# Recovery Bootloader

DevFeed: [Recovery Bootloader](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/recovery-bootloader-13783.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://developer.espressif.com/blog/2026/07/esp-idf-bootloader-recovery/>)

Author: John Lee

Published: 2026-07-27T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Blog on Developer Portal](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/blog-on-developer-portal.md>)

Topics: [ESP-IDF](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esp-idf.md>), [ESP32-C5](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esp32-c5.md>), [Boot Process](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/boot-process.md>), [Security](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/security.md>)

Tags: [blog](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blog.md>), [bootloader](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/bootloader.md>), [embedded-systems](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/embedded-systems.md>), [esp-idf](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/esp-idf.md>), [esp32-c5](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/esp32-c5.md>), [flash](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/flash.md>), [ota](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ota.md>), [updates](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/updates.md>), [vulnerability](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/vulnerability.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how to safely perform bootloader OTA updates with the recovery bootloader feature. It describes keeping a known-good bootloader image in a separate flash location so the device can recover if the primary bootloader becomes invalid. Examples use ESP-IDF v6.1 and ESP32-C5.

## Source excerpt

In this article, we will explore how to safely perform OTA updates for the bootloader using the recovery bootloader feature.