Getting started (easy guide)

Start here if your UltiMaker 2+ Connect still has its original software. You will download a ready-made file, put it on a USB drive, and let the printer install it. You do not need to build the file yourself.

Want to build your own files or follow the detailed commands? Use Technical installation. Already running the full Deneb software? Use Updating Deneb.

Before you start

You need:

• An UltiMaker 2+ Connect with a working firmware-update menu.
• A computer with internet access.
• A USB drive formatted as FAT32. If you need to format it, save your files somewhere else first: formatting erases the drive.

Deneb is experimental community software, not an official UltiMaker update. Only start when the printer is idle and no print is running. Keep the power on during installation.

Keep the printer on a trusted home or workshop network. Do not expose it to the internet or a public network.

1. Download the image

Open the Deneb get-started download page. Under Assets (expand it if needed), download Deneb_get_started.img.

Keep its name exactly as shown. Skip the Source code downloads and the nightly pre-release.

You do not need an image-writing app. Do not unpack the file. You will copy it just like a photo or document.

2. Put it on the USB drive

1. Plug the FAT32 USB drive into your computer.
2. Open the drive and copy Deneb_get_started.img directly onto it. Do not put it inside a folder.
3. Keep only this one firmware file on the drive. Move other firmware files off it so the printer cannot pick the wrong one.
4. Wait for the copy to finish. Use your computer’s Eject or Safely remove option, then unplug the drive.

3. Install it on the printer

1. Make sure no print is running, then plug the USB drive into the printer.
2. Open Maintenance > Update Firmware on the touchscreen, then choose the USB install option. The exact words may differ with your stock firmware version. If it only offers an internet update, disconnect the printer from Ethernet and Wi-Fi, then leave and reopen the update screen to show the USB option.
3. Select Deneb_get_started.img and follow the update prompts.
4. Wait for installation to finish and the printer to restart. Leave the power on and the USB drive in place while it is updating.

4. Check what changed

You should see the Deneb splash screen as the printer starts, followed by the familiar stock menu. That is expected: you have installed the preparation file, not the full Deneb software.

5. What comes next

The new touchscreen, Web UI, and printing software come in a separate Deneb_Update_<version>.deneb file.

There is no prebuilt full-stack .deneb download from GitHub Actions yet. To finish, you or someone helping you must build that file on a supported Debian/Linux or Windows/WSL computer. The technical guide explains how to build it and how to install it.

If you are not ready for that, stop here. The new Deneb features will not be available until you install the second file.

If something does not look right

• The printer cannot see the file: check that the drive is FAT32, the name is exactly Deneb_get_started.img, and the file is not inside a folder.
• You still see the old menu: that is normal after this first file. The full .deneb package comes next.
• You need to go back: while the stock menu is still running, its USB updater can install official UltiMaker firmware. After the full Deneb install, recovery works differently. Read Returning toward official firmware before proceeding; a factory reset is not a firmware rollback.

For installation errors or an update that appears stuck, use the technical troubleshooting guide.