7 cool and useful things I can do with my Flipper Zero - as someone who's used it for years

2 days ago 5
Flipper Zero speechmaking  an NFC information    key

Flipper Zero speechmaking an NFC information key.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.


After implicit 3 years of use, I emotion my Flipper Zero, and I'm inactive uncovering chill things to bash with it.

Am I utilizing it to bargain cars, clone recognition cards, oregon alteration the prices displayed astatine state stations? Of people not! That's conscionable fake trash radical upload to TikTok to effort to look cool, and you can't bash thing similar that. 

Also: This tiny USB-C mic is the iPhone accessory I didn't cognize I needed (and it's beginner friendly)

But that doesn't mean the Flipper Zero can't bash immoderate precise chill and utile things. Over the past 3 years, I've been exploring the suite of tools built into the Flipper Zero, arsenic good arsenic extending its capabilities by installing customized firmware. It's been a game-changer successful truthful galore ways! 

The Flipper Zero mightiness beryllium small, but it packs a batch of hardware into a tiny space.

Best anti-virus deals of the week

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and whitethorn beryllium unrelated to this article.

To statesman with, there's a sub-GHz wireless antenna that tin seizure and transmit wireless codes to run wireless devices and entree power systems, specified arsenic store doorway remotes, roar barriers, IoT sensors, and adjacent distant keyless systems. 

RFID enactment allows it to read, store, and emulate a fig of antithetic RFID cards.

Also: Do RFID blocking cards really work? My Flipper Zero revealed the truth

It tin besides read, write, store, and emulate NFC tags. On the front, there's a 1-Wire connector that tin work and emulate iButton (aka DS1990A, CYFRAL, Touch Memory, oregon Dallas key) interaction keys.

There's besides a built-in infrared transceiver that tin some seizure and transmit IR codes to power things similar TVs. Finally, connected the top, determination are GPIO connectors that let the Flipper Zero to link to different gadgets successful the existent world.

That's a batch of features crammed into a tiny $199 device. But each week, I perceive from buyers who are frustrated and disappointed due to the fact that their Flipper Zero won't bash what it seems to bash successful fake societal media videos.

Also: AirTag 2 vs. AirTag 1: I compared some Bluetooth trackers, and the victor is not truthful obvious

Here are immoderate of the things I've been doing with my Flipper Zero implicit the past fewer weeks.

Note: I'm usually running third-party bundle connected my Flipper Zero, which gives maine entree to a clump of further features. But interest not—loading third-party bundle doesn't invalidate your warranty, and you tin easy spell backmost to the banal bundle astatine immoderate clip utilizing the Flipper Zero app connected a desktop, laptop, oregon mobile device.

The sub-GHz wireless antenna tin prime up signals from devices specified arsenic wireless doorbells and car cardinal fobs, making the Flipper Zero a useful instrumentality for investigating if wireless transmitters are moving properly. I usage excavation to trial if the fobs are moving and to trial their range. 

Also: The champion information keys you tin buy: Expert tested 

And yes, the Flipper Zero tin grounds the codes transmitted by car cardinal fobs, but retransmitting these codes to a modern car won't unlock it owed to a diagnostic called 'rolling codes' that changes the codification with each use. On older cars -- those 20 years aged and much -- you could usage a codification captured to unlock the conveyance (but don't bash that unless it's your car oregon you person permission!), but you inactive couldn't thrust distant with it.

On the flip broadside -- pun intended -- retransmitting the codes to a wireless doorbell volition origin the doorbell to ring, arsenic astir of these systems don't person a mechanics to support against specified annoyances.

Show more

NFC is everyplace nowadays, and the Flipper Zero allows you to enactment with this wireless protocol. It's built into integrative cards and fobs and utilized for each sorts of things, from unlocking edifice country doors to controlling barriers.

But this doesn't mean you tin origin chaos successful the world, due to the fact that to unlock things you much often than not request entree to the NFC key. 

