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Troubleshooting Tuya Smart Plug Stuck at Updating

ByAlex Turner

A Tuya-based smart plug that hangs on “Updating” usually means the device lost its connection mid-firmware-transfer, or the app is waiting on a response the plug can’t send. The fix is almost always a forced reboot of the plug, a network check, or a full re-pair — not waiting longer.

This guide covers the likely causes, the exact reset order, and when to stop troubleshooting and replace the unit. It applies to Tuya-branded plugs and white-label devices using the Tuya Smart or Smart Life apps, whether they connect over Wi-Fi or Zigbee.

Why the Update Gets Stuck

Firmware updates for Tuya plugs transfer in small chunks over your local network. The plug’s job is to receive each chunk, write it to flash memory, and acknowledge receipt. If the acknowledgment doesn’t reach the cloud server within the timeout window, the app shows “Updating” indefinitely.

Three things cause most stuck updates:

Cause What Happens How Common
Weak 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal Chunks drop or arrive corrupted; the plug never acknowledges Most common
Plug rebooted mid-update Power blip or manual unplug interrupts flash write Second most common
App/cloud session expired The app lost its token but the plug is still waiting Less common, easy to fix

Less common: the plug’s flash memory is full or corrupted, or the firmware file itself is bad. You can’t fix those from the app.

Before You Do Anything: Check the Obvious

Spend 60 seconds on these checks before resetting anything:

  • Confirm the plug is powered. If it’s in a wall outlet with a switch, make sure the switch is on. If it’s on a power strip, check the strip’s switch.
  • Check the app’s device list. If the plug shows “Offline” instead of “Updating,” the update already failed and the device dropped. Skip to the reset section.
  • Verify your phone is on the same 2.4 GHz network. Tuya plugs do not support 5 GHz. If your phone is on 5 GHz, the app may still find the plug via the cloud, but the update data path can fail.
  • Wait 10 minutes. Some updates are large and the progress bar is inaccurate. If the status hasn’t changed after 10 minutes, proceed.

The Reset Order That Works

Do these steps in order. Skipping ahead can make the situation worse by leaving the plug in a half-configured state.

Step 1: Force-Reboot the Plug

Unplug the smart plug from the wall outlet. Wait 10 seconds. Plug it back in.

This is not the same as turning the plug off in the app. A physical power cycle clears the plug’s volatile memory and forces it to re-establish its connection to the Wi-Fi network or Zigbee coordinator.

Checkpoint: After 2 minutes, open the app. If the plug shows “Online,” the update either completed or was rolled back. Try the update again. If it still says “Updating,” move to Step 2.

Step 2: Restart the App and Phone

Force-close the Tuya Smart or Smart Life app completely. On iOS, swipe it away. On Android, use the recents screen and swipe it away.

Toggle your phone’s Wi-Fi off and on. Reopen the app.

This clears the app’s stale session token. If the plug was actually updated but the app lost track, this will show the correct status.

Checkpoint: If the plug now shows “Online” with a newer firmware version, the update succeeded. You’re done. If it still shows “Updating,” move to Step 3.

Step 3: Restart Your Router

Unplug your router for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait for the router to fully boot (usually 2–3 minutes). Do not restart your modem unless your router and modem are a single unit.

This clears the router’s DHCP lease table and ARP cache. Tuya plugs hold their IP lease for a long time; if the router forgot the plug’s MAC address, the plug can appear connected to the app but be unable to receive data.

Checkpoint: After the router is back up, check the plug’s status in the app. If it shows “Online,” retry the update. If it still says “Updating,” move to Step 4.

Step 4: Full Re-Pair (Factory Reset)

This is the definitive fix for most stuck updates. It wipes the plug’s configuration and forces it into pairing mode.

The reset method varies by model, but the standard Tuya procedure is:

1. Unplug the smart plug.

2. Press and hold the button on the side of the plug.

3. While holding the button, plug the plug back in.

4. Keep holding the button for 5–10 seconds until the LED blinks rapidly (usually red or blue).

5. Release the button. The plug is now in pairing mode.

If the LED doesn’t blink, your model may use a different reset sequence. Check the manual or the product listing for the specific reset method. Some plugs require a long press (10+ seconds) while powered, not during power-on.

