stm32-easy-flash

Simple flashing tool for the STM32 ecosystem.

Listens for a global hotkey (Ctrl+Shift+F12) and automatically flashes an STM32 device using STM32CubeProgrammer CLI — no need to open any GUI.

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Features

• One-keystroke flashing from anywhere on your desktop
• Full chip erase before programming
• Write & verify firmware
• Automatic reset after flashing
• Real-time CLI output in the terminal
• Supports SWD (ST-LINK), DFU (USB) and UART connections

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Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• STM32CubeProgrammer installed (CLI must be accessible)
• Python packages:

  keyboard
  

Install the dependency with:

pip install -r requirements/runtime.txt

Note: On Windows the script must be run with administrator privileges for the global hotkey listener to work reliably.

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Configuration

The tool supports runtime config from a JSON file placed next to the script/exe:

• stm32_easy_flash.config.json

Create stm32_easy_flash.config.json with the following content:

{
  "CLI_PATH": "C:\\ST\\STM32CubeProgrammer\\bin\\STM32_Programmer_CLI.exe",
  "FIRMWARE_PATH": "C:\\path\\to\\your\\firmware.hex",
  "PORT": "SWD",
  "HOTKEY": "ctrl+shift+f12"
}

Optional environment variables (override JSON values):

• STM32_EASY_FLASH_CLI_PATH
• STM32_EASY_FLASH_FIRMWARE_PATH
• STM32_EASY_FLASH_PORT
• STM32_EASY_FLASH_HOTKEY

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Usage

python stm32_easy_flash.py

The script/exe starts and waits in the background. Whenever you press your configured hotkey (default: Ctrl+Shift+F12), it:

1. Erases the entire chip
2. Writes the configured firmware
3. Verifies the written data
4. Resets the MCU

Stop the script at any time with Ctrl+C in the terminal.

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Supported Connection Types

Value	Interface
SWD	ST-LINK via SWD
JTAG	ST-LINK via JTAG
USB1	DFU over USB
COMx	UART bootloader

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Antivirus / Security Warnings

The pre-built executables may be flagged as suspicious by Windows Defender, macOS Gatekeeper or third-party antivirus software. This is a false positive — the source code is fully open and contains no malicious code.

The false detections are caused by how PyInstaller packages Python applications (self-extracting to a temp directory, bundled runtime, etc.). This is a well-known PyInstaller issue.

Workarounds:

Platform	Steps
Windows	Click More info → Run anyway on the SmartScreen dialog, or add an exclusion in Windows Defender settings.
macOS	Right-click the app → Open → confirm the dialog. Then allow under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.

See Issue #11 for full details and ongoing improvements (code-signing, VirusTotal CI scans).

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License

MIT © 2026 MootSeeker