NFC signals tin beryllium work by the Flipper Zero, and galore NFC cards tin besides beryllium copied and cloned (this depends connected the information utilized for the card, truthful I can't springiness you immoderate hard and accelerated rules astir which NFC devices tin beryllium cloned). I've utilized my Flipper Zero to transcript my edifice country paper connected juncture erstwhile the edifice lone gives you a azygous paper oregon erstwhile we person aggregate rooms and don't privation to juggle a fistful of cards.

Also: The champion VPN services (and however to take the close 1 for you)

However, enactment that portion the Flipper Zero tin work NFC cards and fobs, it cannot decode the card's encrypted information codification utilized connected recognition and debit cards, truthful they can't beryllium cloned.

Show more

Along with NFC, the Flipper Zero tin work and clone RFID cards and fobs, including edifice cards, arsenic shown successful the representation above.

Also: I bricked my iPhone to forestall doomscrolling - and accidentally fixed my life

RFID cards and tags tin beryllium locked to forestall overwriting oregon extraction of their information keys, but the Flipper Zero tin bypass galore of these mechanisms. For example, it tin connection to unlock the paper if you contiguous it to a valid scholar (such arsenic the fastener it has been programmed to open). 

This allows you to clone the paper and unlock the doorway utilizing some the paper and the Flipper Zero. 

Show more

The Flipper Zero has a built-in infrared module that tin beryllium programmed to run a wide scope of devices, from TVs to AC units. 

Pretty overmuch immoderate user instrumentality with an IR distant power interface tin beryllium controlled utilizing the Flipper Zero.

Another chill usage of this functionality is to trial if infrared distant controls are working. Simply constituent the distant power astatine the Flipper Zero successful 'read IR' mode, and it volition observe the signals.

I usage this diagnostic each the clip to trial distant controls that I've fixed aft artillery leaks person damaged the device. It's an incredibly useful feature!

Show more

Yes, the Flipper Zero tin bypass the information connected immoderate Sentry Safe physics safes utilizing an output from the GPIO. 

This is decidedly not thing you privation to beryllium doing if it isn't your harmless oregon you don't person permission, but it goes to amusement conscionable however insecure the "complimentary" safes recovered successful hotels, spas, and Airbnbs really are.

Show more

Flipper Zero tin enactment arsenic a BadUSB device, which means that erstwhile connected to a larboard it is seen arsenic a Human Interface Device (HID), specified arsenic a keyboard. 

Also: The champion VPN services for iPhone and iPad (yes, you request to usage one)

A BadUSB instrumentality tin alteration strategy settings, unfastened backdoors, retrieve data, initiate reverse shells, oregon bash thing that tin beryllium achieved with carnal access. These tasks are completed by utilizing a acceptable of commands written successful the Rubber Ducky Scripting Language, besides known arsenic DuckyScript

Show more

Flipper Zero opens a browser and navigates to a webpage with nary idiosyncratic input.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The Flipper Zero tin usage the GPIO to output electrical signals and enactment arsenic a awesome generator. I past utilized this to simulate an antilock braking strategy module connected a conveyance to corroborate that each the wiring and computers successful the car were working.

Show more

The Video Game Module is powered by the RP2040 microcontroller developed by Raspberry Pi and adds a clump of gaming-related functionality.

First, it adds a DVI video output larboard to the Flipper Zero, allowing it to nonstop video to outer displays. This is indispensable since the tiny LED sheet built into the Flipper Zero isn't perfect for gaming. This capableness isn't constricted to gaming, though. The quality to beam video output to a larger show is large for assorted different applications, specified arsenic investigating oregon training.

Also: Why the astir premium charging accessory for iPhone fans isn't made by Apple

The Video Game Module besides includes an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) featuring a TDK ICM-42688-P sensor, which adds a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer to the package, allowing it to consciousness tilting oregon shaking.

If you're not into gaming, that's nary problem. The RP2040 microcontroller tin tally applications programmed successful C, C++, oregon MicroPython, making it a versatile summation to the Flipper Zero.

Show more

Read Entire Article