generic.zip for a generic ESP32).
   • Extract the .zip file.

3. Copy firmware files to Flipper

   • Use qFlipper or pull out the Flipper’s SD card and insert it into your computer.
   • Copy the three .bin files to SDCard/apps_data/esp_flasher/.
   • Do not put them in assets/.

4. Wire the ESP32 to Flipper

   • Connect the ESP32 to the Flipper’s GPIO pins (refer to the GhostESP app for pinout).
   • Enter bootloader mode on the ESP32 (hold BOOT, plug USB, release BOOT).

5. Flash the firmware

   • Open the ESP flasher app on your Flipper.
   • Select Manual Flash.
   • Choose bootloader.bin, partitions.bin, and GhostESP.bin.
   • Verify the device variant is correct.
   • Start the flash and wait for completion.
   • Reset the ESP32 when done.

After Flashing

GhostESP boots automatically and creates a Wi-Fi access point called GhostNet (password: GhostNet). Choose how you want to control it.

Control Methods

Web Interface (Easiest)

• Connect to the GhostNet Wi-Fi network.
• Open a browser and go to ghostesp.local or 192.168.4.1.
• No authentication required by default. Run webauth on in the terminal to enable login.
• Limitation: Wi-Fi and BLE commands don’t work here (the radio is hosting the AP). Use GhostLink to run attacks remotely.

Serial Terminal (Full Control)

• Connect via USB and open a serial console at 115200 baud.
• Access all CLI commands. See Command Line Reference.
• On Android, use Serial USB Terminal.

Flipper Zero App

• Download from the Flipper app store.
• Control GhostESP directly from your Flipper.

Qt6 Desktop App

• Download and install for advanced features and customization.

Touch Screen (Supported Boards Only)

• Navigate menus with touch gestures.
• Use the on-screen terminal for keyboard input.

Troubleshooting

Device won’t boot or loops

• Verify you flashed the correct firmware for your chip.
• Try a different USB cable (some are charge-only).
• Reboot the device and wait 10 seconds.

Flash fails or times out

• Ensure the chip is in bootloader mode (hold BOOT while plugging in USB).
• Try a different USB port or hub.
• Close other apps using the serial port.

Can’t connect to GhostNet

• Reboot the device.
• Check that you’re using the correct password: GhostNet.
• Move closer to the device.

Web flasher doesn’t work

• Clear your browser cache.
• Try Chrome, Brave, or Edge (Firefox doesn’t support WebSerial).
• Disable VPN or firewall temporarily.

Serial connection issues

• Install the USB-to-UART driver.
• Verify the correct COM port is selected.

Flipper Zero flashing fails

• Double-check GPIO wiring between ESP32 and Flipper.
• Confirm all .bin files are in SDCard/apps_data/esp_flasher/ (not assets/).
• Verify the device variant matches your ESP32 chip.