# Inky frame problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [January 4, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118 "2023-01-04T23:29:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pingue11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/eb8c5e/32.png) [@pingue11](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/pingue11)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/1 "2023-01-04T23:29:06Z")
Hi all, Not sure if I’m doing something wrong or have bad luck, but I’m struggling to get a brand new Inky Frame 4.0 working. I can connect to micropython on the serial port, however when I try and do any updates on the screen, the screen alternates flashing various shades of black and white about twice a second and stops after about 20 seconds. A small section of the screen along the left edge is unaffected and doesn’t change. I’m following the instructions at [Getting Started with Inky Frame](https://learn.pimoroni.com/article/getting-started-with-inky-frame#programming-inky-frame-with-thonny) I’ve tried a few different USB cables, all with the same outcome Thanks for any help, really hoping I’m just having a slow moment :D ---
**Author:** ![chrisotherwise](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/chrisotherwise/32/9346_2.png) [@chrisotherwise](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/chrisotherwise)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:31am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/2 "2023-01-05T05:31:27Z")
Hi, I had exacrly the same problem. Support for the 4.0 Frame is only available in the pre-release version of the Pimoroni pico code (1.19.11) not the release version (1.19.10). You’re trying to run the board with the code that’s supporting the 5.7" frame. You’ll need to download the latest code from here: [Release Version 1.19.11 · pimoroni/pimoroni-pico · GitHub](https://github.com/pimoroni/pimoroni-pico/releases/tag/v1.19.11) Also, in the source you’ll need to set: from picographics import PicoGraphics, DISPLAY\_INKY\_FRAME\_4 as DISPLAY (rather than DISPLAY\_INKY\_FRAME) This is highly frustrating - They sent out a mailshot about the 4.0 board last week which meant that lots of relatively inexperienced people (myself included) will have purchased one only to find that it doesn’t work properly when running the getting started tutorials. I still can’t make the networking function and I suspect it’s something stupid that I’ve done but am yet to find out what. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![chrisotherwise](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/chrisotherwise/32/9346_2.png) [@chrisotherwise](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/chrisotherwise)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 6:26am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/3 "2023-01-05T06:26:25Z")
A quick update after having played some more this morning. - The frame actually comes with the correct release installed to it so if you haven’t downloaded/installed any updates it will work fine - you just need to use the DISPLAY\_INKY\_FRAME\_4 setting in your code. - If you do need to download a release then you need the inky\_frame specific one not the generic pico one - otherwise the networking and external stuff won’t work. - You mentioned the flashing screen. For the uninitiated, these displays take a _long_ time to update - 15 to 20 seconds during which time they do all that flashing stuff. Having come from using the kindle where the screen updates very fast this was a surprise to me and makes this display less suitable for (say) a regularlyh updating weather display. ---
**Author:** ![hel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/hel/32/6075_2.png) [@hel](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/hel)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 11:48am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/4 "2023-01-05T11:48:11Z")
Sorry about the confusion - we’ve improved a bunch of stuff on the software side for Inky Frame 4.0" that’s made the existing Inky Frame tutorial somewhat out of date (that’s why I haven’t hooked it up on the shop page yet). We’ll get it updated as soon as we can - here’s a quick rundown of what’s changed and a few things that might be useful in the meantime! - Inky Frame 4.0 ships preloaded with the correct version of MicroPython - [it’s downloadable here if you need it](https://github.com/pimoroni/pimoroni-pico/releases/download/v1.19.11/pimoroni-picow_inky_frame-v1.19.11-micropython.uf2). - It also ships with a shiny new launcher and a set of examples - you can find those [here](https://github.com/pimoroni/pimoroni-pico/tree/main/micropython/examples/inky_frame/inkylauncher). - To let the launcher examples connect to wifi, you’ll need to save a file on your Inky Frame called `secrets.py`, which should contain these lines: ```auto WIFI_SSID = "Your WiFi SSID" WIFI_PASSWORD = "Your WiFi password" ``` - Because Inky Frame’s sleep mode cuts power to the Pico W completely, the launcher saves state to record which example you’re running (so it doesn’t return to the launcher every time it’s woken up). To return to the launcher, press A and E whilst pressing the reset button on the back. - This save state behaviour can make things a little confusing if you’re running your own (non-launcher) scripts - if you want to stop the launcher doing its thing just save `main.py` with a different file name and then delete the original from the Pico. - The `inky_helper.py` file is new and includes a bunch of helpful shortcuts for interacting with your Inky so you don’t have to do everything from scratch with basic `machine` commands, including a function for connecting to wifi, for interacting with the buttons and LEDs and a super helpful sleep function. It’s well worth a look! - The existing [Inky Frame examples](https://github.com/pimoroni/pimoroni-pico/tree/main/micropython/examples/inky_frame) should also work on Inky Frame 4.0" - note that you’ll need to change `DISPLAY_INKY_FRAME` to `DISPLAY_INKY_FRAME_4` (and you might need to add some additional files as detailed in the readme). Also note that the old examples use `WIFI_CONFIG.py` to store wifi credentials, not `secrets.py`. Shout if there’s anything else that’s puzzling and I’ll see if I can help! ---
**Author:** ![chrisotherwise](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/chrisotherwise/32/9346_2.png) [@chrisotherwise](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/chrisotherwise)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 12:39pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/5 "2023-01-05T12:39:42Z")
Thank you for the update, it all makes a lot more sense now. Possibly the most confusing thing for me was that while the launcher is asleep, it’s not possible to access the Pico to copy across the secrets.py file - or indeed anything else. Thonny simply can’t see it. To a beginner this looks like a bug or error situation. ---
**Author:** ![hel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/hel/32/6075_2.png) [@hel](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/hel)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 1:06pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/6 "2023-01-05T13:06:13Z")
No problem (and thanks for the feedback!) Our production team are in the process of updating the 5.7" shipping firmware to match the 4.0" version, once that’s done I should be able to give the instructions a proper overhaul. In the meantime, I’ve added a few pointers to the tutorial to help point folks in the right direction. I’ve also made the refresh time a bit more prominent on the shop page. > while the launcher is asleep, it’s not possible to access the Pico to copy across the secrets.py file - or indeed anything else. Thonny simply can’t see it. If you’ve got a `main.py` present and running (like the launcher) you’ll need to press stop in Thonny to interrupt it before you can copy/change any files - is that what you mean? ---
**Author:** ![chrisotherwise](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/chrisotherwise/32/9346_2.png) [@chrisotherwise](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/chrisotherwise)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/7 "2023-01-05T13:28:43Z")
> If you’ve got a `main.py` present and running (like the launcher) you’ll need to press stop in Thonny to interrupt it before you can copy/change any files - is that what you mean? Haha, yes that was probably the problem. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![hel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/hel/32/6075_2.png) [@hel](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/hel)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/8 "2023-01-05T13:31:36Z")
Awesome, I’ll make sure I get that into the tutorial :) ---
**Author:** ![hel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/hel/32/6075_2.png) [@hel](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/hel)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/inky-frame-problem/21118/9 "2023-01-16T17:25:40Z")
Learn article is now up to date: [Getting Started with Inky Frame](https://learn.pimoroni.com/article/getting-started-with-inky-frame)