nRF Command Line Tools v10.11.1

nrfjprog commands

nrfjprog offers a variety of commands for programming Nordic Semiconductor SoCs with different options and executing other operations on the SoCs.

There are shorthand forms for the most commonly used commands. Some commands will only function together with other commands.

Table 1. nrfjprog commands
Shorthand form Command Description
-q --quiet Reduces the stdout info. Must be combined with another command.
-h --help Displays this help.
-v --version Displays the nrfjprog and DLL versions.
  --log [<path>] Enables logging. The default output file is log.log. Specify a file path to modify the output file name and/or location. If the parent folder of the specified file does not exist, nrfjprog attempts to create it. Logger output is appended to the file. Must be combined with another command.
  --jdll <file> Specifies the file path of the JLinkARM DLL that should be used. If this command is omitted, nrfjprog searches for the latest version of SEGGER's JLinkARM DLL. Must be combined with another command.
  --ini <file> Specifies the file path of the nrfjprog settings file that should be used instead of the default nrfjprog.ini file in the installation folder. Must be combined with another command.
  --qspiini <file> Specifies the file path of the QSPI settings file that should be used instead of the default QspiDefault.ini file in the installation folder. Must be combined with either --memrd, --memwr, --program, --verify, --erasepage, or --qspieraseall.
Note the following limitation:
  • The operation is available only for devices with a QSPI peripheral.
  --qspicustominit Deprecated. This operation does nothing.
-i --ids Displays the serial numbers of all the debuggers connected to the computer.
  --com Displays a list of the serial ports associated with all connected debuggers. If combined with --snr, this option displays all serial ports associated with the given debugger.
  --deviceversion Displays the type of the device that is connected. If combined with --snr, this option displays the type of the device that is associated with the given debugger.
-f --family <family> Selects the device family for the operation. Valid argument options are NRF51, NRF52, NRF53, NRF91, and UNKNOWN. If UNKNOWN family is given, an automatic detection of the device family is performed. Note that providing the actual family is faster than performing the automatic family detection. If the --family option is not given, the default is taken from nrfjprog.ini. Must be combined with another command.
-s --snr <serial_number> Selects the debugger with the given serial number among all debuggers connected to the computer for the operation. Must be combined with another command.
-c --clockspeed <speed> Sets the debugger SWD clock speed in kHz resolution for the operation. The valid clock speed arguments go from 125 kHz to 50000 kHz. If the given clock speed is above the maximum clock speed supported by the emulator, its maximum will be used instead. If the --clockspeed option is not given, the default is taken from nrfjprog.ini. Must be combined with another command.
  --recover Erases all user flash memory and disables the readback protection mechanism if enabled.
  --rbp <level> Enables the readback protection mechanism. Valid argument options are CR0 and ALL.
Note the following limitation:
  • The CR0 argument option is valid only for nRF51 devices.
Note: After an --rbp operation is performed, the available operations are reduced. For nRF51 devices, and if argument option ALL is used, --pinreset will not work on certain older devices. For nRF52 devices, only --pinreset or --recover operations are available after --rbp.
  --pinresetenable Enables pin reset by using the UICR PSELRESET registers.
Note the following limitation:
  • The operation is available only for nRF52 devices.
-p --pinreset Performs a pin reset. Core will run after the operation.
-r --reset Performs a soft reset by setting the SysResetReq bit of the AIRCR register of the core. The core will run after the operation. Can be combined with the --program operation. If combined with the --program operation, the reset will occur after the flashing has occurred to start execution.
-d --debugreset Performs a soft reset by use of the CTRL-AP. The core will run after the operation. Can be combined with the --program operation. If combined with the --program operation, the debug reset will occur after the flashing has occurred to start execution.
Note the following limitations:
  • For nRF51 devices, the operation is not available.
  • For nRF52 Engineering A devices, the operation is not available.
-e --eraseall Erases all user available program flash memory and the UICR page. Can be combined with the --qspieraseall operation.
Note the following limitation:
  • For nRF51 devices with a pre-programmed SoftDevice, only the user available code flash and UICR will be erased.
  --qspieraseall Erases all flash of the external memory device with help of the QSPI peripheral. Note that depending on the external memory device's erase speed, the operation might take several minutes. Can be combined with the --eraseall operation.
Note the following limitations:
  • For nRF51 devices, the operation is not available.
  • For nRF52 devices, the operation is available only for devices with a QSPI peripheral that are connected to an external memory device. To determine if an external memory device is present, nrfjprog checks the MemSize parameter from the QspiDefault.ini file or from the QSPI configuration ini file that is given with the --qspiini option.
  • For nRF91 devices, the operation is not available.
  --eraseuicr Erases the UICR page.
Note the following limitations:
  • For nRF51 devices, the operation is only available if there is a pre-programmed SoftDevice.
  • For nRF91 devices, the operation is not available. Use --eraseall instead.
  --erasepage <start[-end]> Erases the flash pages starting at the given start address and ending at the given end address (not included in the erase). If no end address is given, only one flash page will be erased. If your device is equipped with a QSPI peripheral, the pages to erase belong to the XIP region of the device, and an external memory device is present, this command erases 4 kB pages from the external memory device. The first address of the region is considered as address 0 of the external memory device. To determine if an external memory device is present, nrfjprog checks the MemSize parameter from the QspiDefault.ini file or from the QSPI configuration ini file that is given with the --qspiini option.
Note the following limitation:
  • For nRF51 devices, the page will not be erased if it belongs to region 0.
  --program <hex_file> [--sectorerase | --chiperase | --sectoranduicrerase][--qspisectorerase | --qspichiperase] Programs the specified HEX file into the device. If the target area to program is not erased, the --program operation will fail, unless an erase option is given. Valid erase operations for the internal flash memory are --sectorerase, --sectoranduicrerase, and --chiperase.

