Firmware updates are how Nokta adds features and fixes bugs on detectors already in the field, and they are free. This guide covers which models can be updated, where the files are, the exact steps for each family, and what to do when the update will not take. Your detector shows its firmware version for a moment at power-on, so check that first.
Current firmware by model
| Model | Latest version | Released | Update tool | Computer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend | V1.17 | Oct 2024 | The Legend Update Tool | Windows or Mac |
| The Legend 2 | Not yet published by Nokta | Updates from a phone or laptop, wired or wireless | ||
| Score, Double Score, Triple Score | V1.2 | Sep 2024 | Score Update Tool | Windows or Mac |
| Simplex Ultra and Simplex Lite | V7.01 | Nov 2023 | Nokta Detector Update Tool | Windows only |
| Simplex+ (discontinued) | V2.78 | Jun 2020 | Nokta Detector Update Tool | Windows only |
| Impact, Anfibio, Kruzer, Gold Kruzer, Invenio | Last updated 2017 to 2021 | Per-model packages | Windows only |
The Legend 2 is Nokta's first detector that can update without a computer. Nokta had not posted a Software Update tab or a version history for it at the time of writing, so if you own one, check its product page on Nokta's site before assuming you are behind.
Where to get the files
Nokta hosts every update on the detector's own product page, under the Software Update tab next to Package Contents and Specifications. There is no account to create and no login; the files download directly. Each package includes all earlier versions, so you only ever need the latest one.
Before you start
Charge the detector fully. Use the USB charge and data cable that came with it, plugged straight into the computer rather than a hub. On Windows, Nokta's own instruction is to disable antivirus software before running the updater, because Defender and third-party tools often block the setup file. Extract the download to a folder you can find again, and close the update tool before you connect the detector.
Updating the Legend
- Install the update tool, then close it completely.
- With the Legend switched off, connect it to the computer.
- Listen for the connection sound. If there is none, unplug and reconnect.
- Still off, press and hold the UP button until "UP" appears on the screen, then release.
- Open the update tool and select the .bin file.
- Start the update when the button becomes active.
- "UP" clears and a count runs from 1 to 100.
- "LD" appears when it is done. The detector turns on if a coil is connected, or shows "CC" and shuts down if not.
Updating the Score, Double Score and Triple Score
The Score Update Tool works the same way as the Legend tool: install it, connect the detector switched off, and follow the on-screen prompts to select the firmware file and start the update. The version shows under the ID scale at power-on, so you can confirm it took.
Updating the Simplex Ultra, Simplex Lite and Simplex+
Run the setup file from the download, open the Nokta Detector Update Tool, choose your model from the drop-down, and connect the detector with the charging cable when the tool asks for it. The Simplex tools are Windows only. One warning for Simplex+ owners: once on V2.78 the detector cannot be rolled back to 2.77 or earlier.
After the update
Nokta asks that you revert to factory defaults once the update completes. On the Legend, select User Profile in the settings menu and hold Pinpoint until "Fd" appears. On the Score series, hold Frequency and Noise Cancel together until "Fd" appears. All your saved settings are cleared, so note any custom values before you start.
When the update will not work
- Detector not recognized. Try another USB port, the original Nokta cable, and a direct connection with no hub. On Windows, if the device shows as unknown in Device Manager, the Silicon Labs CP210x USB serial driver usually fixes it.
- Update tool will not open or stalls. Antivirus is the usual cause. Nokta also offers a separate Windows 7 build of the Legend and Score tools for computers that report "No internet access".
- Legend shows "E5" where the version should be. The firmware did not load; run the update again.
- Score will not turn on and the charge light blinks unplugged. Repeat the installation.
- Update stopped partway. Start again from step one. The detector's bootloader normally survives, so a failed update is recoverable.
Need the detector itself, or a coil to go with it? See the Nokta Legend, Legend 2, Simplex Ultra, Simplex Lite, Score, Double Score and Triple Score collections, or the full Nokta range.