In the app:

1. Remove the device from your Tuya/Smart Life account (Device Settings → Delete Device).

2. Tap “Add Device” or the “+” icon.

3. Select the plug type and follow the pairing flow.

4. When prompted, enter your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi password — not your 5 GHz password.

Checkpoint: After re-pairing, the plug should show “Online.” The app may immediately prompt you to update firmware again. If it does, let it run. If the update gets stuck again, see the next section.

If the Update Still Fails After Re-Pairing

A plug that fails the same update twice in a row has a deeper problem. Here’s how to decide what to do:

Check Your Network for Interference

Tuya plugs use 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, which shares spectrum with Bluetooth, Zigbee, and microwave ovens. If your plug is near any of these, move it temporarily.

Also check your router’s channel settings. If your router is on a crowded channel (1, 6, or 11 are the only non-overlapping ones in the US), change it to a less-used channel. This is in your router’s wireless settings.

Try a Different Phone

Some users report that the Tuya app behaves differently on older phones or phones with aggressive battery optimization. If you have a second phone or a tablet, install the app there and try the update from that device.

Check the Plug’s Power Supply

If the plug is in a dimmer-controlled outlet or a circuit with voltage fluctuations, the update can fail because the plug’s radio loses power stability. Move the plug to a known-good outlet.

Expert Tips for Tuya Plug Updates

Tip 1: Update one plug at a time. If you have multiple Tuya plugs, do not update them simultaneously. Each update consumes bandwidth and the cloud session can time out if the router is handling multiple transfers. Update one, verify it’s online, then move to the next. Common mistake: updating all plugs at once and then trying to troubleshoot which one failed.

Tip 2: Disable your VPN before updating. If your phone runs a VPN, the Tuya app’s connection to the cloud can route through a different region, causing the update session to fail. Turn off the VPN, complete the update, then re-enable it. Common mistake: leaving the VPN on and assuming the plug is at fault.

Tip 3: Check the plug’s LED pattern during the update. A solid or slowly blinking LED during “Updating” usually means the plug is still working. A fast blink or no LED at all means the plug has crashed. Use the LED as a hardware-level status indicator that the app may not reflect accurately. Common mistake: relying only on the app’s progress bar, which can freeze even when the plug is still processing.

Zigbee Tuya Plugs: Different Protocol, Same Symptom

If your Tuya plug connects via Zigbee (through a hub like SmartThings, Amazon Echo with built-in Zigbee, or a Home Assistant coordinator), the “Updating” issue has a different cause.

Zigbee firmware updates are pushed from the hub to the device over the mesh network. If the plug is too far from the hub, or if there are too few Zigbee router devices between them, the update can time out.

For Zigbee plugs:

1. Move the plug closer to the hub temporarily. Within 10 feet, line of sight.

2. Check your Zigbee network health. In Home Assistant (ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT), look at the plug’s link quality or LQI value. Below 100 is marginal.

3. Power-cycle the hub (not just the plug) to clear its Zigbee mesh cache.

If the Zigbee update fails after moving the plug closer, the plug’s Zigbee radio module may have failed. This is not recoverable from the app.

When to Stop Troubleshooting

A Tuya plug that fails an update after all of the above steps has one of two problems:

1. Corrupted flash memory. The plug’s firmware storage is damaged and can’t accept new data. This is not fixable by the user.

2. Failed radio module. The Wi-Fi or Zigbee radio has degraded to the point where it can’t sustain a data connection long enough for an update.

Both require hardware replacement. Tuya plugs are inexpensive; the time you spend troubleshooting is worth more than the cost of a new unit.

If the plug is still under warranty, contact the seller for a replacement. If not, recycle the plug and replace it.

Success Check

You’re done when:

  • The plug shows “Online” in the app
  • The firmware version matches the latest version shown in the device settings
  • The plug responds to on/off commands within 2 seconds
  • The LED behaves normally (solid when on, off when off)

If the plug shows “Online” but the firmware version is still the old one, the update was rolled back. You can try again, but if it fails twice more, treat it as a hardware issue.

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