Help with Corne wireless kit - firmware keeps crashing
Hey everyone! I'm new to custom keyboards and just got my first Corne wireless kit from Typeractive.
But I'm running into an issue I can't figure out.
I got the kit with pre-soldered PCBs (thank goodness, since I'm new to this), so I only had to solder the nice!nano v2 controllers myself. The soldering went well, but now I'm stuck.
What's happening:
- The bootloader works great - when I double-tap reset, the LED pulses and the NICENANO drive shows up
- But as soon as I flash any firmware, the LED just turns off completely
- The computer still sees something connected via USB, but no keys work
- Both keyboard halves do exactly the same thing
Things I've tried (with help from the community):
- Used the official 6_col_corne firmware from the Typeractive docs
- Built custom ZMK firmware with different settings
- Re-did my soldering
- Tested everything with a multimeter - all pins have good connections
- Checked for shorts between pins - couldn't find any
- Tried with and without batteries
The weird part:
- The nice!nanos seem totally fine (bootloader never crashes)
- Both halves act exactly the same way
- It seems like the firmware crashes the moment it tries to start up the keyboard
Since I'm new to this, I might be missing something obvious? Or maybe there's something specific about this batch of PCBs I should know about?
Would really appreciate any help - I'm so close to having my first custom keyboard working!
Thanks in advance!
6 Replies
Good news: nothing here points to a crash. What you’re seeing is expected for our wireless Corne firmware.
- In bootloader, the LED pulses and NICENANO shows up. Normal.
- After flashing ZMK, the LED is typically off. Also normal.
- The board won’t type over USB by default; you must pair the left half over Bluetooth.
Quick checklist
- Flash the correct files on each half: Left = “6_col_corne_left…uf2”, Right = “6_col_corne_right…uf2”, and pick the variant that matches whether you have nice!views. See Corne Wireless > Firmware: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/corne-wireless/firmware
- nice!nano orientation: face down; no pins in B+/B-; power switch ON.
- It’s okay if the OS “sees something” on USB after flashing; that isn’t a USB keyboard.
Pairing steps (first-time setup)
1) On your computer/phone, remove any old “ZMK Keyboard” entries.
2) On the LEFT half, select an empty BLE profile and clear its bond (BT_CLR), then it will advertise. You can see where these keys are on the default keymap image on the firmware page above. More pairing detail: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/troubleshooting/keyboard-wont-pair
3) Pair to “ZMK Keyboard” from the LEFT half.
4) Power on both halves, then press reset on both at the same time so they link. If the right still doesn’t type, follow: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/troubleshooting/split-halves-wont-connect
Notes
- The right half never pairs to your computer; only the left does.
- To charge batteries, the side’s power switch must be ON.
If you’ve done all of the above and still can’t type, reply or tag me with:
- Exactly which UF2 you flashed on each side
- Whether you have nice!views installed
- What device/OS you’re pairing to
I’ll help you get it sorted.
Firmware | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
If you're not familiar, ZMK is a wireless-focused firmware, and it powers our Corne Wireless.
Keyboard Won't Pair | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Fix your ZMK keyboard that won't pair.
Split Halves Won't Connect | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Fix your split ZMK keyboard halves not pairing.
oh that already helps
should the left half work on its own as well or do i need the second half connected?
flas right again
Short answer: yes—the LEFT half should work on its own. It’s the central that pairs to your device and should type with just its own keys, even if the right half is off.
If neither half types/pairs, the most common cause is flashing the “right” UF2 onto the left by mistake. The right half never connects to the computer, so two “right” halves = nothing pairs.
Do this:
1) Reflash the LEFT with the correct left UF2 (match whether you have nice!views):
- 6_col_corne_left… (no display) or 6_col_corne_left-nice_view_adapter… (with display)
- Files here: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/corne-wireless/firmware
2) Power switch ON. After flashing, use the BT keys to clear/select a profile (BT_CLR, BT_SEL) per the keymap image on that page, then pair “ZMK Keyboard” from your host.
3) Test typing with only the left powered.
4) Flash the RIGHT with the right UF2. Power both on, then press reset on both at the same time to link. If the right still won’t join: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/troubleshooting/split-halves-wont-connect
Notes:
- LED off after firmware is normal. The bootloader LED pulse only shows in bootloader.
- USB does not act as a keyboard with our wireless builds; BLE pairing is required.
- To charge, the side’s power switch must be ON.
If you meant “flash right again,” that’s fine—just make sure the LEFT truly has the LEFT UF2. If anything still misbehaves, reply or tag me with which exact UF2 you used on each side and whether you have nice!views.
Firmware | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
If you're not familiar, ZMK is a wireless-focused firmware, and it powers our Corne Wireless.
Split Halves Won't Connect | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Fix your split ZMK keyboard halves not pairing.
the left half is connected via bluetooth
but i cant get a keypress to show up
how do i troubleshoot this?
Yep—the left half should type on its own once paired. Since you’re connected but get no keypresses, focus on these likely causes:
1) Verify firmware on the LEFT
- Reflash the LEFT with a LEFT UF2 (matching whether you have nice!views): see Corne Wireless > Firmware.
https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/corne-wireless/firmware
2) Check nice!nano orientation and pins
- The nice!nano must be face down (chips/logo facing the PCB).
- No pins in the top-left/top-right pads (B+ / B−). Only the bottom 12 per side should be populated.
- If upside-down or with B+/B− pinned, it will connect over BLE but the matrix won’t scan.
Guide: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/corne-wireless/nice-nano
3) Reflow the matrix connections
- If both halves have zero keys, it’s very often header/socket joints between the nano and PCB.
- Reflow all 24 matrix pins on the nano side and the socket/header side. Look closely for bridges.
- If you used no‑solder spring headers, ensure they’re fully seated flush.
4) Quick isolation test
- With just the left powered, try keys on different rows/columns (e.g., one alpha and one thumb). If nothing at all works, it points back to the nano orientation or header joints rather than a single row/column issue.
- If only some rows/columns fail, use the pin map + this guide to target the bad line:
Rows/Columns Not Working: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/troubleshooting/rows-columns-not-working
Corne pinouts: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/corne-wireless/troubleshooting
5) Basics
- Power switch must be ON to type/charge.
- LED being off after firmware is normal; USB won’t act as a keyboard on our wireless builds.
If it still won’t type, please reply/tag me with:
- Exact UF2 used on the left
- Which install method (EZ-solder hotswap, Mill-Max, no-solder, or included headers)
- Whether you have nice!views
- Clear photos of the left nano area (top and bottom)
I’ll help you zero in fast.
Firmware | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
If you're not familiar, ZMK is a wireless-focused firmware, and it powers our Corne Wireless.
nice!nano | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Installing your nice!nano is usually the first step in building your keyboard. In this guide, we'll go over the three different ways to install your nice!nano.
Row(s) or Column(s) Not Working | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Fix row(s) or column(s) not working on your keyboard.
Troubleshooting & Pinouts | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
If you're running into issues with your keyboard, check out our Troubleshooting page for common issues and solutions. If you're still having trouble, please reach out to use on Discord!
Ahh and also make sure you are not on a random bluetooth profile