Betaflight setup guides

Betaflight CLI, backup and restore

The command line is where every Betaflight and INAV setting lives, including the ones without a screen of their own. FlySpark gives you the CLI in Chrome or Edge over USB or Bluetooth, with suggestions as you type, and makes backing up your quad a one-tap job.

The same CLI is in the FlySpark app on Android and iPhone, so a backup can be taken at the field.

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Free. Hardware connections need Chrome or Edge on a computer; phones use the FlySpark app.

Free
Nothing to install
Demo without hardware

Features

01
Autocomplete
Suggestions for commands, setting names and the values each setting accepts, read from the board itself.
02
History
Recall earlier commands with the arrow keys; the last few hundred are kept.
03
Quick commands
One-tap status, version, diff, diff all, get, help and the board-specific commands you use most.
04
Backup
Save a full diff all in the same format the desktop configurator uses. FlySpark keeps it, and Share downloads it as a text file.
05
Restore with checks
Restore from a file, the clipboard or a saved backup, with a warning when the firmware or board does not match.
06
Copy and save output
Copy the output, download it as a file or clear the screen.

Why back up with diff all

A diff lists only the settings that differ from the defaults, which keeps a backup short and readable. Diff all does the same for every PID and rate profile, so nothing is missed. Take one before you flash new firmware, apply presets or try a big tuning change; if something goes wrong, restoring it puts the quad back the way it was.

Keep the file somewhere safe and give it a name with the quad and the date. A backup from FlySpark can also be pasted into the CLI of the desktop configurator, and the other way round.

Restoring safely

Settings from one firmware version do not always fit another, and resource mappings belong to a particular board. Before restoring, FlySpark compares the backup with the connected board and warns you about a different board or firmware version. If some lines fail, FlySpark tells you and asks whether to save the rest.

After flashing a new major version of Betaflight, it is often better to restore only the parts you need, such as rates, modes and OSD, than to paste a whole old backup.

Useful commands

Type status to see the CPU load, sensors and arming flags. Get followed by part of a name lists matching settings, and set changes one. Save writes your changes and reboots the board; exit leaves without saving. Changes made in the other tabs of the Betaflight configurator end up in the same settings, so you can mix both. The presets page explains how ready-made CLI snippets are applied.

How to back up Betaflight settings in the browser

Connect
Open FlySpark in Chrome or Edge, choose Betaflight and connect over USB or Bluetooth.
Open the CLI
Go to the CLI tab.
Back up
Choose Backup to run diff all. FlySpark keeps the backup; Share downloads it as a text file.
Restore later
Choose Restore, pick the file, check any warnings and let it apply and save.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between diff and dump?

Dump lists every setting; diff lists only those changed from the defaults. Diff all includes every profile and is the usual backup.

Can I restore a backup from the Betaflight desktop configurator?

Yes. Both use plain CLI text, so a diff all file from either tool can be restored in the other.

Does it work with INAV?

Yes. The INAV configurator has the same CLI, backup and restore.

Where are backups saved in the browser?

FlySpark keeps them in your browser's storage, listed under Saved. Share downloads a backup as a text file to your downloads folder. In the app, backups are kept on the phone.

See every FlySpark tool

Betaflight Configurator in your browser and on your phone
Set up Betaflight in your browser or on Android: ports, PIDs, rates, OSD, modes, presets and CLI over USB or Bluetooth. Free, with a no-hardware demo.
INAV Configurator for the browser and your phone
Configure INAV planes, wings and multirotors in your browser or on Android: mixer, navigation, waypoint missions, programming and OSD. Free demo inside.
Betaflight presets in your browser
Browse and apply Betaflight presets in your browser: search the official repository, pick options, preview the CLI commands and apply several at once.
Firmware flasher for Betaflight, INAV, ArduPilot and PX4
Flash Betaflight, INAV, ArduPilot and PX4 firmware from your Android phone over USB OTG. DFU and bootloader support, with a settings backup first.