Download nRF Connect APK for Android (Latest Version)

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Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has become a critical component of modern wireless communications, powering everything from smartwatches to industrial sensors. To work effectively with BLE devices, developers need powerful and flexible tools. nRF Connect for Mobile, developed by Nordic Semiconductor, is an all-in-one utility that turns your smartphone into a complete BLE lab.

We take a look at the extensive features of this powerful app and how it supports every step of your BLE project - from scanning and testing to firmware upgrades and more.

BLE Device Scanning Made Simple

nRF Connect allows your smartphone to actively scan for nearby BLE-enabled devices. As soon as a device advertises its presence, the app picks it up and displays:

• The device name (if available)

• Unique MAC address

• Signal strength (RSSI)

• Advertisement content

This makes it easy to find and analyze BLE peripherals in your environment - whether you're troubleshooting a connection or exploring new devices.

Advertisement Packet Analysis

BLE devices communicate key information through advertising packets. These packets may contain service UUIDs, device roles, and manufacturer-specific data.

nRF Connect parses this data into a human-readable format, allowing developers to:

• Confirm whether devices are broadcasting correctly.

• Analyze custom advertisement fields.

• Verify service UUIDs or iBeacon formats.

Signal Strength Graph with Export Options

The app includes a live graph that visualizes RSSI (signal strength) over time. It's an ideal way to:

• Monitor signal stability

• Identify environmental interference

• Measure connection range

You can also export this data to CSV or Excel for deeper offline analysis or reporting.

Connecting to BLE Devices

After detecting a connectable device, you can initiate a BLE connection. This opens the door to more advanced operations like reading and writing data, enabling notifications, and interacting with services.

Service and Characteristic Discovery

Once connected, the app performs GATT (Generic Attribute Profile) service discovery. It automatically:

• Detects available services

• Lists all characteristics and descriptors

• Displays properties (read/write/notify)

This deep dive gives you full visibility into how a BLE device is structured and what interactions are available.

Reading, Writing, and Modifying Data

Through its clean interface, nRF Connect lets you:

• Read characteristic values, such as temperature, battery level, or sensor data.

• Write data, for example, to control a motor or change device settings.

• Send binary or ASCII commands, including hex formatting

This functionality is critical for testing and controlling BLE peripherals directly from your phone.

Notifications and Indications Control

Many BLE devices send real-time updates via notifications or indications. With nRF Connect, you can toggle these options to:

• Monitor live data streams (e.g., heart rate or accelerometer)

• Receive automatic alerts from the device.

• Validate firmware support for dynamic data.

Reliable Write Operations

The app also supports Reliable Writes, a feature that ensures multi-step write transactions are executed correctly. This is particularly important when you're configuring critical settings or writing long data blocks.

Support for Bluetooth SIG Standard Characteristics

nRF Connect comes with built-in support for decoding a wide range of Bluetooth SIG-adopted characteristics. This means commonly used services like:

• Device Information

• Heart Rate

• Battery Level…are automatically interpreted and presented with clear, labelled values.

BLE Advertising from Your Phone (Android 5+)

nRF Connect isn't just a scanner - it can also turn your smartphone into a BLE peripheral by broadcasting custom advertisements. This is great for:

• Emulating a test device

• Creating a beacon

• Verifying scanning behaviour in other apps or devices

Note: BLE advertising is supported on Android 5.0 and above.

Adjusting PHY Settings (Android 8+)

For developers working with Bluetooth 5.0+ features, nRF Connect allows direct control of BLE PHY settings. You can:

• Switch to 2M PHY for faster data rates.

• Use Coded PHY for long-range connections.

This feature is available on devices running Android 8.0 or later.

Simulating a GATT Server

In addition to client-side features, nRF Connect can also operate as a GATT server, allowing your phone to offer services and characteristics to another BLE device.

You can create a custom profile and simulate peripherals - perfect for testing central devices like embedded systems or BLE-enabled microcontrollers.

Firmware Updates Over-The-Air (DFU)

One of the standout features of nRF Connect is DFU (Device Firmware Update) support. With it, you can:

• Upload new firmware to BLE devices wirelessly.

• Replace the application firmware, bootloader, or SoftDevice.

• Perform updates securely and efficiently.

DFU is especially useful for Nordic-based devices in the field, as it eliminates the need for physical access.

Mcu Manager (McuMgr) Support for Zephyr & Mynewt

nRF Connect also supports McuMgr, a management protocol for embedded operating systems like Zephyr and Mynewt. Through McuMgr, you can:

• Manage device settings

• Perform remote reboots

• Update firmware OTA

It's a powerful addition for developers working with open-source embedded platforms.

Nordic UART Service (NUS) Support

The Nordic UART Service emulates a serial port over BLE. nRF Connect can use this service to:

• Send and receive plain text messages.

• Exchange binary commands

• Create console-like communication with your BLE device

It's commonly used for debugging or communicating with custom firmware.

Macros for Automation and Testing

Repetitive BLE tasks can be automated using Macros in the app. You can record a sequence of actions - such as writing to a characteristic, enabling notifications, or sending a DFU package - and replay them as needed.

This improves productivity and consistency, especially in testing environments.

Final Thoughts

nRF Connect for Mobile is a feature-rich and reliable app for working with Bluetooth Low Energy devices. Whether you're scanning, connecting, testing, or updating firmware, it offers all the tools needed in one place. With support for DFU, GATT server, MCUMgr, and more, it's perfect for developers, testers, and BLE enthusiasts alike.

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