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Aqara Firmware Update Stuck: Common Issues & Solutions

ByAlex Turner

If your Aqara device shows “Update failed” or sits at “Updating…” for more than five minutes, the culprit is almost always an unstable Wi-Fi connection to the hub, a hub running low on memory, or a device with critically low battery. Rebooting the hub first clears the single most common hang. If that doesn’t work, run through the checklist below before digging into deeper fixes.

Start with These 5 Checks

Each check takes less than a minute and catches roughly 80% of stuck updates. Do them in order.

  • Hub LED color – Is the hub solid or blinking? A blinking yellow or red light on an M2 or M1S hub means it lost its Wi-Fi connection. Fix the network before you retry the update.
  • Device battery level – Open the Aqara app, select the device, and check the battery percentage. Any reading below 20% can halt an update mid-transfer. Replace batteries first.
  • Hub firmware version – Go to Hub Settings → Firmware Update. If the hub itself shows “Update available,” update it first. The hub must be on the latest firmware before it can push updates to child devices.
  • Network band – Aqara hubs (M2, M1S, M3, G3) only work on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. If your phone is on 5 GHz while the hub is on 2.4 GHz, the update command can queue but not complete. Connect your phone to the 2.4 GHz band before retrying.
  • Number of paired devices – Hubs have a soft limit of around 50–80 devices (varies by model). If you’re near that ceiling, the hub may refuse new firmware tasks. Remove one or two unused sensors and try again.

Three Failure Modes That Cause Stuck Updates

Recognizing which failure mode you’re dealing with saves hours of guessing. Each one has a distinct signature.

Network Drop-Out During Transfer

Firmware updates are small files (typically 100–300 KB), but they require an uninterrupted stream. If your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi has interference from neighboring channels, a nearby microwave, or a mesh system that jumps bands, the transfer can drop.

Example: A user with an Aqara Hub M2 and a WSDCGQ11LM temperature sensor reported the update hanging at 67% every time. Switching the hub to a fixed 2.4 GHz SSID (instead of a combined 2.4/5 GHz SSID) made the update go through on the first try.

Hub Memory Saturation

The hub keeps a small log of recent events, automations, and pending commands. If you have many automations in the Aqara app or HomeKit scenes that trigger frequently, the hub’s memory fills up. When a firmware update arrives, the hub can’t allocate space for the new file.

Signs: The update starts, shows a progress bar, then resets to “Update available” without any error message.

Example: On the Aqara M1S Gen 2, users with 20+ Zigbee devices and three automations saw updates fail repeatedly until they deleted two automations and rebooted the hub.

Device Battery Sag During Write

During a firmware write, the device (like a door/window sensor or motion sensor) draws a brief current spike. If the battery voltage sags below the device’s minimum operating threshold, the write corrupts and the device becomes unresponsive.

Example: The Aqara P1 motion sensor (model RTCGQ13LM) has a known sensitivity to low batteries during updates. Even at 25% reported battery, the update fails and the sensor goes offline. Replacing the CR2450 battery restored the sensor and allowed the update to finish.

Step-by-Step Fixes to Try

If the quick checks didn’t resolve it, work through these fixes in order. Each step builds on the previous one.

Reboot the Hub and Router

  • Unplug the hub’s power cable for 30 seconds.
  • While the hub is off, power-cycle your main Wi-Fi router and any mesh nodes by unplugging them for 60 seconds.
  • Plug the router and nodes back in first, wait two minutes for the network to stabilize, then plug the hub back in.
  • Wait for the hub LED to show a steady green or blue (depending on model).

Branch after this step: If the hub LED is now steady and the device shows online in the app, attempt the update again. If the hub LED is still blinking yellow or red, move your router closer to the hub or change your Wi-Fi channel away from congestion (use a Wi-Fi analyzer app) before proceeding.

Force a Manual Update from Hub Settings

  • In the Aqara app, go to Hub Settings → Firmware Update.
  • Tap Check for updates and update the hub if one is available.
  • After the hub update completes, go to Device Settings → Firmware Update for the stuck device and tap Retry.

Verify success: Once the update finishes, the app should show “Update successful” and the device’s firmware version in Device Settings will match the latest listed on Aqara’s support page. The device should also respond normally — a door sensor should report open/close within 30 seconds.

Remove and Re-Add the Device

  • In the Aqara app, tap the device → Remove Device.
  • Put the hub into Zigbee pairing mode (usually a long press of the hub button or through the app).
  • Re-pair the device by pressing its reset button — for most sensors, it’s a quick press of the button or a paperclip in the reset hole.
  • Once paired, immediately attempt the firmware update again while the device is fresh in the hub’s memory.

Factory Reset the Device

This is a last resort because it wipes all device settings and automations tied to it. Only do this if the update still fails after re-adding.

  • Find the factory reset procedure in the device manual. For most Aqara sensors, it involves pressing and holding the reset button for 10 seconds until the LED blinks three times.
  • After reset, re-pair the device and attempt the update.

Branch after steps 3–4: If the update still fails after re-adding, the device may have corrupted flash memory. At this point, plan to replace the device unless a future firmware update fixes it — check the Aqara community forum for known model-specific issues.

Update Through an Alternative Platform

If you’re using Home Assistant with Zigbee2MQTT or ZHA, you can sometimes push the update from there. This bypasses the Aqara app’s communication logic.

  • For Zigbee2MQTT: In the frontend, navigate to the device → Firmware → Update. The same network checks apply — ensure the coordinator’s connection (if using a USB coordinator) is stable.
  • For ZHA: Currently, ZHA does not support OTA updates for Aqara devices in the same way. Stick with the Aqara app for ZHA users unless you’re comfortable using a custom OTA cluster.

Example: A user with an Aqara Vibration Sensor (model WD-R02) that refused to update through the app successfully updated it via Zigbee2MQTT after moving the coordinator closer to the sensor.

When to Stop Troubleshooting and Contact Support

Some issues aren’t fixable from home. Call Aqara support or check the official community forum if you hit any of these red flags:

  • Multiple devices stuck on the same hub at the same time — this points to a hardware fault in the hub or a corrupted hub firmware that a simple reboot can’t fix.
  • The hub itself refuses to update — the update bar shows “Error 1001” or “Network time out” repeatedly even after router reboot.
  • A device disappears completely after a failed update and won’t respond to the reset button or any pairing procedure.
  • The update fails with error code “-8” — this is a known Aqara hub memory corruption error that only a full hub reset (via a paperclip on the reset hole for 10 seconds) or a warranty exchange can resolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I update Aqara devices without the Aqara app?

For most Zigbee devices, the only reliable OTA update path is through the Aqara app or Zigbee2MQTT. Home Assistant’s ZHA does not officially support Aqara OTA updates, though third-party tools exist for advanced users.

Will a slow internet connection cause a stuck update?

No. The firmware file is tiny and only needs a stable local Wi-Fi connection between your phone and the hub. Internet speed doesn’t matter — what matters is a steady stream between hub and device via Zigbee.

Does removing the device and re-adding it lose my automations?

Yes. Any automations tied to that specific device in the Aqara app, HomeKit, or Home Assistant will break. You’ll need to re-create them after the update is completed. That’s why it’s a later step, not step one.

How long should a typical Aqara firmware update take?

Most updates finish in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. If it’s been longer than 5 minutes with no progress, cancel and try the steps above.

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