Reference guide and “crib sheet” with links to help with updating the Marlin firmware on the Creality Ender 3 / 3 Pro.
This guide is predominantly aimed at older 8 bit boards (aka “silent stepper” usually marked V1.1.1, V1.1.2, V1.1.3, V1.1.4, or V1.1.5 which all use same firmware).
Patience and some tech savvy is needed, however there many step by step guides around which will get through it if you are a little nervous … for links and suggestions read on.
Steps list … with hints
- Your Ender’s board requires a bootloader to do the rest (if not – read this)
- Arduino Uno and connectors required here
- Highly recommended to use TH3D’s Ender 3 / 3 Pro firmware and follow their excellent step by step guide … which includes
- Flashing … Instead of using VSCode and connecting your computer (or laptop) via USB cable to your 3d printer, then it might be easier / more convenient to use Octopi and the Firmware Updater plugin … configuration settings / steps below
- you still require the boot loader mentioned at the beginning of this guide for this
- you can flash any other firmware files using this tool (eg Creality or any created by other people on your behalf)


raspberry
[or whatever you changed it to after install]Hints and changes:
- Only change what you need or understand!
- Add versioning to keep track of your own changes – visible at boot time and in status line on your 3d printer’s LED screen
- File: Configuration_backend.h
- Line: #define UNIFIED_VERSION (remember to use quotes around your text)
- You can change your LED screen “preheat” settings from “ABS” to “PETG” or whatever you like (be sure to put the right values in here!)
- File: Configuration_backend.h

- I use PWM scaling for my parts cooling fan to “drop” 24V power to the 12V Noctuas I use
- File: Configuration_adv.h

That’s it … good luck … and remember if you are really unlucky and do “brick” your board, you can re-flash the bootloader as per the beginning of this article, or use it as a good excuse to upgrade your board to a fancy new 32 bit version!?!
If you liked this article, want to help read more similar content, and wish help keep the site going, then buy me a coffee here