Install Ackwell Speech dongle

Open this page on your computer.Installing needs Chrome or Edge on a PC or Mac, with the board plugged into it by USB. It can't be done from an iPhone, iPad or Android phone.

1What you need

Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 board. Buy it from Seeed Studio. Get the plain XIAO ESP32S3, not a different XIAO model.
A USB-C cable that carries data. Some cables only charge; those won't work.
Chrome or Edge on a computer (Windows PC or Mac). Not an iPhone, and not Safari or Firefox.

2Plug it in

Plug the board into your computer with the USB-C cable.

If it isn't detected in the next step: unplug it, hold the small B (BOOT) button on the board, plug it back in, then let go.

3Install

This browser can't install. Open this page in Chrome or Edge on a Windows PC or Mac. Safari, Firefox and phones don't support it. Installing is blocked on this page. Open it from its https address in Chrome or Edge.

Click it, pick the board from the list (often "USB JTAG/serial debug unit" or a COM port), then choose Install. Say yes to erasing the device. Keep it plugged in until it says it's done.

4After the install

Unplug the board and plug it back in.
On your iPhone: Settings > Bluetooth, tap the (i) next to "Ackwell Speech" and choose Forget This Device. (Skip this on a brand-new board.)
Open the Ackwell Speech app and connect from the app. Accept the pairing prompt.
Foot pedal: in the Ackwell Speech app, tap the gear > Foot pedal > Pair foot pedal, then switch the pedal on in pairing mode. The app shows when it's paired. (Or hold BOOT on the board for 3 seconds.) Installing clears any earlier pedal pairing.

Troubleshooting

No port is listed

Unplug the board, hold BOOT, plug it back in, let go, and click Install again. Try a different USB port, directly on the computer rather than through a hub or dock.

Still nothing: it may be the cable

Many USB-C cables only carry power. Use a cable you know moves data (for example one that syncs a phone), or try another one.

"This browser can't install" / Safari or Firefox

Safari and Firefox don't allow web pages to talk to USB devices. Use Chrome or Edge on a Windows PC or Mac. Phones and tablets can't do it at all.

Windows: no COM port appears

Windows 10 and 11 normally recognise the board on their own. If it doesn't show up, open Device Manager while it's plugged in. If you see an unknown device or a yellow warning, run Windows Update (it fetches the USB serial driver), then unplug and replug with BOOT held. A hospital PC may block new USB devices; ask your IT team, or install on a personal computer, then move the dongle.

It stopped partway

Nothing is damaged. Unplug, hold BOOT while plugging back in, and run Install again.

Firmware v0.8 for XIAO ESP32S3 (8 MB) · 657,328 bytes
SHA-256 7467623234944fea5751c020717c97e9e1d5a2c666c58116e5fefefda5a4492f