If --chiperase is given, all the available user non-volatile memory, including UICR, will be erased before programming. If --sectorerase is given, only the targeted non-volatile memory pages, excluding UICR, is erased. If --sectoranduicrerase is given, only the targeted non-volatile memory pages, including UICR, will be erased.

Note that the --sectoranduicrerase and --sectorerase operations normally take a significantly longer time compared to --chiperase, so use them with caution.

If your device is equipped with a QSPI peripheral and an external memory device is present, data targeting the XIP region will be written to the external memory device. The first address of the region is considered as address 0 of the external memory device. To determine if an external memory device is present, nrfjprog checks the MemSize parameter from the QspiDefault.ini file or from the QSPI configuration ini file that is given with the --qspiini option.

If the target area to program is not erased, the --program operation will fail, unless an erase option is given. Valid erase operations for the external memory device are --qspichiperase and --qspisectorerase.

If --qspichiperase is given, the external memory device will be erased. If the --qspisectorerase is given, only 4 kB pages from the targeted external memory device will be erased. Note that the --qspichiperase operation may take several minutes. The --program command can be combined with the --verify option. It can also be combined with either the --reset or the --debugreset operations. The reset will occur after the flashing operation to start execution.

Note the following limitations:
  • For nRF51 devices, the --sectoranduicrerase operation is not available.
  • For nRF51 devices, if the hex_file provided contains sectors belonging to region 0, the --program operation will fail.
  • The --qspisectorerase and --qspichiperase operations are available only for devices that are equipped with a QSPI peripheral and have an external memory connected. To determine if an external memory device is present, nrfjprog checks the MemSize parameter from the QspiDefault.ini file or from the QSPI configuration ini file that is given with the --qspiini option.
  --memwr <addr> --val <val> [--verify] Writes to the provided address in memory with help of the NVM Controller or, if your device is equipped with a QSPI peripheral and the address to write belongs to the XIP region, with the help of the QSPI peripheral to an external memory device. To determine if an external memory device is present, nrfjprog checks the MemSize parameter from the QspiDefault.ini file or from the QSPI configuration ini file that is given with the --qspiini option. The first address of the region is considered as address 0 of the external memory device. If the target address is flash (either internal or in the external memory device) and not erased, the operation will fail. This command can be combined with the --verify operation.
  --ramwr <addr> --val <val> [--verify] Writes to memory without help of the NVM Controller to the provided address. Can be combined with the --verify operation.
  --verify [<hex_file>][--fast] Compares the provided hex_file contents with the contents in the device code flash, RAM, UICR, and XIP regions (for devices that are equipped with a QSPI peripheral and connected to an external memory device) and fails if there is a mismatch. To determine if an external memory device is present, nrfjprog checks the MemSize parameter from the QspiDefault.ini file or from the QSPI configuration ini file that is given with the --qspiini option. If the optional --fast parameter is given, nrfjprog will calculate a hash of the flash target area using a SHA-256 algorithm and compare it to the expected hash instead of reading back the actual contents of the device flash in order to speed the operation. This command can be combined with the --program, --memwr, and --ramwr operations if provided without the hex_file parameter.
Note the following limitation:
  • The --fast verifying option is available only for nRF52 devices.
  --memrd <addr> [--w <width>] [--n <n>] Reads n bytes from the provided address. If width is not given, 32-bit words are read if addr is word aligned, 16-bit words if addr is half word aligned, and 8-bit words otherwise. If n is not given, one word of size width is read. The address and n must be aligned to the width parameter. The maximum number of bytes that can be read is 1 MB. The width must be 8, 16, or 32. If your device is equipped with a QSPI peripheral and the addresses to read belong to the XIP region, the QSPI peripheral is used to read from the external memory device if present. To determine if an external memory device is present, nrfjprog checks the MemSize parameter from the QspiDefault.ini file or from the QSPI configuration ini file that is given with the --qspiini option. The first address of the region is considered as address 0 of the external memory device.
Note the following limitation:
  • A single --memrd instruction cannot be used to read addresses from both the external memory device and the nRF device.
  --halt Halts the CPU core.
  --run [--pc <pc_addr> --sp <sp_addr>] Starts the CPU. If --pc and --sp options are given, the pc_addr and sp_addr are used as initial PC and stack pointer. For pc_addr to be valid, its last bit must be one. For sp_addr to be valid, it must be word aligned.
  --readuicr <path> Reads the device UICR and stores it in the given file path. Can be combined with --readcode, --readram, and --readqspi. If combined, only one instruction can provide a path.
  --readcode <path> Reads the device flash and stores it in the given file path. Can be combined with --readuicr, --readram, and --readqspi. If combined, only one instruction can provide a path.
  --readram <path> Reads the device RAM and stores it in the given file path. Can be combined with --readuicr, --readcode, and --readqspi. If combined, only one instruction can provide a path.
  --readqspi <path> Reads the QSPI-connected external memory and stores it in the given file path. Can be combined with --readuicr, --readcode, and --readram. If combined, only one instruction can provide a path.
  --readregs Reads the CPU registers.
  --coprocessor <coprocessor> Connects the device to the selected coprocessor. Valid arguments are CP_APPLICATION, CP_NETWORK, and CP_MODEM. If --coprocessor option is not used, CP_APPLICATION is used as target. Must be combined with another command.
Note the following limitations:
  • For nRF51 devices, the operation is not available.
  • For nRF52 devices, the operation is not available.
Parent topic: Programming SoCs with nrfjprog