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How to update the firmware of a two heads embroidery machine?

by robert•

Hey everyone, it’s Jake from the team here at Two Heads Embroidery Supplies, and today I’m walking you through something I get asked about all the time: updating the firmware for your two heads embroidery machine. Let’s be real—firmware updates aren’t the most glamorous part of owning embroidery gear, but they’re low-key one of the biggest things keeping your machine running smooth, fixing weird glitches, and even unlocking new features you didn’t know you had. As someone who’s spent years supporting small embroidery businesses just like yours, I’ve seen so many shops skip updates and end up with thread breaks, misaligned designs, or even compatibility issues with new software. So let’s break this down step by step, no jargon, no confusing tech stuff—just what you actually need to do. Two Heads Embroidery Machine

First, let’s get one thing straight: your two heads machine’s firmware is basically its brain. It’s the low-level software that controls how each head moves, how it handles tension, how it reads designs, and even how it connects to your design software. Manufacturers release updates for all sorts of reasons: fixing bugs that cause skipped stitches, adding support for newer design file types (like the latest DST variants), improving speed consistency between the two heads, or even patching security stuff if it connects to your network. If you’re running an older firmware, you might be missing out on all that, and it could lead to unnecessary downtime—something no busy shop can afford.

Before we jump into the actual update steps, there are a few pre-checks you have to do, or you risk messing up the update (and that’s a headache no one wants). Let’s start with the big one: backup your machine’s current settings. A lot of people skip this, but if something goes wrong mid-update, you don’t want to lose your custom tension settings, head alignment presets, or stitch count logs. Most two heads machines have a built-in backup option—you’ll usually find it in the “Settings” menu, under something like “System” or “Firmware.” Just export that to a USB drive you already use for machine storage, so it’s easy to grab.

Next, make sure your machine is powered properly. This isn’t just “plug it in”—you need a stable power source. If your shop has old wiring, or if you share the circuit with a big dryer or a CNC machine, that’s a problem. A power dip mid-update can brick the firmware, and we’ve heard way too many horror stories of that costing hundreds in repairs. Also, don’t run the machine while it’s updating—turn it on, but leave it idle for the whole process. No testing designs, no switching heads, nothing.

Then, confirm the firmware version you’re on right now. This is easy: go to your machine’s main menu, scroll to “About” or “Machine Info,” and note the version number. Most two heads embroidery machines will have that listed as something like V1.8.2 or V2.1.0. This is important because you only want to install updates that are specifically made for your exact machine model—installing the wrong firmware (say, a single-head update or an older model’s file) is a quick way to break things.

Now, where do you get the correct firmware update file? As a two heads embroidery machine supplier, I’m always telling customers to get it directly from the manufacturer first. A lot of third-party sites have files, but they’re often outdated or mismatched. If you bought your machine from us, we’ve got a dedicated portal on our end (no link, just reach out and we’ll send you the right one) with the latest, tested firmware for every model we carry. If you bought it elsewhere, head to the manufacturer’s official support page—don’t random-search it. Pro tip: save the file to a USB drive that’s formatted to FAT32, no other files on it. If the USB has a bunch of random designs or old firmware files, the machine might not recognize the update.

Okay, now the actual update steps—this is where people usually panic, but it’s super straightforward for two heads machines. Let’s walk through it like we’re doing it together:

  1. First, turn off your two heads machine completely. Wait 30 seconds, then plug in your formatted USB drive with the new firmware file. Make sure the drive is fully inserted—sometimes loose connections cause errors.
  2. Turn the machine back on. You should see a prompt pop up on the touchscreen (that’s the main display on your machine) asking if you want to install the firmware update. If you don’t see that, go back to the main menu, scroll to “Firmware Update,” and select “Check for Update” — it should find the file on the USB automatically.
  3. Now, here’s the part that takes patience: the update process itself. For two heads machines, it usually takes 5 to 15 minutes total, depending on how big the update is. Do not touch the machine, don’t unplug the USB, don’t turn it off, don’t open the cover, nothing. The machine will go through different stages: it might update the first head’s firmware, then the second, then reboot once or twice. A common mistake here is trying to rush it—if you interrupt it, you might need a factory reset, which is way more work.
  4. Once it’s done, the machine will show a confirmation message. At this point, you can remove the USB drive. Now, it’s time to test! Don’t jump into a big commercial order right away. First, check the “About” menu again to make sure the firmware version matches the new one you installed. Then, run a small test design—preferably something with small details and multiple colors, so you can check for tension, alignment between the two heads, and any glitches. If you had a specific issue before the update (like thread breaks on the second head), make sure that’s fixed.

