Have an old Starlink dish lying around? Update it this week – or it’ll never work again
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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Starlink hardware that hasn’t been used since early 2024 needs updating.
- This hardware will be bricked if not updated by Nov 17.
- Users of affected hardware should have received an email from SpaceX.
Got a Starlink dish? Not sure when you last used it? Is it sitting somewhere gathering dust? You need to read this!
Because you might have until November 17 to update it, otherwise it’ll be the end of the line for it.
According to a SpaceX support document, the issue affects hardware running the2024.05.0 firmware. It must be activated and pointed at the sky to receive a necessary update by November 17, 2025, or become “permanently inoperable.”
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Customers running the 2024.05.0 and 2024.12.26 firmware will also lose internet connectivity on this date if they don’t update, but connectivity will be restored following an update.
Updating is a simple three-step process:
- Take your Starlink dish outside and power it up.
- Give it a clearish view of the sky — note that the dish does not need a perfectly clear view of the sky to receive the update.
- Use the app for progress — it will take some 15 to 30 minutes to download and install.
Note that you don’t need an active subscription to download this update, and you won’t be charged.
Starlink update process.
SpaceX/ZDNET
Not sure what software your dish is running? Fire up the dish and the Starlink app, tap the Advanced button, and then you’ll find the software version in the App section.
According to SpaceX, customers running old firmware should have been sent an email titled “Action Required: Update Software.” If you’ve had this, don’t ignore it. If you’ve not, and you know you have a Starlink dish gathering dust somewhere, it might be worth activating it and checking.
Better safe than sorry!
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