Flipper CLI Over USB: Serial Console, Commands, Debugging

What the CLI Gives You

Flipper exposes a full command-line interface over its USB connection — this is separate from qFlipper's GUI file management, and gives you direct text-based control: running apps, reading GPIO state, inspecting storage, and scripting sequences of actions, all from a terminal on your computer.

Connecting

Flipper enumerates as a USB CDC (virtual serial/COM port) device when connected. On the computer side, any serial terminal program works:

Linux/macOS: screen /dev/ttyACM0 115200 (device path varies — check ls /dev/tty* before/after plugging in to identify it) or minicom
Windows: PuTTY set to Serial connection type, matching COM port (check Device Manager), 115200 baud

First Commands

Once connected, hit Enter to get a prompt, then try:

help # lists all available commands device_info # firmware version, hardware revision, serial number free # memory usage ps # running processes/apps

Storage Commands

storage list /ext # list files on SD card storage read /ext/file.txt # print file contents storage remove /ext/file # delete a file

Running Apps From CLI

loader open Applications

Or launch a specific app by its path if you know it — useful for scripting a specific sequence (launch an app, wait, send input) without touching the physical device.

GPIO From CLI

gpio set 2 1 # set pin 2 high gpio read 2 # read pin 2 state

Genuinely useful for quick bench debugging of an external circuit connected to Flipper's GPIO header, without writing/flashing a dedicated app just to test a single pin.

Debugging Use Case: Watching Log Output

log

Streams Flipper's internal log output live to your terminal — the single most useful command when developing or debugging a custom FAP app, since you can add debug print statements in your app code and watch them appear here in real time as you interact with the device.

Why This Beats the GUI for Development

Repeatable, scriptable, and pipeable into other tools on your computer — if you're iterating on a custom app or automating a repetitive testing sequence (see the companion "scripting Flipper from a PC" guide), the CLI is the actual production workflow, not the on-device menu navigation.

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