STM32F407 Firmware Update via SD Card with Custom Bootloader

This system enables firmware updates on STM32F407-based devices simply by copying a .bin file to an SD card. The custom bootloader automatically reads and writes the new firmware to the MCU’s internal flash, without requiring a debugger or additional tools.

This system was tested using the project STM32F407-LCD-Camera-SDCard as the main application.

Key Features

• Custom bootloader with .bin file support from SD card
• Automatic detection and update when a new firmware file is available

Demo

https://youtu.be/p20jer7IenY?si=01RXiO1Az-_TIbf0

Requirements

• STM32F407VGT6 Board (as per schematic)
• STM32CubeIDE
• SD card (FAT32)
• USB cable (for MSC connection)
• .bin file from the main application build

How to Use

1. Build both Bootloader and MainApp projects.
2. Flash the bootloader to the STM32 internal flash using ST-Link or any debugger.
3. Copy the .bin file from the MainApp to the root directory of the SD card.
4. Insert the SD card into the board and power up the device.
5. The bootloader will detect and write the new firmware to the main application address.
6. The system will then automatically jump to the main application.

Technical Notes

• The .bin file must be placed in the root directory and named appropriately (e.g., firmware.bin).
• The main application flash address can be configured in the linker script (e.g., 0x08008000).
• After the update, the bootloader performs a clean vector reset jump to the main application.

Author

Moh Sirojudin Munir
Embedded systems developer
LinkedIn | GitHub | YouTube