Wait, hold on—we forgot a common scenario: what if your two heads embroidery machine won’t connect to the USB for the update? Or what if the update fails halfway? I get this a lot, so let’s cover troubleshooting quick fixes. First, double-check the USB: make sure it’s FAT32, the firmware file isn’t zipped (some machines won’t read .zip files, so extract the update file to the root of the USB), and it’s less than 16GB in size—bigger drives sometimes don’t work with machine readers. If the update fails, turn the machine off, wait a minute, then try again. If it still fails, that’s a sign you might have a custom setting or a tiny hardware issue (like a loose USB port), which is when you should reach out directly to your supplier—we’re here to help, no need to mess with it alone.

Also, a quick note for shops with multiple two heads machines: if you have a fleet, you can update all of them with the same file, just make sure each one’s settings are backed up before you start. We usually recommend doing one machine at a time, so you don’t get confused with which version is on which unit.

Now, let’s talk about how often you should update. I tell my customers: check for updates once every 3 months, or before you take on a big job that requires new design files. For example, if a client sends a design that was created with a newer software version, updating your firmware will make sure the machine reads it correctly. Some updates are just minor tweaks, some are game-changers—last year, we released a firmware update for our two heads machines that cut head alignment time by 70%, which saved shops an hour a day on setup. That’s the kind of stuff you don’t get if you skip updates.

Wait, one big myth I need to bust: some people think updating firmware will void their machine’s warranty. That’s not true—authorized firmware updates from the manufacturer or your supplier won’t void it. In fact, if a problem arises because you didn’t update, some manufacturers might not cover repairs. So updating is actually good for your warranty, not bad.

Okay, let’s wrap this up with a quick recap, so you don’t forget any steps:

  1. Pre-check: Backup settings, confirm power stability, note your current firmware version, get the correct update file.
  2. Prep: Use a FAT32 USB, extract the update file to the root.
  3. Update: Turn machine off, plug in USB, turn on, follow prompts, don’t interrupt.
  4. Test: Confirm new firmware version, run a small test design.

Now, if you’re still unsure about any step—whether you’re not sure how to back up your settings, or you need the latest firmware file for your two heads embroidery machine, or you ran into an error mid-update—don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re not just a supplier; we’re embroidery people too, so we know how important it is to keep your shop running smoothly. Whether you’re a one-person operation or a busy studio with 5 two heads machines, we can walk you through every part of the update, no tech jargon needed. We’re here to help you avoid downtime, fix those annoying glitches, and get back to what you do best: creating amazing embroidered products for your customers.

4 Heads Embroidery Machine References:

  1. Embroidery Machine Manufacturers Association. (2022). "Firmware Best Practices for Multi-Head Embroidery Equipment." Industry Technical Bulletin.
  2. Two Heads Embroidery Machine Supplier Internal Support Documentation. (2023). "Step-by-Step Firmware Update Guide for Models 2H-1501 to 2H-1506."
  3. Small Business Embroidery Shop Association. (2021). "Common Downtime Causes and Preventative Maintenance for Multi-Head Machines."

Shenzhen Yunfu Equipment Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen Yunfu Equipment Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional two heads embroidery machine manufacturers and suppliers in China, featured by quality products and good price. Please rest assured to buy cheap two heads embroidery machine for sale here from our factory.
Address: No.258 Xingye Road 1#, Rentian Community Fuhai Street, Bao’an District, Shenzhen, China
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